Why a pretty shower in Sequoyah Hills can still be rotting behind the tile
Tile looks waterproof. It is not. Grout is porous, and glazed tile only sheds water at the surface. What keeps your wall dry is a membrane under the tile, over cement board or foam board made for showers.
Bath Planet's Knoxville shower page promises work in as little as 24 hours but says nothing about waterproofing. Most shower remodeling Knoxville TN calls start with a quick tile job that began leaking.
| Approach | What changes | What stays hidden |
|---|---|---|
| Retile over old walls | Surface look | The wall, pan and any leak |
| Prefab surround or liner | Walls and base fast | The framing and old plumbing behind it |
| Rebuild with membrane | Pan, walls, valve and glass | Nothing, since we open it all first |
| Light update only | Fixtures and caulk | Everything behind the tile |
A light update is honest work when your pan and walls test sound. A rebuild is for showers that leak or smell.
Shower renovation Knoxville TN homes near Cherokee Boulevard need before new glass goes in
Sequoyah Hills began in the 1920s as one of Knoxville's first suburbs. Cherokee Boulevard loops the river peninsula off Kingston Pike. Houses that old can hide dated plumbing and tile set onto plaster.
Your water adds wear. KUB draws from the Tennessee River. Its 2025 report lists average hardness of 94 ppm and a pH of 7.3. That is enough to spot clear glass over time.
So we seal glass and show you the quick wipe.
Knoxville also gets about 52 inches of rain a year, per the National Weather Service normals. The Tennessee Department of Health tells homeowners to vent bathroom fans outdoors. It also says to repair leaks quickly. Drywall that soaks usually has to be replaced.
What a Sequoyah Hills shower rebuild includes, from demolition to the flood test
- Removal of the old walls, pan and valve
- Inspection of studs and subfloor for rot
- New cement or foam backer board
- A sloped pan with a waterproofing membrane
- A flood test before tile
- New valve, trim and glass
- Tile, grout and sealant at every joint
Shower installation Knoxville TN in order: pan, valve, wall, then tile
Custom tile shower Knoxville TN homeowners ask for
Tile set over a waterproof membrane, with a niche, bench or curb you choose. It suits anyone who wants a built shower rather than a kit. The differentiator is that every layer is visible to you before tile covers it. So the finish matches the work behind it.
It also means the tile pattern, niche size and bench height are settled with you. We do it at the open wall, not by guessing.
Shower pan replacement Knoxville TN: the flood test before any tile
When the pan itself leaks, the floor under it is usually wet too. We remove the pan, dry and repair what we find, then rebuild it with proper slope. It suits showers that stain the ceiling below or smell musty. The differentiator is the flood test: we fill the pan and let it sit.
You see the water level hold before any tile is set.
Glass door and valve updates
A worn valve and a fogged, rusty door can be replaced. You do not have to rebuild the whole shower if the pan and walls pass inspection. It suits showers that are sound but dated. The differentiator is timing: we replace the valve while the wall is open, never behind finished tile. That avoids cutting into new work later.
It keeps the job cheaper than a rebuild.
Signs your Sequoyah Hills shower is leaking behind the wall
- Grout or caulk that turns dark soon after cleaning
- A musty smell when the fan is off
- Tiles that sound hollow or feel loose
- Stains on the ceiling or wall below the shower
- A soft spot at the shower edge or curb
From the old shower to the final seal: the steps we follow
- Inspect the shower and mark the damage with you.
- Shut off the water and protect the floors.
- Remove the old tile, walls and pan.
- Repair framing and subfloor.
- Set the valve and backer board.
- Build the sloped pan and apply the membrane.
- Flood test the pan before tile.
- Set tile, grout, seal and install the glass.
What drives the schedule and the bill on a Sequoyah Hills shower
A rebuild takes several working days, since the membrane must cure and pass its test. Cost depends on shower size, tile choice, how much framing needs repair and whether the plumbing moves. The glass you pick matters too. The free in-home estimate puts each factor in writing.
Call (865) 298-9333 to confirm for your bathroom.
Two doubts Sequoyah Hills homeowners raise before the wall opens
Objection: Can you just retile over what I have
Only if the wall behind is dry and waterproofed. Retiling over a leak hides it. The leak keeps rotting the wall until the problem shows up on a ceiling.
