Stop the Water First, Then Find the Source
If water is still flowing, shut off the fixture valve under the sink or toilet, or close the main shutoff at the house. Turn off power to any outlet or appliance that’s wet. Then take photos before you start cleaning; they help later with insurance and with tracing where the water went.
Our phone is answered around the clock, so you can call any time to talk through what to do next. The repair itself gets scheduled, but a quick conversation often keeps a small leak from turning into a big one. If the leak is in a supply line we can’t reach, or the meter is moving with every fixture off, that may be a slab leak. A plumber’s leak detection comes first in that case, and we pick up the floor and finish work once the line is fixed.
Where Kitchen and Bath Leaks Usually Start
Most of what we see comes from a handful of spots. Under-sink connections, dishwasher lines, and refrigerator ice maker tubing are the big ones in kitchens. In bathrooms it’s toilet seals, supply lines, tub overflow gaskets, and shower pans. San Antonio’s hard water crusts valves and fittings, so older shutoffs and compression nuts fail more often than people expect.
Refrigerator lines deserve a special mention. Plastic ice maker tubing behind a fridge can split quietly, and the water runs under the cabinets next to it. When we rebuild after one of those leaks, we suggest a braided line and a reachable shutoff so the next failure is easy to stop.
- Sink base cabinet floor that’s swollen, soft, or stained
- Flooring that cups, lifts, or feels soft in front of the dishwasher
- Musty smell from a vanity or under the kitchen sink
- Baseboard paint bubbling or caulk lines darkening
- Stains on the ceiling below an upstairs bath
- Warm spots on a slab floor or a water bill that jumps
Opening Cabinets and Walls the Right Way
Water spreads sideways under cabinets and flooring, so the visible stain is usually smaller than the wet area. We use moisture meters to map where it went, then open only what’s needed. In a kitchen, that may mean pulling the toe kick, removing the sink cabinet floor, or lifting flooring that runs under the base cabinets. In a bath, it can mean pulling the vanity, removing baseboard and lower drywall, or opening the wall behind a tub.
We protect counters, tile, and cabinets that can be saved. Quartz and granite tops can usually be lifted and reset if the base cabinet beneath them has to be rebuilt, though stone cracks if handled carelessly, so that step gets extra care.
Drying Out in a Humid Climate
San Antonio’s humidity slows drying and invites mold, so we don’t trust the calendar. Wet drywall, insulation, and cabinet floors that won’t recover come out. Air movers and dehumidifiers run until framing, subfloor, and slab readings drop to normal levels. Only then does anything get closed up.
If we find mold on framing or the back of drywall, those materials are removed and the area is cleaned before rebuilding. Leaks inside a shower wall follow the same drying process described on our leaking shower repair page.
Drying usually takes a few days, though a soaked slab or a long-running leak can take longer. We keep you posted on the readings so you know where things stand.
Rebuilding From Subfloor to Finish
Once dry, the rebuild runs in a predictable order. Partial repairs depend on matching existing materials, which is the trickiest part.
- Fix the source: the leaking line, seal, valve, or drain is repaired or replaced
- Document: photos and moisture readings recorded before and after drying
- Repair structure: subfloor, framing, or cabinet floors replaced where damaged
- Close walls: moisture-resistant drywall or cement board, taped and finished
- Restore floors: tile, LVP, or wood patched or replaced, with transitions matched
- Rebuild cabinets: cabinet boxes repaired or replaced, doors and tops reset
- Final check: water turned on, connections inspected, and everything tested
Patch to Match, or Use It as a Fresh Start
Matching a discontinued tile, a stained cabinet finish, or flooring that runs through several rooms isn’t always possible. Sometimes a close match works; sometimes the honest answer is replacing a full section, like all the flooring in the kitchen or the whole vanity. We’ll show you both routes and what each costs.
For some homeowners, water damage becomes the push to update the room. If the sink cabinet has to be rebuilt anyway, refacing the rest of the cabinets can tie it all together. If the bathroom floor is coming up, new bathroom flooring may cost little more than a patch. Call us to talk it through with a designer before anything is ordered.
Projects that often go with kitchen and bath water damage repair
Leaking Shower Repair
A shower leak rarely shows up where it starts. Water runs along studs, under tile, and across the slab before it stains a baseboard or a ceiling, so the first job is finding the true source before anything gets torn out.
Bathroom Flooring Installation
A bathroom floor takes standing water, hard-water drips, and a slab that shifts with the clay underneath it. We help you pick a material that suits how the room gets used, then prep the base so the new floor stays flat and tight.
Cabinet Refacing
If your cabinet boxes are sturdy and the layout works, there’s no reason to haul them to the landfill. Refacing puts new doors, drawer fronts and veneer on what you already have, usually without touching the countertops.
Kitchen Sink and Faucet Replacement
A dripping faucet crusted with white scale is a very San Antonio problem. We replace kitchen faucets and sinks with fixtures that handle hard water, swap tired shutoff valves, and leave the cabinet below dry and tidy.
Kitchen and Bath Water Damage Repair questions
Can a water-damaged kitchen sink cabinet be repaired instead of replaced?
Often, yes. If the cabinet sides and face frame are solid and only the floor panel is swollen, we can replace the floor, dry the box, and reset the plumbing. Particleboard cabinets that have soaked up water for a long time usually crumble and need replacing. We’ll test the cabinet and show you which route makes sense.
What should I do first after a dishwasher leak in my San Antonio kitchen?
Turn off the dishwasher at the breaker, close the hot water valve under the sink, and soak up standing water. Pull the toe kick panel if you can, to let air under the cabinets. Take photos, then call us. Water can travel under base cabinets and flooring, so the repair often needs a moisture check beyond what’s visible.
How can I tell if a bathroom leak has spread under the floor?
Warning signs include grout that darkens and stays dark, tiles that sound hollow, flooring that lifts or feels soft near the toilet or tub, and musty smells. A moisture meter gives the clearest answer. We map moisture across the floor and walls so the repair covers all the wet area, not just the obvious stain.
Does kitchen and bath water damage repair include mold cleanup?
When we find mold on materials we’re already removing, like drywall, insulation, or cabinet floors, those get removed and the area is cleaned before rebuilding. Larger mold problems spreading beyond the kitchen or bath may call for a dedicated mold specialist. We’ll tell you plainly if what we see goes beyond a normal repair.
Will insurance pay for water damage repairs in my kitchen or bathroom?
That depends on your policy and the cause. Many policies treat sudden leaks, like a burst supply line, differently from slow leaks that ran for months. We document what we find with photos and moisture readings, which helps when you talk to your insurer, but your insurance company makes the coverage decision.