Shower pans, tub drains and failed grout
Shower and tub leak water damage repair in Atlanta
Shower and tub leaks are slow, so the damage builds for months before anyone sees it. We trace where the water is getting out, dry and repair the subfloor, walls and ceiling below, and rebuild the shower or tub area.
Updated September 2026
- Phones
- Answered 24/7
- Job type
- Leaks by source
- Service office
- Biscayne Dr NW, Atlanta
Short answer
Shower and tub leak damage in Atlanta usually comes from a failed shower pan, a loose tub drain or overflow gasket, or cracked grout and caulk, and it shows up as a ceiling stain below or a soft floor beside the tub. We trace the leak path, dry and replace damaged framing and drywall and rebuild the shower surround.
The job
Why shower leaks stay hidden so long
Shower water only escapes during use, a few minutes at a time. The subfloor and wall framing absorb it and slowly rot, and the first visible sign is often a stain on the ceiling underneath or a loose tile.
The fix has two sides. A plumber or tile setter fixes the source: the pan, the drain, the valve or the tile. We handle the damage: opening what is wet, drying or replacing framing and subfloor and closing the walls and ceiling. With a Moen, Delta or Kohler valve behind the tile, we also check whether the leak is actually at the valve.
Cost
What moves the cost of shower and tub leak repair
How long it leaked and what has to come out set the price.
Leak duration
Months of leaking rot more framing than a new leak.
Tile removal
Tile that has to come off adds demolition and rebuild.
Ceiling below
A damaged ceiling underneath adds drying and repair.
Framing and subfloor
Rotted plates and subfloor need carpentry.
Rebuild finish
New tile, waterproofing and fixtures vary widely.
Fixr puts typical water damage restoration between $1,200 and $5,000 nationally; the shower rebuild after drying is priced separately. We quote yours after we find the leak path.
Common case
Failed shower pans
A shower pan is the waterproof layer under the tile floor. When it cracks, or was never sloped correctly, water gets under the tile and out the edges into the subfloor and the wall plates.
Pan failures usually mean the shower floor comes out. We remove the wet subfloor and framing and dry the area, and the tile setter rebuilds the pan properly before new tile goes in. A flood test of the new pan before tile is the step that prevents doing this twice.
Common case
Tub overflow and drain leaks
Tub drains and overflow gaskets loosen over time. The leak only happens when the tub is full, or when someone leans back and water reaches the overflow, so it can go on for years.
Access from the ceiling below or a panel behind the tub lets the plumber fix the drain. We dry the framing and subfloor around the tub, replace what rotted and repair the ceiling underneath. Tubs over crawl spaces sometimes show the leak as a damp spot on the crawl space soil instead of a ceiling stain.
Common case
Grout and tile leaks into the subfloor
Cracked grout and failed caulk let water behind the tile in every shower. On a properly built shower the waterproofing stops it; on older showers with no membrane, it soaks the backer and the framing.
We remove tile where readings show moisture behind it, dry or replace the backer and framing and hand the rebuild to the tile setter with a proper waterproofing layer. Loose tiles and a hollow sound when tapped are good signs of where to look first.
After you call
How a shower or tub leak repair runs
- 01
Trace the leak
Readings around the shower or tub find the path.
- 02
Open and dry
Wet tile, backer and drywall removed; framing dried.
- 03
Replace damaged wood
Rotted subfloor and plates replaced.
- 04
Hand off the source
A plumber or tile setter fixes the pan, drain or valve.
- 05
Close and finish
Walls, ceiling and trim repaired.
In Atlanta
Shower leaks in Buckhead condo towers
In the condo towers along Biscayne Drive and elsewhere in Buckhead, a shower pan leak does not stop at the bathroom floor. It shows up on the ceiling of the unit below, sometimes two floors down, and the owner upstairs may not know until a neighbor knocks. We trace the source from both units, document the damage in each and dry them together so the repair only happens once.
Shower valves and fixtures behind these calls include Moen, Delta and Kohler, plus tubs from American Standard and Jacuzzi.
- Moen
- Delta
- Kohler
- American Standard
- Jacuzzi
- Pfister
- Grohe
- Symmons
- Sterling
- Hansgrohe
Signs to look for
Signs a shower or tub is leaking
Ceiling stain below the bathroom
A stain that grows after showers usually means the shower is leaking.
Loose or hollow tiles
Tiles that move or sound hollow have water behind them.
Soft floor beside the tub
Flooring that flexes near the tub points to a rotting subfloor.
Peeling paint behind the shower
Bubbling paint on the wall behind the shower means moisture in the wall.
A musty bathroom smell
An odor that stays after cleaning can mean rot behind the tile.
FAQ
Questions people ask about shower and tub leak water damage
A ceiling stain below that grows after showers, loose tiles or a soft floor beside the shower are the common signs.
Sometimes, if it is only grout or caulk. Pan failures usually mean the floor comes out.
A plumber or tile setter fixes the pan, drain or valve; we handle the damage and repairs around it.
Long-term leaks are often excluded, while sudden failures may be covered. Your policy decides.
Drying and repairs take days; a full shower rebuild adds the tile setter's time.
Talk to a person now
Stain showing up under the bathroom?
Call and we'll trace the leak and tell you what the repair involves.
Answered 24/7, holidays included.