Squishy Tile Floor

[khq0660]

About 5 years ago I had old style rolled vinyl replaced with tile in my upstairs bathroom. It was done by a pro, but I'm told he did something wrong since the floor ended up higher than the floors in the rooms the two doors open into. Fast forward to now. The tile floor in front of the shower feels like it squishes down when I walk on it. I'm thinking this isn't a good thing. What's up?

 

[highup]

Tile is thicker than vinyl. More than likely the tile needed an additional layer of material to support it, so it should end up taller than the other rooms.
Is the shower tiled of a fiberglass type material?
Showers are notorious for leaking or dripping water at the point where the floor meets the shower. Was the tile grouted to the face of the shower, or caulked, or both?

 

[C.J.]

I’m wondering if the vinyl had a layer of underlayment that was removed. The installer could have cut through the underlayment AND subfloor in front of the tub. That’ll make it squishy.

 

[khq0660]

It only recently became squishy feelling, after a few years. I am not sure what material the tub/shower is, but the tub and the wall tile all seem to be a pre-formed single piece. The wall tile is fake with indentations where grout would be, but the tiles are not really separate. The space in front of the outside of the tub has a piece of quarter round that at least looks like wood. On the top edge of the quarter round, I cannot find any gap at all between the QR and tub. It seems sealed. On the bottom edge of the QR, maybe there is a tiny gap between the QR and the floor where there is a grout line in the floor tile, but it seems sealed tightly on the tiles themselves.

 

[highup]

Removing the quarter round would tell you more than you know now. I'd remove it and see if it's hiding any secrets. If its sealed "pretty well", but not totally, it cal let those daily drops of water in. Once in, the water just wicks it's way into the wood flooring and does it's damage slowly over time. I'd remove the quarter round an pay attention to the ends where it meets the wall.

 

[khq0660]

Ok. I will do it when I have someone here who knows what to look for and how to put it back. I take it from your reply that you think the floor underneath could be rotting.

 

[highup]

Yeah, that's my thinking. I don't suppose there's a way to look from the underside of the floor.... Like under the house.

 

[khq0660]

It's on the second floor, so there would be no way to look without removing some ceiling below, that I know of. I don't see any stains on the ceiling below.

 

[highup]

I've got one of these. All you need is a 1/4" or 3/8" hole in the ceiling if you can locate the right spot. It's a small hole that could easily be patched. Just poke it in there and take a look. It's got a bright adjustable intensity light. You view what you see on your phone screen. I've used it for looking inside my engine, inside walls and floors, behind things you can't move. It has two cameras. One on the end and another on the side.
It's cheaper than tearing the floor out to discover that it's not wet. Depstech

 

[khq0660]

Thanks!

 

[highup]

Thanks!

Let us know if you find out anything.