Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Schluter Bathroom Remodeling: The San Antonio Owner’s Guide
A full Schluter-system bathroom remodel in San Antonio typically runs $9,000 – $28,000 installed, depending on shower footprint, waterproofing scope, and whether we’re replacing the pan, walls, or the entire assembly. We stock Schluter KERDI membrane, KERDI-BOARD, DITRA underlayment, and the matching profiles, corners, and mixing-valve seals on our trucks, so most tear-out-and-rebuild jobs move in days, not weeks. Most San Antonio homeowners call us after they’ve spotted grout failing along the shower floor perimeter, cracked tile at the curb, or water staining on the ceiling below the bathroom – all signs the waterproofing layer behind the tile has given out.
Schluter systems, when installed correctly, don’t fail quietly. The failure shows up slowly: a musty smell that won’t leave, tile that sounds hollow when tapped, or a shower floor that flexes underfoot. The good news is a Schluter shower can be rebuilt properly, with the right materials matched to the original system, and the finished result will hold up to San Antonio’s humidity swings and hard water.
Which Schluter Models This Applies To
We work with the full Schluter shower and bathroom line, including KERDI-SHOWER-KIT (the pre-sloped trays and curbs), KERDI-BOARD panels, KERDI membrane applied over drywall or cement board, DITRA-HEAT for heated floors, and the matching profiles like QUADEC, RONDEC, and DILEX. The compatibility detail that matters most: Schluter’s pre-sloped trays come in specific center-drain and offset-drain layouts with fixed 1/4-inch-per-foot slope built in. You can’t swap one tray orientation for another without changing the drain location, which means moving plumbing. That’s the kind of gotcha that turns a tile replacement into a subfloor job if no one checks first.
We recommend OEM Schluter components for anything touching waterproofing. The corner seals, pipe seals, and mixing-valve seals are engineered as a system with the membrane, and aftermarket equivalents don’t carry the same manufacturer-backed continuity. For non-waterproofing elements like shower profiles and trim, quality alternatives exist, but we’ll show you both options with prices before you choose, and write your choice onto the scope with the serial or part number.
Styles & brands we work with
Signs Your Schluter Bathroom Remodeling Is Failing
- Grout cracking at the floor-wall junction. Movement or a failed bond at the seam where the tray meets the walls lets water sit against the KERDI. The grout is cosmetic; the waterproofing below is what matters.
- Hollow-sounding tile on the shower floor. This usually means the mortar bed beneath the tile has separated from the tray or substrate. Water is collecting in that void.
- Persistent musty odor after cleaning. A properly sealed Schluter shower doesn’t hold moisture long enough to smell. Sour air means trapped water behind the system.
- Water stain on the ceiling below the bathroom. This is the warning you shouldn’t wait on. By the time water shows through, the membrane has been compromised for a while. Call us.
- Tile cracking at the curb corners. Curb movement or a cracked pan at the curb line is a classic and overlooked failure point. In San Antonio slab homes especially, slight foundation movement can show here first.
See the difference
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After
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After
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AfterReplacement Cost & What’s Included
Installed Schluter bathroom remodeling in San Antonio runs $9,000 – $28,000. A small shower rebuild with new KERDI membrane, tray, and tile lands closer to $9,000 – $12,000. A full bathroom with DITRA-HEAT floor, new KERDI-BOARD walls, curbless shower with linear drain, and all fixtures approaches the $28,000 end. What drives the range: shower size and layout, whether we’re moving the drain, ceiling height and waterproofing scope, tile choice, and the condition of the framing and subfloor under the old system.
Every written quote we provide includes parts, labor, drop cloths and shoe covers from the first visit through the final clean-up, and a photo of the finished clean-up emailed to you before our crew leaves. We write the price down before any work starts. The price you sign is the price you pay. No change orders after demo day unless you choose to add scope yourself.
DIY or Call Us?
You can safely identify the signs: tap the tile with a coin and listen for hollow spots, run a bead of water along the curb and watch for beading instead of sheet flow, check the ceiling below for staining. What you shouldn’t do is cut into the shower to find the leak yourself. Schluter waterproofing is a system of membranes, seals, and pans, and opening one section without knowing how it ties into the rest can cost you more than a full rebuild. There’s no high-tension risk here, but there’s a water-does-what-water-wants risk, and in a San Antonio summer that water will find your drywall quickly.
If you’ve got moisture, staining, or a shower that’s failed, call (432) 233-0976. We’ll diagnose it, write down what needs to happen and what it costs, and then do the work with the quiet hours and clean floors your family expects.
FAQs
A properly installed Schluter KERDI system should last 20 – 30 years in San Antonio conditions, with the tile surface and grout needing maintenance sooner than the waterproofing itself. If a system fails within the first few years, the cause is usually installation error, not material failure. Call (432) 233-0976 to have us inspect yours and give you an honest assessment.
Small, localized failures like a single loose tile or a minor curb crack can sometimes be spot-repaired, but most membrane failures require removing tile, replacing the affected waterproofing section, and reinstalling to restore the continuous seal. We’ll tell you if a repair is safe to do or if you’re better off with a full rebuild. Call (432) 233-0976 and we’ll look at photos or come by.
A standard Schluter shower tear-out and rebuild in San Antonio takes 3 – 5 working days on site, including mortar cure times, waterproofing, tile, and grout. Larger bathrooms with heated floors or curbless designs run 7 – 10 days. We write the schedule into the same written price you sign.
We stock KERDI membrane, KERDI-BOARD, DITRA, corners, seals, and common profiles on our trucks for most jobs. Special-order items like custom drain grates, linear drains, or specific tile profiles take 3 – 5 days to arrive. We’ll tell you at the estimate which parts are on hand and which need ordering, before you commit.
Written by Graham Stein, Owner, Elmstead Remodeling San Antonio at Elmstead Remodeling San Antonio, serving San Antonio and nearby areas.
