Condo Toilet Leak

[reikotan 0]

I stay in a condo.

My downstairs neighbour complain leak from their ceiling.

My toilet has a shower area at one end, and a bath tub at another end.

The leak corresponds to the bathtub which I hardly use.

After we turn off the water supply to the toilet, the leak dried up.

When we turn on the water supply and started using the WC and sink, there was NO leakage.

But when we started using the shower area, after a week, the seepage started.

So we stopped using the shower area.

The seepage dried up, but another spot on the ceiling occurred with paint peeling but no seepage.

Then we started using the bath tub and the original area had seepage again.

The other part where paint was peeling remained the same.

So now we stopped bathing but continue to use the WC and sink.

I wonder how the seepage can seep from the shower area to the bath tub area and down to the lower unit.

Is that possible, ie the water travel from one end of the bathroom to the other?

May I know if there is water proofing below the bath tub?

Also usually what is a reasonable fees for water proofing the shower area and retiling?

Shower area about 2m x 1.5 m.

Also what is reasonable amount to remove the bathtub and close off the tap?

TIA.

[pantieileen 2]

I stay in a condo.

My downstairs neighbour complain leak from their ceiling.

My toilet has a shower area at one end, and a bath tub at another end.

The leak corresponds to the bathtub which I hardly use.

After we turn off the water supply to the toilet, the leak dried up.

When we turn on the water supply and started using the WC and sink, there was NO leakage.

But when we started using the shower area, after a week, the seepage started.

So we stopped using the shower area.

The seepage dried up, but another spot on the ceiling occurred with paint peeling but no seepage.

Then we started using the bath tub and the original area had seepage again.

The other part where paint was peeling remained the same.

So now we stopped bathing but continue to use the WC and sink.

I wonder how the seepage can seep from the shower area to the bath tub area and down to the lower unit.

Is that possible, ie the water travel from one end of the bathroom to the other?

May I know if there is water proofing below the bath tub?

Also usually what is a reasonable fees for water proofing the shower area and retiling?

Shower area about 2m x 1.5 m.

Also what is reasonable amount to remove the bathtub and close off the tap?

TIA.

It's not waterproofing lah. Get a plumber and a ladder, ask plumber to open false ceiling, there's a little tap which you need to tighten or ask him use those white tap to make it tight. The floor trap from your level goes down towards his level and it's probably ends at the bathtub area. Coz can't be so many piping and trap all over the toilet. I had the exact same problem and my tenant so frustrated with the neighbor downstairs complain complain then he cannot shower, we got a plumber to check interfloor leak problem and he didn't charge me a single cent...but don't ask me for contact coz i think he won't want to pick up my call also. If you got to pay probably for labour and transport.

But that's just my 5cent worth..get a plumber

[reikotan 0]

It's not waterproofing lah. Get a plumber and a ladder, ask plumber to open false ceiling, there's a little tap which you need to tighten or ask him use those white tap to make it tight. The floor trap from your level goes down towards his level and it's probably ends at the bathtub area. Coz can't be so many piping and trap all over the toilet. I had the exact same problem and my tenant so frustrated with the neighbor downstairs complain complain then he cannot shower, we got a plumber to check interfloor leak problem and he didn't charge me a single cent...but don't ask me for contact coz i think he won't want to pick up my call also. If you got to pay probably for labour and transport.

But that's just my 5cent worth..get a plumber

hi pantieileen , thanks so much for replying.

It seems like a small problem after you have explained it to me!

One question though, why is it that when i use the shower well to bath and later the bath tub, then the seepage occur? When I don't bathe there but use WC and sink, then no seepage?

Actually I engaged a contractor who specializes in waterproofing, recommended by the condo and he did open the false ceiling to turn off the tap to see if the seepage would have stop which it did.

I don't know if he tighten the tap.

Would appreciate if you could share somemore.

Edited March 19, 2012 by reikotan

[yoongf 11]

Based on your description, the leak is not at the waterproofing area. The leak is at the pipe called the floorwaste pipe, which connects the shower drain hole to the bathtub waste hole, and drains water into the floor trap. This 2 inch diameter pipe is embedded into the concrete slab, below the waterproofing layer. I dun think u wanna hack off the concrete slab, so.. I guess u need leak specialist to coat the internals of the pipe instead.

[reikotan 0]

Based on your description, the leak is not at the waterproofing area. The leak is at the pipe called the floorwaste pipe, which connects the shower drain hole to the bathtub waste hole, and drains water into the floor trap. This 2 inch diameter pipe is embedded into the concrete slab, below the waterproofing layer. I dun think u wanna hack off the concrete slab, so.. I guess u need leak specialist to coat the internals of the pipe instead.

Thanks for your reply.

May I know can the leak specialist coat the internals of the pipe easily without hacking or minimal hacking?

Actually I consulted a leak specialist but he just simply asked me to observe by myself and he has not come down to inspect the lower floor unit except for the first time.

[pantieileen 2]

Yes Yoongf is correct, call waste pipe. You know the circle or some are square with little holes that hold the hair when you shower so the hair doesn't enter the sewage? Technically there should only be 1 in every bathroom. So even if you have a bathtub and shower, it all flows towards the single waste pipe which probably means yours might be underneath the bathtub.

The pipe just needs to be tighten, doesn't need to be coated.

I use this plumber, honest guy Benny Chua 9060 6282 from Goodwill plumbing & sanitary

Benny Chua 9060 6282

157A Upper Paya Lebar Road Singapore 534854

Office : 6280 0136 Fax : 6280 0137

www.goodwillplumbing.com

bennychua@goodwillplumbing.com

Specialized in plumbing services, cleaning/sterilizing water tank, repair/replace storage water tank, machines clearing chokage, pressure grout/waterproofing/painting, pump maintenance servicing concrete & crack repair, rectify & repair roof leak, partition/fencing/barricade, general construction, maintenance/repair/replace aircon i alternate La Mer with Lancome, Lamer for day, lancome for night...cheapskate hahaha

If he doesn't charge you, just pay him for transport coz he'll need to climb up and stick his head inside the false ceiling...not a pleasant job. Sorry i'm a girl so i rather pay then mess up my hair and i assume u are a girl too.

Edited March 20, 2012 by pantieileen

[reikotan 0]

Thanks pantieileen. I will try n see if he replies.

[reikotan 0]

The problem has been identified.

It is the inlet pipe that is likely leaking.

I collected water in a pail and used the water elsewhere keeping the floor of the shower well and bathtub dry.

The seepage recurred in my neighbour's place.

May I ask a question?

Do you think the inlet pipe is in the tiled wall or the false ceiling?

My contractor suggested a bypass of the pipe in order to save costs which means the new pipe will exposed.

Usually what is the price range we are looking at?

TIA.