Objection: I only want a new look, not a gut job
Then we say so. If your pan and walls test sound, a lighter update is honest work.
Where we offer this, from Sequoyah Hills to Lenoir City
We handle shower remodeling Knoxville wide, including Sequoyah Hills, Bearden, Fountain City, West Hills and Cedar Bluff. Outside the city we serve Farragut, Maryville, Alcoa, Oak Ridge and Lenoir City. Every town is on our service area map and list.
Our office is at 9000 Executive Park Dr, Knoxville, TN 37923. Want the tub gone too? See replacing a tub with a walk in shower. Picking tile?
See our bathroom tile and flooring page. For the whole room, see our full Knoxville bathroom remodeling.
What you can hold us to on a Sequoyah Hills shower rebuild
- A local crew from demolition to flood test.
- Licensed and insured, with proof available on request.
- A free in-home estimate with the membrane named in writing.
- A written warranty. Read it on our warranty page.
- Call only: (865) 298-9333, Monday to Saturday.
A Knoxville shower that came out a foot short of the contract
A Knoxville homeowner signs a contract for a bathroom remodel with a walk in shower. The contract calls for a 66 inch wall.
In a WATE report published January 10, 2024, the finished shower wall and door came out about a foot short. The bathroom vent would not open. A drawer ordered for the vanity was never supplied. She had paid $10,000 down on a job of nearly $28,000.
She withheld the rest and went to Knoxville civil court. The judge ruled for her, and she owed nothing more.
A careful crew puts the scope, measurements and materials in writing. That includes the membrane. Then it checks them against the finished shower. Lesson: if the contract does not name the dimensions and the waterproofing, ask why.
Sequoyah Hills to Bearden: shower rebuild answers
How long does a shower rebuild take?
A standard rebuild takes several working days. The membrane has to cure and pass a flood test before tile goes on. A bench or niche adds time. Bathroom Remodeling Knoxville gives you the schedule at the free in-home estimate. So you know how long the shower is out of use before you commit.
Why does my shower leak at the corners?
Corners and floor seams move the most, so they fail first. When caulk or grout cracks, water gets behind your tile and into the wall. We open the area to see how far the water went, then rebuild with a membrane. A shower remodel in Knoxville should fix the cause, not repaint the symptom.
Can you save my existing tile?
Rarely. Tile breaks when lifted. We need to inspect the wall behind it for rot and leaks. If the wall is sound and the tile is the only problem, we say so. Most showers that already leak need the wall opened. That means new tile on a proper membrane.
How much does a shower remodel cost in Knoxville?
Cost depends on shower size, tile choice, how much framing needs repair, whether plumbing moves, and the glass. Bathroom Remodeling Knoxville puts each factor in writing at the free in-home estimate. A shower remodel Knoxville TN homeowners plan is priced only after we see it. Call (865) 298-9333 to confirm for your bathroom.
Will hard water ruin my new glass?
Not if you plan for it. KUB reports about 94 ppm average hardness. That can leave spots on clear glass over time. Sealing the glass and wiping it after showers keeps it clear. We show you the routine when the shower is finished. So the glass looks new for years.
How will I know the membrane went in?
Ask for photos of the membrane and the flood test before tile covers them. A careful crew shows you both. We photograph the membrane on the walls and pan. We let you see the water level hold in the pan before any tile is set.
Do you replace just the shower valve?
Yes, and the best time is while the wall is open. A valve behind finished tile means cutting into that tile. If your pan and walls pass inspection, we can swap the valve and trim. We can update the glass too. No full rebuild is needed. Call us and we will tell you which path fits.
Can a shower and tub be combined into one remodel?
Yes. A walk in shower installation Knoxville TN crews do with the tub removed is one project. It has one schedule and one waterproofing system. Bathroom Remodeling Knoxville handles the demolition, the floor repair and the new pan together. So you are not coordinating separate crews across a week of noise.
Ready to stop the leak for good?
Tell us where the water shows up. Call (865) 298-9333, Monday to Saturday, for a free in-home estimate with no obligation.
Call (865) 298-9333