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Shower bench replacement left EXPOSED drywall...concerned about MOLD...Help!

Shower bench replacement left EXPOSED drywall...concerned about MOLD...Help!


  #1  
Old 06-18-15, 10:46 AM
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Shower bench replacement left EXPOSED drywall...concerned about MOLD...Help!

My contractor installed my shower bench with a negative slope so the water pooled. In replacing the granite bench, the drywall below it that had a waterproof membrane but it stuck to the bench and was removed. The contractor cut the drywall out under the bench but left the drywall edges exposed (see pics) and simply put mortar down then laid down the new bench. As far as I know, mortar, grout and tile are not waterproof so effectively the drywall will be exposed to water and humidity and hence the potential for MOLD.
Can someone PLEASE advise if I am correct to be concerned...!
Thanks you all.
 
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  #2  
Old 06-18-15, 03:19 PM
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Welcome to the forums! Drywall in a wet area?? First thing is to deep six the contractor. You should have concrete backer underlayment on all surfaces or use Ditra as a slip agent. In addition to your positive slope, you need to RedGard all horizontal surfaces and places like cubbies that can accumulate water. I know you want to keep the shower, but you are jousting at windmills thinking it will get better. It is better to rebuild it all, IMO. Hang in here, as others will chime in their opinion which may vary.
 
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Old 06-19-15, 04:31 AM
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Potential mold growth....

Thanks...I appreciate your response and look forward to others. I MUST clarify, when I said contractor, it is a newly built house (4 months) so it is really the builder. Is there or are there codes or regulations or standards other than OBC 9.29.2 that would suggest what the builder did is wrong and bad so I have an argument/case with Tarion? Intuitively I believe it is wrong but what do I have to fall back on other than my opinion?
 
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Old 06-19-15, 02:18 PM
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Common sense and a bubble level with the builder in presence to show him the discrepancy in practices should open his eyes. He may not have been aware the sub used sheetrock in a shower.
 
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Old 06-19-15, 02:45 PM
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..... or he could be one of those builders that will cut corners to save a buck
Is it possible to look at some of his houses currently under construction?
 
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Old 06-19-15, 03:03 PM
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Was there any other membrane under the tile? and on top of the drywall? Kerdi waterproofing membrane can be used with drywall. It is orange in color and I see no evidence of it in your pictures.

If it is tile over straight drywall, then it is done completely wrong and only a matter of time before it fails.
 
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Old 06-19-15, 05:00 PM
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Yea, it's all wrong. The builder needs to find a tileman.

Jaz
 
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Old 06-19-15, 06:24 PM
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Thanks everyone...I don't feel so alone anymore!! The bench was made of wood and had a membrane over it and up the back wall behind the bench. The shower is 5x5 and had a shower pan up to but nor under the bench....I am not sure how they tied the two together...if at all?! Then, they put sheetrock (drywall) that had a bluish/green paper on top of that membrane so that they had something to put the mortar on for the tile and bench. Im not sure how well my pictures showed this...but when the old granite seat was pulled up, it pulled the drywall with it so the builder cut around the underside of the seat, leaving the old drywall edging from around the seat exposed (see pic) then simply put mortar down and hen the new bench. The first membrane is still there but again, the sheetrock (drywall) is exposed....Hope this clarifies a little.....any thoughts if this contravenes building code at all...or any standard?
 
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Old 06-19-15, 07:24 PM
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Probably not "code" violation, but definitely not best practices. He needs to send in a real tile person to tear it all out and do it right. You will have to live with the poor workmanship if you don't get him to correct it. His problem, not yours, IMO.
 
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Old 06-24-15, 08:03 AM
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I am meeting with the builder on Monday, other than telling him its wrong and to replace it...are there any other messages I should send him?
Thanks everyone!!:NO NO NO:
 
 

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