Shifting house - shower ideas requested

[MountainGirl]

Our one-story house was built (by the seller) in 2020 on piers, we bought it in 2021, and a year ago, we had a big alcoved garden tub pulled out and a walk-in shower installed, with a narrow ledge along the back, and tile down to the new shower pan. Our mistake is that lower part was finished in tile, to match with the existing upper part of the alcove. Over this last week, there must have been major settling - because suddenly the lower part along the back is bowed, including the ledge, tile is off, total mess.

We have someone to come and do the repairs next Thursday - but I dont want to put tile back on because I know this house is going to continue to settle/shift - so I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas about some other something? that we can 'line' the back wall bottom part of the shower alcove with... that wont wreck the next time the house moves. We cant afford a re-build/re-tiling every two years. I've looked on youtube but without success.

Thanks -

 

[Dawico]

You really need to get the house to stop settling.

 

[vmax]

Could there be a water leak causing the piers to settle?
Something is not right with the foundation sounds like
Gotta get the foundation right 1st

 

[MountainGirl]

Oh. Joy.

That wall is an exterior wall - and right up next to it is the massive carport slab. There have been other, smaller, signs of shifting throughout the house: one interior door no longer closes, floor has risen up under closet doors that now drag... ah geeze.

I wonder who out in this area could look at things -
And in the meantime, we still need to do something with the shower ~

Thanks, guys

 

[2ManyGuns]

Do something simple like a one piece fiberglass shower unit. An example

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Aquatic...nter-Drain-in-White-AX4834SH2SNB-WH/303148432

 

[Byrd666]

See posts 2&3. Then, after all is settled and level, look into installing a fiberglass shower stall, with or without bench. If you just want one or two walls replaced, it can be done with fiberglass or tile, but until all is settled and level, the same problem(s) can arise again.

 

[Axxe55]

See posts 2&3. Then, after all is settled and level, look into installing a fiberglass shower stall, with or without bench. If you just want one or two walls replaced, it can be done with fiberglass or tile, but until all is settled and level, the same problem(s) can arise again.

I AGREE!

 

[2ManyGuns]

What kind of piers? Bell? What kind of soil do you have? What has your weather been like recently? You really need an expert to look into this. I live in a very old house, probably built in the late 1940's, the pier and beam system is fairly simple, pad and block type. Summer, when it gets really dry and the soil shrinks, I get a little movement, but since the house "floats" it is not a lot. I will get one door, the rear, start rubbing at the top of the jamb. But, I am on a sandy, loamy type of soil which is about 4-5 feet deep above clay.

 

[Axxe55]

What kind of piers? Bell? What kind of soil do you have? What has your weather been like recently? You really need an expert to look into this. I live in a very old house, probably built in the late 1940's, the pier and beam system is fairly simple, pad and block type. Summer, when it gets really dry and the soil shrinks, I get a little movement, but since the house "floats" it is not a lot. I will get one door, the rear, start rubbing at the top of the jamb. But, I am on a sandy, loamy type of soil which is about 4-5 feet deep above clay.

I AGREE NEED SOMEONE THAT SPECIALIZES IN HOUSE LEVELING!

 

[bbbass]

Search online for:

waterproof paneling for shower walls

 

[Axxe55]

I AGREE!

WON'T THE SHOWER STALL NEED A CONCRETE FOUNDATION TO SIT ON?

 

[bbbass]

New houses normally settle for the first few years, enough to cause doors to bind and hairline drywall cracks off door/window corners. Nothing as dramatic or extensive as you seem to be describing.

Soil type makes a big diff: any clay soils will expand with rains, and shrink during drying periods. These can sure work the floor and wall structures as well as patio slabs. The fix is the reverse of the logic one would think, which would be to dry out the soil... however, since you can stop the rains or movement of ground water, the answer is to install a system for keeping the ground moist. This way it doesn't rise and lower, which is what causes the most damage.

There are experts in soil conditions and clay soils. It's best to consult with such prior to spending $$ on supposed soil fixes.

 

[bbbass]

WON'T THE SHOWER STALL NEED A CONCRETE FOUNDATION TO SIT ON?

Tile showers do need a concrete base. But fiberglass shower stalls can be supported on wood blocks on top of a subfloor the is reinforced in the basement/crawl.

 

[Axxe55]

Tile showers do need a concrete base. But fiberglass shower stalls can be supported on wood blocks on top of a subfloor the is reinforced in the basement/crawl.

KIND OF WHAT I THOUGHTOUR HOUSE HAS A SLAB FOUNDATIONTHEY ROUGHEDIN A SHOWER DRAIN THE JUST SET THE SHOWER ENCLOSURE DIRECTLY ON THE FOUNDATION!

 

[bbbass]

KIND OF WHAT I THOUGHTOUR HOUSE HAS A SLAB FOUNDATIONTHEY ROUGHEDIN A SHOWER DRAIN THE JUST SET THE SHOWER ENCLOSURE DIRECTLY ON THE FOUNDATION!

That should work if the slab is stable. But I like to put them on blocks to allow for a bit of movement.

 

[oldag]

Could there be a water leak causing the piers to settle?
Something is not right with the foundation sounds like
Gotta get the foundation right 1st

Houses built where there is expansive clay will be subject to settling as the clay soil shrinks in dry weather. No matter the quality of the construction.

 

[Axxe55]

That should work if the slab is stable. But I like to put them on blocks to allow for a bit of movement.

HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 2005 I'M SURE THE FOUNDATION HAS SETTLED SOME IN THAT TIME SPAN

 

[bbbass]

HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 2005 I'M SURE THE FOUNDATION HAS SETTLED SOME IN THAT TIME SPAN

Slab foundations don't normally settle much at all. If they do, it shows up in tiled floors etc.

 

[Axxe55]

Slab foundations don't normally settle much at all. If they do, it shows up in tiled floors etc.

WE DO HAVE SOME MINOR CRACKS IN THE SLAB BUT WERE TOLD BEFORE HAND THIS WAS NORMAL

 

[bbbass]

WE DO HAVE SOME MINOR CRACKS IN THE SLAB BUT WERE TOLD BEFORE HAND THIS WAS NORMAL

Yup!