Advise / recommend : Ceiling leak water - likely from Toilet

[vaun]

Hi, my neighbour staying down-stair told me there is water leak, likely from my toilet. I believe this is not uncommon problem from old building.


Could anyone of you kindly advise me or share of the following :

a) I believe there would be a water test to investigate where is a leak ?

b) What is the typical solutions ? must change the whole flooring ?

c) More importantly, is the water test and the solutioning provided by the same contractor ? If so, would it provides a overkill solution ?

d) Do you have a contractor to recommend ?



Thank you very much. Any info you could provide soon (even is partial) will be appreciated.

[john289]

If you are staying HDB flats, than ask your neighbour to call HDB area office, they will make all the arrangements.

[john289]

If you are staying in your own private flats, firstly check which part of the ceiling your neighbour is complaining. The leak is usually comes right from the top especially bathroom.

The whole bathroom floor tiles need to be hack off including cement/sand bed
A new layer of waterproof membrane need to be laid on and leave 24 hrs to check for water leakage. Upon confirmation of no leak, new flooring will proceed
to lay.
Solving the leaks and tiling work is normally doe be one contractor, except unforseen cases whereby the contractor is not able to trace the leak.
email me if u need further advice.

[vaun]

Thanks John.

[pojo]

There are many causes eg leaking running pipes, leaking waste pipes or waterproofing proble or even leaks from your neighbour upstairs. You may want to identify the particular cause as the cost of repairs for each cause varies considerably. Firstly if you have more than one bathroom, you may want to turn off the main tap (usually on the ceiling) and not use the bathroom for a few days.


If there is no change to the leak, it could be upstairs or water coming from elsewhere not that bathroom. If the leak stops, then the probable cause is that bathroom. Then what you have to do is turn the tap back on but not use the toilet for a few days. If the leak reappears then the probable cause is a leak in the running pipes. A plumber can reroute the pipes at a not too expensive price. If the leak stops, it could then either be the waterproofing in the toilet or waste pipe leak. Check with downstairs the time it leaks. If continuous, may not be waste pipe since the water flows down the waste pipe only when you shower or use the sink. If it leaks only during use, it probably is the waste pipe. Cost of repairing leaks in the waste pipe is not too pricey.

Finally if the leak is continuous, it could be the waterproofing. This is the most costly to repair. Suggest you consult a few plumbers to assess the cause. Get more than one opinion. Listen to how the plumber assesses the situation vis a vis what I wrote above.

Most important don’t rush to renovate the toilet without confirming the cause.

[osim]

If your case is confirmed to be water seepage due to water proofing problem of your bathroom, and the water is getting through to the ceiling of the neighbor below you, then usually, the cost of solving the problem is shared 50/50 between the 2 sides.


I had water seepage problem 12 years ago. My upstairs bath room floor water proofing was not done well and water seep into the ceiling of kitchen below but because it’s all within my own house, there was no need to deal with neighbor negotiation.

Instead of hacking and redoing the toilet floor, the contractor got a guy to inject something into the leaking spots on the ceiling. After that, they use some kind of seal to paint over the floor tiles of the bath room upstairs so that the stuff they injected has time to dry. That things they use to paint on the floor tiles have long peeled off due to my scrubbing when I wash toilet.

Thank God this has worked and no problems far.

[kira]

I have water leaking from my upstairs neighbour’s unit. The dripping is quite consistent and the water is clear/ does not smell. However, at certain fixed times of the day, the water drips a lot faster. There are no water or aircon pipes running above and the suspicion is that there is a crack leading from one of the bathrooms.


Appreciate anyone’s suggestions on how to locate the cause? Thanks!

[vaun]

Thanks. While I have my problem settled, I think I shall list down some pointers to whoever, might find it useful.


COST
a) If you stay in HDB, it is easier to settle on the costing side. If you stay in private, you will be hearing something like the upper floor to pick up the full costs. It might be the case, but I think most importantly, we have to react to the problem fast, to find the cause, then the discuss with your neighbour. I believe, most of the time, the cost will be shared but do not expect 50-50…

COST from vendor
b) I invited a few vendors to view and quote. The difference could be difference by 30+%. So please compare. And ask for warranty to safe guide your interests. Bind the vendor to certain degree of their investigation.

c) There are a few methods to address the problems after finding the cost, allows at least 1-2 days to think about it (or ask around).

Hope this help

[Rester]

Same problem i had last year… and yes it is quite a huge problem on costing… easily 4 figure repair if i recall correctly or at least near…


and like bro osim said, my plumber recommended the injection method too which we went with.

a few things that might help you.

- have upstair folks to be around. the plumber/contractor might have to check upstairs too.
- my friend did it via hacking as recommended by his plumber end up hack 3 days also cannot find source need another plumber to go down so becareful coz the means of determining the leak is normally based on the plumber experience.

if you need the contact of the plumber my friend got let me know. i will drop him a buzz

[atrecord]

I am not sure if the rules have changed, but when i had this problem years ago in my HDB, i remembered I went to meet the MP session (actually no need see him, explain to the volunteers outside and they automatically type the standard letter to HDB and get MP sign), and from there, MP sent letter to HDB.


Shortly after that, HDB sent officer to contact me and my neighbour, and told my unwilling neighbour upstairs that they must get it fixed (i.e. hack and rewaterproof). Of the full fee required, HDB subsidised half of it. Of the balance half, my upstairs neighbour and I had to pay 50/50 share. I seem to remember it was like $800 in total due to contractor, so HDB paid $400, and my neighbour and I paid $200 each.