I would not be happy with caulk sealing the seams between cement board. I always use mesh tape and morter before red guard. What kind of details do you have in your contract?

It depends what you call good enough? I’ve seen contractors that think the board itself is waterproof and there is no need for a membrane but clearly that is bad mis-information.

The corner and all seams should have been taped with the correct tape for the application. Wether it be fiberglass tape or mesh cement board tape.

Here is a short video showing how membranes are applied. So you can get an idea of a correct installation and prep.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fKykPrcJOoI

NO.

A. You first meet the cement board MFG instructions. Board seem placement, proper screw type for thinset (zinc ), board screw placement/spacing, tape all seems (alkalai resistant tape, thinset all seams & let cure..)

B.Meet Redgard spec and cure times. 2 coats only at proper mil thickness.

Makes one worry about the pan and curb construction.

Stay off the youtube unless its direct form A Manufacturer.

Maybe a pro on here could comment on whether the red guard is even good enough. What are the pink blotches, and should they be showing through the red guard?

My contractor said seams must be taped and also sealed (I think he said sealed with mortar or thin set, but can’t remember), and all penetrations such as screw heads must be sealed also. The reason is house movement as well as waterproofing.

You might be be able to pull up the manufacturer’s instructions online if you know the type/brand of board they are using. You could also get the TCNA handbook download, read it and ask the contractor to have a meeting with you to discuss.

Get that guy out of your house. Typical “we don’t need no stinking directions ” kind of guy who ”has done it that away for 30 years”.

Claire, live oak says to get the guy out of your house, but he can sue you if you just up and fire him. You need to buy a TCNA manual and print out the manufactures instructions for the boards he is using. Highlight the parts in the TCNA handbook and instructions that indicate the requirement to tape and seal the boards and anything else he has failed to do. Ask him to tear out the faulty work and re-build it correctly. If he refuses, that is him quitting. If he tries and fails to fix it, then you can fire him. Most states require that you give the contractor a chance to fix. If he refuses to fix or quits, ask for a refund of what you have paid so far.

Thank you so much guys! Is this considered giving him a chance to fix it and him refusing to do it? I an quite baffled at this point.

Continued...

Manufacturers instructions not followed, no warranty. One year is crap, you will never be sure if it is leaking or not. I would ditch him just due to the fact that he will not build the shower to manufacturers iand or TCNA nstructions. The cement board manufacturer will not warranty this, the redguard will not carry a warranty. Period. Stop.

Did you buy and read the TCNA handbook? Snuggle in for this good read.

Claire, I can’t say whether or not the messages you sent count as “quitting.” But definitely save all messages and put a pause on the work, ask for a meeting. Have a spouse, friend, or neighbor there to support you And take notes.

The messages seem to be you firing him, not him quitting. You’re pussyfooting about it, and asking him to fix things, because you can’t cite industry standards. That is Not Good. You are coming off as weak and indecisive and he is coming off as the pro just trying to do the job.

My TCNA handbook is old, from 2016. It's really not that hard to understand. You can buy an online download for about $35 or $40. Read the shower chapters. It's very repetitive because similar rules are repeated for different types of showers. In many places it clearly states that the gaps between the backer boards are to be "filled with latex-portland cement mortar and 2" alkali-resistant glass fiber mesh tape."

Look, I'm just a homeowner. To me that statement means the boards have to be connected together, and there is tape involved. If you just want to have him finish the job, you can do that, but if you really think he's doing it wrong by not conencting the boards, you can't just pussyfoot around as GD says. If you want to continue arguing with the contractor about it, you need to be able to cite the industry standard. So buy and read the current year's handbook. (Or maybe go to a good tile shop and ask them to let you look at their TCNA book and explain the standard to you; take a picture of the page to show your contractor.)

If you can't cite the standard you don't have anything to argue about with the contractor. Maybe your pro is actually doing everything right and you just can't see it. Ask him if he connected the boards with tape or not. It's a simple question.

The reason to tape the seams is if there is a little movement it won't separate like caulk.