Find the leak and repair it. If you can't do that, hire a plumber
(maybe $200?). The damages due to the leak can be repaired by you,
unless there is structural damage. Labor is expensive.

On 18 Oct 2003 13:18:15 -0700, (Dan Harms) wrote:

Hi -

We have recently discovered that the shower in the master bedroom
above the kitchen is leaking. We learned about it because the ceiling
in the kitched started showing signs of water.

I made a hole in the ceiling about a foot in diameter (it was very
easy since it was wet ) in hopes of seeing the problem, I can see the
shower drain pipe, but it does not appear to be the source of the
water. The water keeps dripping (one drop per couple of hours)
somewhere from the side even after we stopped using the shower.

I had one contractor stop by, who said that his recommendation is to
rebuild the upstairs bathroom, that it would cost about 5K in labor +
material, and take about 10 days. Obviously I was not thrilled. The
shower (it also has a toiled and a sink, so it's really a bathroom) is
probably original in this house (built in the 60's). It's all tile.
The link is directly underneath the shower, so I don't think the
other parts of the bathroom are the source of the leak.

I am not sure how to proceed there. Is this thing generally "fixable",
i.e. break the wall, find the leak, fix it, patch it up, OR is this a
situation where the only sure way is to rebuild the bathroom
altogether? These days dollars are precious, so I'd much rather just
"fix" it, even if it will result in a less pretty looking shower. We
don't plan to move out any time soon, I dont' care how it looks for as
long as it works. When the kids grow up we'll rebuild it.

What say the usenet wisdom?

D.