Process

How a job goes

Every pan goes in the same order, and Francisco tells you each step before it starts. From your call to a tested pan is usually a day or two.

How a job goes

From your call to a tested pan

Five steps. Most of the time between the first one and the fourth is a day or two.

You call or text

Send pictures, measurements and the address.

So we know the job is prepped the right way.
We quote by phone

You get the price over the phone.

Every job is different, so we quote each one.
We schedule it

If we quote today, often the next day or the day after.

We are flexible, and we keep the wait short.
We prep and build the pan

Pre-slope, hot tar and felt, mesh in the corners.

About two hours. We could go faster; we take the time to do it right.
The flood test

Water goes in to prove the pan holds.

Sometimes we run it; sometimes your contractor does once the pan has dried.

What is under your tile

Schematic, not to scale.

1
Blocking
Around the walls, typically 2x10 or 2x12. It has to be in before we start.
2
Curb
Also called the dam or threshold. A minimum of two 2x4s; three is recommended.
3
Drain
Set and flushed before we start. It has to be the correct shower drain.
4
Cement pre-slope
Laid so all of the water drains toward the drain.
5
Hot tar and felt
Hot tar mopped on in layers with a fiberglass mop, with perforated felt between the layers.
6
Fiberglass mesh
Yellow mesh in the corners and seams so they hold up longer.
7
Flood test
Water goes in to prove the pan holds. Then your tile setter sets the tile over it.

The proof

Fill the pan with water. If it has not leaked within 24 hours, it was done well.

We run the flood test ourselves, or your contractor does once the pan has dried.

Pass this list to whoever is prepping the shower. If it is not in place, we cannot do the job properly.

The drain is set and flushed.
Blocking is installed around the walls, typically 2x10 or 2x12.
The curb (also called the dam or threshold) is in place: a minimum of two 2x4s, and three is recommended.
The shower floor is solid. If it moves or feels like it could give way underfoot, we cannot mop it. Hot mop is heavy.
The correct shower drain is installed.
Demolition is finished. We do not demo.

The shower floor moves, or feels like it could give way underfoot. Hot mop is heavy, and that is dangerous. We cannot mop it.
The wrong shower drain is installed.
There is no blocking around the shower.
The p-trap was never filled with cement on a first-floor slab. If it is not filled, the waterproofing cracks.
The shower is not prepped to the standard a hot mop pan needs. If you want it anyway we will do it, without a guarantee.

Send pictures, measurements and the address, and get a price by phone, usually the same day.