Start with conditions, not a product
The durable work sits behind the tile. Drain location, framing, waterproofing transitions, ventilation, electrical capacity, and access all shape the project.
Build a complete scope
- Existing conditions and likely cause
- Preparation and protection
- Materials, compatibility, and installation details
- Permits, testing, cleanup, and restoration
- Exclusions, warranty terms, and change-order process
Elgin context
Elgin grew from an 1835 Fox River settlement into a 19th-century watchmaking and dairy hub, and its housing stock still shows that arc: the Elgin Historic District and the Spring/Douglas Historic District carry homes built mostly from 1886 to 1920, listed on the National Register in 2002, in Queen Anne, Neo-Gothic, Georgian Revival, and Prairie styles, standing alongside newer subdivisions built out over the following century. A tub-to-shower conversion in one of these older homes often uncovers a waterproofing membrane, or the lack of one, that predates today's building standards.