New Shower has long crack and hole

[What To Do]

I am really glad I found this forum. I am looking for some suggestions what to do . We have a new home that was just built 3 months ago. We had a one piece lasco fiberglass shower unit installed in a 2nd bathroom which now has a long crack and a hole where the crack is.

The shower from the beginning when you step inside was and is very spongy on the bottom. Apparently there was nothing installed underneath the shower floor to have a solid foundation. Now that there is a hole in there , you can definitely tell there is a big gap from the bottom of the shower to the original floor.

The builder is wanting us to get it repaired, but we are afraid to risk such a repair thinking this may happen again in the future.

Can a fiberglass shower be repaired and fixed to where it looks like it is a brand new shower?



Shouldn't there have been something installed on the bottom of the flooring in order to have made the shower unit more solid instead of it filling spongy when you move in it?

Thank you for any advice you may have.

Sorry, I should have mentioned where the long crack and hole is . It is straight down on the bottom where it goes around in a curve. Straight down where you turn on the water . Hope that makes sense.

[hj]

The builder is wanting us to get it repaired, but we are afraid to risk such a repair thinking this may happen again in the future.

I hope this means HE wants to get it repaired, because it is his problem. Yes there are commercial fiberglass repair companies that can fix it so it looks like new, BUT you, or rather HE, have to address the cause of the crack first or it will keep happening.

[Cass]

Tubs should be set in mortar unless the instructions say otherwise. My guess is it was not but regardless, it is the responsibility of the builder to fix the problem, it is not your problem like hj said.

[What To Do]

Thank you so much for responding.

Yes, he is going back to the shower manuf. for the repairs.

Our only concern with a hole and the repair nature, this would or could possibly happen again in the future and hopefully you would not be able to see any kind of repairs. In other words, hoping the shower would look like a new one again.

Thank you for the information. This is a great forum.

[master plumber mark]

Lasco will reapir the unit for free....

its not a big deal......
they have literally cut out the whole bottom
of a tub before and you would not know it



the only thing to insist on is to be sure that
theiri splenty of support under the unit

[Gary Swart]

When you said the floor of the shower was spongy when stepped on, it was pretty clear the problem is the result of improper installation. I have a Lasco fiberglass shower stall, and I know that Lasco showers are to be installed on a mortar base. When that is done, there is no spring or sponginess in the floor. IMHO, the builder should eat this and install you an new enclosure. It's not Lasco's fault because they prescribe the mortar base.

[What To Do]

Thank you all very much for this information.

Yes, that is one of the things we are really concerned about. The shower base and the amount of space to the actual floor. It is just like it is setting on thin air.

The shower person came out and said they would just put some kind of epoxy cement thingy right over the hole and long crack. I asked how could that really solve the problem with so main support touching on the bottom of the floor. He said it would work, but could not guarantee that it may not happen again in the future.

To me, that is just like putting a bandaid over something to temporary be a fix. I am thinking the same thing y'll mentioned. The shower base really needs to be supported on a solid foundation first.

I will keep you informed of our dilemma and thank you, thank you for your comments .

[Gary Swart]

Patching the crack and hole will not treat the problem. The problem is the shower stall was not installed on a mortar base. I repeat, make the builder replace the entire unit with a new one and pay for a licensed plumber to install it. Do not let this builder touch it, he obviously doesn't know squat about plumbing.

[GregO]

I agree. Whether the tub is fiberglass, acrylic, steel, or cast iron, the tub bottom should feel solidly supported underfoot. I'd have it pulled and properly replaced with the new one set in a solid support base and not repaired. Greg

Patching the crack and hole will not treat the problem. The problem is the shower stall was not installed on a mortar base. I repeat, make the builder replace the entire unit with a new one and pay for a licensed plumber to install it. Do not let this builder touch it, he obviously doesn't know squat about plumbing.