Tiling · Motor City, Dubai · March 2026
Bathroom Tiling in Motor City — Waterproofing and Large-Format Porcelain
The neighbour downstairs noticed first. A brown ring on their ceiling meant the bathroom above had been leaking for months.
Project at a glance
| Property | Two bathrooms, apartment, Motor City, Dubai |
|---|---|
| Cause of failure | No waterproofing membrane and falls running away from the drain |
| Waterproofing | Two-coat cementitious system with reinforced corner detail |
| Testing | 48-hour flood test witnessed before tiling |
| Finish | Large-format porcelain with 2 mm aligned grout joints |
| Warranty | 10 years waterproofing, 1 year workmanship |
The story behind this project in Motor City
The neighbour downstairs noticed it first. A brown ring on their ceiling meant the bathroom above had been quietly leaking for months.
First visit: what we walked into in Motor City
We lifted one tile and found the answer immediately: no waterproofing membrane at all, just tile adhesive over screed, and a floor that fell away from the drain rather than toward it.
The promise we made the owner of this apartment bathrooms
We promised to fix the cause rather than the stain — strip back to slab, waterproof properly, flood-test for 48 hours with the owner present, and only then tile.
The moment the project turned
The flood test was the moment that mattered. We filled the tray, marked the water level, and came back two days later to an unchanged line. The owner photographed it — proof that the next ceiling downstairs stays clean.
Craftsmanship that made the difference
Large-format porcelain is where small errors become visible. We laid with a levelling system, kept grout lines to two millimetres and aligned floor joints with wall joints so the pattern wraps the corner. Shower falls were checked with water, not a spirit level alone.
Handover day in Motor City
We sealed, fitted sanitaryware, tested every joint under pressure and handed over with the downstairs ceiling repaired and repainted.
Tiling scope delivered in Motor City
Two apartment bathrooms stripped back, re-waterproofed and flood-tested, then finished in large-format porcelain with aligned joints.
Works carried out on site
- Strip-out to slab, including old screed and adhesive
- Replacement of failed drainage and supply pipework
- New screed with correct falls toward the drain
- Two-coat cementitious waterproofing with reinforced corners and upstands
- 48-hour flood test witnessed and photographed
- Large-format porcelain wall and floor tiling with aligned joints
- Sanitaryware installation, pressure testing and the downstairs ceiling repair
Site conditions we had to design around in Motor City
Every property brings its own limits. These were the conditions that shaped the programme and the sequence of trades on this job.
Constraints on this project
- Active leak affecting the apartment below
- Building working hours and service lift restrictions
- Tile format requiring two fixers and a levelling system
Standards and checks we worked to
The checks below were carried out and recorded before the work in front of them was allowed to continue.
Quality control on site
- Waterproofing turned up walls and dressed into the drain flange
- Falls verified with water before tiling started
- Grout and silicone specified for wet-area movement joints
Trades used on this project
- Strip-out
- Waterproofing
- Large-format tiling
- Sanitaryware
Want the same in your property?
We survey the property, write an itemised quotation and give you a week-by-week programme before anything starts. Message us on WhatsApp or call +971 54 996 5110 to arrange a site visit anywhere in Dubai and the UAE.
