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Contact usAny wet area needs it: showers, bath surrounds, laundries, and anywhere water can find its way behind a wall or under a floor. Older Hobart homes in particular often have waterproofing that was never brought up to current standards, which only becomes obvious once a wall starts showing damp or tiles start lifting.
A membrane that looks fine on the day it's tiled over can still fail if it wasn't applied correctly underneath. Proper Waterproofing Services Hobart work follows the Australian Standard for wet areas, including the right membrane thickness, correct falls to the drain, and proper detailing around penetrations like tap fittings and floor wastes. It's the same standard we apply whether we're doing a full bathroom renovation or waterproofing on its own.
Bubbling paint on the other side of a bathroom wall, a musty smell that won't shift, or tiles that have started to lift are usually signs the waterproofing has failed, not just a surface problem. Our guide on why partial bathroom renovations rarely work in Hobart homes explains why patching over a failed membrane rarely solves the underlying issue.
We treat waterproofing as its own trade rather than a box to tick before tiling starts, following the Australian Standard on every job regardless of whether it's part of a full renovation or booked on its own. Zak and Tom oversee this stage personally, since it's the part of the job that causes the most expensive problems down the track if it's rushed.
How do I know if my waterproofing has actually failed?
Damp patches on an adjoining wall, peeling paint in the room next door, or a musty smell that persists are the most common signs. A membrane that's failed isn't always visible from inside the bathroom itself, which is why it often gets missed until it's caused damage elsewhere.
Can waterproofing be fixed without pulling up the tiles?
Not properly, no. The membrane sits underneath the tiles, so any genuine repair means removing the tiled surface to get to it. Anything that skips this step is a temporary patch, not a fix.
Do you waterproof laundries as well as bathrooms?
Yes, laundries need the same standard of waterproofing as bathrooms, since they deal with just as much water exposure around the trough, machine outlet and floor waste.
Is waterproofing included when I book a full bathroom renovation?
Yes, waterproofing is a standard stage in every full renovation we run, covered in the same itemised quote as the rest of the job rather than priced as an extra.
What happens if waterproofing isn't done properly the first time?
Water finds its way into wall framing and subfloor, which can mean replacing structural material as well as tiles by the time it's caught. It's the main reason we won't take a shortcut on this stage, even when it adds time to a job.
