Star, Ada County
Shower Waterproofing in Star, Idaho
The membrane, pan and detailing work that decides whether a shower lasts five years or thirty.
Short answer
Star's homes are new enough that outright pan failures are uncommon, but builder waterproofing details vary widely, and the ones we do open up are usually failing at the curb, the corners or a fastener line rather than in the middle of the pan.
- Idaho contractor registration RCE-57919
- $5,000,000 liability insurance
- 1 year workmanship warranty
- 26 customer reviews
What shower waterproofing includes in Star
- Tear-out to framing so the assembly can be seen and documented
- Moisture readings before rebuild, and drying time if the framing is wet
- Replacement of damaged subfloor, plates and studs
- Bonding-flange drain matched to the membrane system
- Continuous membrane across pan, curb, corners, seams and walls
- Flood test before tile — the only stage where a pan can be proven
What we find in Star homes
- Where a Star shower is a one-piece unit, there is no membrane at all — the unit is the waterproofing, and once it flexes or cracks it cannot be repaired properly.
- In tiled builder showers we most often find shallow slope and a clamping-ring drain, which works only when everything else is right.
- Because these homes are recent, damage is usually caught before it reaches framing, which keeps the rebuild scope tight.
What moves the price
Waterproofing work is priced by what the demolition exposes. A pan rebuild with sound framing is predictable; wet plates, a rotted subfloor or a drain that has to be replaced are the variables.
- Whether damage stopped at the substrate or reached framing and subfloor
- Drain assembly replacement to match a bonded membrane
- Reinstating tile in a finish that matches the rest of the bathroom
Systems and materials we use
- Bonded sheet membrane systems with banded seams and corners
- Liquid-applied membranes with reinforcing fabric
- Waterproof foam board wall and curb systems
- Bonding-flange drains, never a clamping-ring assembly under a bonded system
How the project runs
- 1Walkthrough and measurement in your bathroom, not over the phone
- 2Written estimate with scope, materials and the assumptions behind it
- 3Material selection — tile, pan, valve, glass and trim
- 4Permits confirmed with the local building authority where the scope requires them
- 5Scheduling, protection and dust control
- 6Demolition and inspection of what is behind the old shower
- 7Framing, plumbing and substrate corrections
- 8Waterproofing, with a flood test on the pan before tile
- 9Tile, grout and trim
- 10Glass templated to the finished walls, then installed
- 11Final silicone, cleanup, walkthrough and a written care summary
Permits in Star
City of Star Building Department
Permit and inspection requirements for shower work are set by the local building authority and change over time. Plumbing changes, drain relocation and electrical work commonly require a permit; a like-for-like surface replacement often does not. We confirm current requirements with the jurisdiction before scheduling, and we pull the permits our scope requires. For Star addresses, that is the City of Star Building Department; addresses outside city limits fall under Ada County.
Shower Waterproofing projects in and near Star
Fiberglass Unit to Tile Shower — Star, Idaho
A builder-grade one-piece fiberglass unit cut out and replaced with a tiled shower on a bonded membrane, with a niche, a corner seat and a frameless door.
Read the case study
Leaking Shower Pan Rebuild — Nampa, Idaho
A stain on the ceiling below the bathroom traced to a mortar-bed pan with no usable membrane. The wet area was stripped to framing and rebuilt as a fully bonded system.
Read the case study
Guides worth reading first
- Seven signs your shower is leaking behind the tileHow to tell whether a shower is leaking behind the tile: hollow tile, recurring grout cracks, efflorescence, ceiling stains and musty smells.
- Shower waterproofing systems, explained plainlyBonded sheet membranes, liquid-applied membranes and foam board systems compared, plus pan slope, corners and pre-tile flood testing.
- What a curbless shower actually requiresWhat it takes to build a curbless shower: recessed subfloor, slope, linear drains, wet-zone sizing and containment without a curb.
- What changes the cost of a tub-to-shower conversionThe specific items that move the price of a tub-to-shower conversion: drain relocation, framing at the old tub deck, waterproofing height, door versus panel.
Other shower work we do in Star
- Shower Remodeling in StarReplacing a tired, leaking or dated shower with a new wet area built on a complete waterproofing system.
- Tub-to-Shower Conversions in StarRemoving a tub nobody uses and rebuilding the space as a full-size, properly drained shower.
- Walk-In Showers in StarLow-curb and curbless showers with the slope, drainage and blocking planned for long-term use.
- Shower Tile Installation in StarLayout, setting and detailing — the part of the shower you look at every day.
Prefer the statewide overview? Read about shower waterproofing across Idaho.
Shower Waterproofing in Star — questions
- My fiberglass shower base flexes. Is that a problem?
- Yes. A flexing base usually means it was never fully supported, and movement eventually breaks the seal at the drain and the wall junction. It is not a repairable condition.
- Can waterproofing be added without removing the tile?
- No. Waterproofing lives behind the tile. Any product sold as a surface fix is a coating, not a membrane.
Nearby service areas
Request a shower waterproofing estimate in Star
Tell us what the room is doing today and what you want instead. We follow up to arrange a walkthrough and a written estimate.