New bathroom fitted but shower leaking into kitchen

sunshune

Afternoon all

I am at my wits end right now. We had a new bathroom fitted just over a year ago. But within 3 months we noticed that water was dripping in the kitchen, which is just below the bathroom. We called the installer back and said that there must be a pin hole !!!!! in the sealant and he resealed it for us and it was fine. He gave us sealant to spray on the kitchen walls as they were soaked.

Now a few months down the line and the leak is worse. We called the guy again last week and he said he used masticb on the shower and to call him a few days after to see if it was ok. BUt we were away from home and when we returned we used the shower. Now 10 days after we have a leak. I have just called and told him that we have brown water leaking through the cupboards onto the cooker. The back of the cupboards are soaked and we have had to remove all of our dishes from the cupboards and there is a bit of mould on the back of the wall. He is getting shirty with me saying i should have called him the day after he came last week and I didn't.I explained that we were away. He has asked when he originally came to fit the bathroom.

My whol issue is that if he had done it correctly in the first place i wouldn't have to be contacting him. I feel now he owes us a new kitchen unit and also the ceiling under the landing in the kitchen looks like there is a crack in it but he has assured me that that is just ply wood.

I am really annoyed. I just want it sorted out and I am not sure what to do as he seems to want to avoid accepting blame

Any suggestions?

andyhop

Sounds like there is no tanking and poor preparation/quality materials

Is the bath/shower free from movement?

Did he remove old silicone prior to resealing with new?

KateLiana27

I'm not sure I'd be trusting him to fix the issue. He sounds like he doesn't have a clue.

In your position, I would think about getting someone else in, at least for an opinion on what needs to be done and a quote.

sunshune

Thanks guys. Yes I watched him take away the old silicone then replace it.

Andypop - do you mean that the shower tray may be moving? What does poor tanking mean?

Kate- i think i will have to do that but it is just finding someone you can trust. My husband is so fed up he wants to claim on the house insurance.

googler

A small pinhole in sealant doesn't give you 'soaking' kitchen walls in 3 months.....

Your leak is coming from faulty pipework, I'd suggest.

If you had soaking kitchen walls at 3 months, and you're now one year on, then I shudder to think what's behind it all.

You need to either take out part or all of the bathroom, or remove some of the ceiling below it to see where the problem is actually coming from.

I'd get another plumber in for a second opinion

sunshune

Googler are you kidding - i am quite scared now. We have a little boy and i am worried about his safety and ours now. We do not have anyone we can trust to do the work and no one here that we can ask for recommendations. This guy we used did a friend of a friends bathroom and it seemed ok and they have had no complaints but we don't know anyone else.

I wouldn't know how to remove the bathroom or ceiling or anything else

Could we not just claim on the insurance?

It is a shame i can't get him to give me some of our money back

googler

I'm not kidding at all. If your walls below the shower are 'soaking' you need to find out why, as it's obviously far more of a problem than a small dribble through the sealant line.

Maybe your insurance will cover it, but I have the feeling their loss adjuster will feel you should have acted earlier.

What does your policy say about your cover?

I didn't say you should remove anything, but suggested you get someone competent in for a second opinion

sunshune

THanks googler, i am going to look at our cover today and call the insurance company tomorrow. We did do something earlier and thats when he came back and removed the sealant and put more on it. THe problem then stopped but it was only 10 days ago that we noticed it came back so I hope we do not get the blame for that.

I just need to find someone competent now. I keep hearing adverts for trust a trader, is that a reliable website? Is there anyone I can report this man too, i really do not want this happening to anyone else especially with small children

ultramagnetic_commuter

I'd contact your insurers before you start getting people round. If they decide you have a valid claim they'll help out.

withabix

Is the guy who fitted the bathroom a proper business?

If so, ask him for details of HIS business insurance and go after them.

If he won't tell you, get a quote for the work that needs doing and then raise a Small Claims Court action against him.

Under English law, for a 'simple contract', he could be liable for latent defects for 6 years from the date of installation.

He's a cowboy, so go straight for the jugular!

C_Mababejive

I'd suggest that the shower tray needs to come out again to see whats going on with the drainage/plumbing. Is it a tiled wall with a shower screen/door or is it a shower cubicle or is it a proper wet room install..? Either way,squirting away with a mastic gun isnt going to fix it.