What we do
- Old caulk cut out and replaced around tubs, showers and sinks
- Kitchen backsplash and countertop seams resealed
- Cracked or missing grout raked out and refilled in small areas
- Grout color matched as close as we can to what is there
- Toilet bases and tub spouts sealed where they meet the wall or floor
- A clear note on cure time before the shower gets used
In Alhambra homes
Plenty of Alhambra bathrooms from the 1920s through the 1950s still have their original tile, often small hex floors and glazed wall tile in colors that are hard to find now. Keeping the joints sealed is the simplest way to keep that tile. We work gently around it and match the grout as closely as we can.
Get a quote in one text
Send a wide photo of the tub or shower and a close-up of the worst joint. Our number for photos is (626) 684-3505, and the price comes back before any work is booked.
Caulk or grout?
Grout fills the joints between tiles. Caulk belongs wherever two surfaces meet at a corner or change of plane: where the tub meets the wall, at inside corners of a shower, and around the sink and backsplash. Those joints move a little as the house settles and the tub fills with water, and grout in those spots cracks. When we find cracked grout in a corner, we usually replace it with caulk in a matching color.
When it is more than a reseal
If tiles sound hollow when tapped, move when pressed, or the wall behind them feels soft, water has likely been getting in for a while. New caulk will not fix that. When the wall needs to be opened up, a tile setter is the trade for it, and we can recaulk once the wall is sound.
Plan for cure time
Most silicone and hybrid sealants need about a day before they get wet, and some products ask for longer. Grout needs time too. If you only have one shower, we will schedule the work so you can shower the night before and wait out the cure.
Repair guides for this job
- Replacing a toilet without harming a vintage tile floorReplacing a toilet in an Alhambra bath with original 1920s or 1930s tile: measuring the rough-in, repairing the flange and protecting the old floor.
- Bathroom fans for bathrooms that only had a windowMany 1920s and 1930s Alhambra bathrooms were built with only a window for ventilation. Here is how a quiet exhaust fan helps, and how we replace noisy ones.
- Getting an older house ready for the first rainA fall checklist for older Alhambra houses: doors and windows, caulking, drains, outdoor outlets and the small leaks that turn into big repairs after the first storm.
- Reading the cracks in a 1920s Alhambra plaster wallWhy plaster cracks in Alhambra's 1920s Spanish and Mediterranean homes, which cracks are cosmetic, how we patch them, and when to text us a photo.
We serve Alhambra first, plus Monterey Park, San Gabriel and other nearby cities. Have a question? See the handyman FAQ.