Caulk and grout. Cut out, not covered over.
Tubs, showers, sinks and trim. New caulk over old caulk is how a tub keeps leaking, so the old comes out first, the joint dries, and then it’s sealed.
The most common caulk job we see is caulk over caulk: a fresh white bead laid on top of an old one that had already let go. It looks fine for a month. Water gets behind the old bead and the new one peels with it.
So the old caulk is cut out and scraped back, the joint is cleaned and left dry, and then it’s sealed with a mildew-resistant silicone that suits the surface. Cracked or missing grout is raked out and regrouted, and a loose tile is reset.
Ours on this job
- Tub, shower and sink caulk, cut out and redone
- Grout raked out and regrouted
- A loose or cracked tile reset
- Mildewed caulk replaced
- Window and trim caulk, inside
- Kitchen backsplash joints
Referred, at $0.00
- A leak inside the wall behind the shower — plumber. If water is getting into the wall, the leak is a licensed plumber’s first.
- Mold on the wall or ceiling past about 10 sq ft — mold remediator. Mildew in the caulk is ours; mold across a wall is a licensed remediator’s.
The owner looks first
- A shower head or a running toilet: the line between a part and a connection to the water supply isn’t clear in Florida’s rules, so the owner decides those himself.
- Grab bars, like the one in the photograph at the top of this page: where they go and what holds them matter, so the owner looks before we say yes.
How long these usually take
Typical times on site, for a sense of the list, not a promise. The written price comes from the owner after he’s read your list.
- A tub or shower surround, recaulked
- 45 min – 1 h
- A sink or vanity
- 20–30 min
- Regrouting a shower floor
- 2–3 h
- A loose tile reset
- 30–45 min, plus cure time
Questions about this one
How long before I can shower?
Most silicone wants 24 hours before it gets wet. We’ll tell you the time on the tube we used.
Can you just go over the old caulk?
We won’t. It’s the reason most tubs get recaulked every year.
Got more than this on the list?
Most visits are three to seven jobs. Type them in one at a time and the chat sorts each one.