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IKO Bathroom Remodeling: The Pasadena Owner’s Guide
IKO bathroom remodeling in Pasadena typically runs $9,000 to $28,000 for a full remodel, and the most common failure point we see is not the IKO waterproofing membrane itself but what happens around it: cracked grout, failed silicone at the tub flange, or a shower pan that was never properly sloped. The symptom that usually gets a homeowner on the phone is water staining on the ceiling below the bathroom or a persistent musty smell that won’t leave no matter how much the room gets cleaned. When that happens, the fix is rarely a simple patch; it’s a careful teardown to find where the waterproofing envelope was broken, then a rebuild that keeps the IKO system functioning the way it was designed to.
Which IKO Models This Applies To
IKO makes a range of waterproofing and roofing products, and in bathrooms we most often see their shower waterproofing membranes and underlayment systems specified on remodels across Pasadena, from 1920s bungalows in Bungalow Heaven to newer builds north of the 210. The compatibility questions we hear most involve whether an existing IKO membrane can be patched or has to be replaced outright. The honest answer is that a patch works only when the membrane itself is intact and the leak is at a seam or a penetration. Once the membrane has torn or delaminated from the substrate, no amount of sealant will save it; the section has to come out.
To identify what you have, look for the printed logo on the membrane face or check the original permit records if the remodel was done within the last decade. IKO’s shower systems are typically installed with their own compatible corners, banding, and drains, and mixing aftermarket components from another manufacturer voids most of the system’s warranty. We stock IKO-compatible corners, banding, and sealants on the truck and will always show you the label before anything gets installed. Elmstead Remodeling Pasadena is an independent contractor and not affiliated with IKO, but we’ve worked with their systems long enough to know which parts play nicely together and which don’t.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your IKO Bathroom Remodeling Is Failing
- Water staining on the ceiling below the bathroom. This is the classic tell. The stain usually appears as a soft-edged brown ring and means water has already saturated the subfloor and is now dripping through. By the time you see it, the leak has been active for weeks or months.
- Peeling paint or wallpaper at the tub surround’s outer edges. Moisture is wicking through the wall assembly behind the waterproofing. That means the membrane has failed at a seam or was never lapped correctly over the tub flange in the first place.
- Grout that stays dark after drying. Grout should dry to a uniform color within a day. Dark patches that persist mean the grout is holding water, which means the membrane behind it is no longer shedding moisture properly.
- Loose or hollow-sounding tiles. Tap gently with a wooden spoon handle. A solid tile sounds solid. A hollow tile has lost its bond, and water has almost certainly gotten behind it. The root cause is usually a failed membrane or too much movement in the wall assembly.
- Musty smell that returns after cleaning. That smell is mold or mildew growing inside the wall cavity, where you can’t see it. No amount of bleach on the surface will fix it. The water source has to be found and stopped, then the cavity properly dried and rebuilt.
See the difference
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After
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AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
A full IKO bathroom remodel with waterproofing replacement in Pasadena runs $9,000 to $28,000 depending on the bathroom’s size and how far the water damage has traveled. A small bathroom remodel with a tub-to-shower conversion falls on the lower end at $5,000 to $12,000. Walk-in shower installations with full IKO waterproofing replacement land between $4,500 and $12,000.
What drives the range is what’s behind the tile. If the tear-out reveals rot in the studs or subfloor, that framing has to be replaced before new waterproofing goes in, and that’s line-item work we show you before we do it. We give a written price before any work starts, and the price you see on paper is the price you pay at the end – no footnotes. Parts and labor are separate line items. Every project carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it’s not done right, we make it right.
DIY or Call Us?
You can do the detective work yourself: run the shower, wait 20 minutes, and look for the symptoms above. You can also mark the water stain on the ceiling with painter’s tape to see if it grows over a week. What you can’t safely do is open the wall and know what you’re looking at. Water damage spreads fast once you start pulling tile, and an IKO membrane that looks fine from the front can be shot from the back. If you’re in Pasadena and you’ve already opened the wall and found wet insulation, stop there. Mold spores spread, and if the leak touches wiring, you want a licensed eye on it before anything else happens. Call (626) 714-2992 and we’ll come look at it for free.
FAQs
A properly installed IKO waterproofing system should last the life of the shower, which in Pasadena’s dry climate means 20 to 30 years or more, but the failure most owners see is in the materials around the membrane: grout, silicone, and tile. Call (626) 714-2992 if you’re seeing signs of water getting through, and we’ll tell you exactly what’s failing and what it costs before any work starts.
Sometimes, when the leak is at a seam or a drain penetration and the membrane is otherwise intact, a targeted repair is possible, but once the membrane has torn or delaminated, patches fail and a section rebuild is the honest fix. We’ll inspect it and show you the damage before we recommend anything, and you’ll get a written line-item price either way.
A full IKO bathroom remodel in Pasadena typically takes two to four weeks from first inspection to final walkthrough, depending on the extent of the water damage and whether we’re working around your family’s schedule. We’ll give you a written timeline with the estimate, and in the wrap-up conversation, we talk about quiet hours for children and pets while the crew is on site.
Yes, we keep IKO-compatible corners, banding, and sealants on the truck along with parts for KraftMaid, Cambria, and Silestone, so we’re not waiting on a distributor for common items. If your job needs something out of the ordinary, we’ll tell you that before we begin and you’ll see the exact cost in writing.
If you’ve got water staining, a musty smell, or tiles that sound hollow, call (626) 714-2992 to schedule a free estimate. Graham Stein will walk the bathroom with you, tell you straight what’s wrong, and put the written price in front of you before a single drop cloth goes down.
Written by Graham Stein, Owner, Elmstead Remodeling Pasadena at Elmstead Remodeling Pasadena, serving Pasadena and nearby areas.
