415-883-4085
Aerial view of a tiled patio over living space with a redwood and glass railing
Patios over living space

Free patio leak inspection in Mill Valley

We'll check your tiled or slate patio for leaks and structural problems, free of charge.

Or call 415-883-4085
  • CSLB License #1154343
  • BBB Accredited
  • Bay Area since 1990

Book your free inspection

We'll call you to set up a time.

Recent work, start to finish

A tiled patio over living space

Rooms underneath, so the waterproofing has to be right. We took the old tile up, sealed the deck under a new waterproof membrane, widened the doorway for French doors and set new tile.

Before: aerial view of the old diamond-pattern tile patio over living space, with a redwood and glass railing and a sliding door
Before: the old tile patio
The same patio stripped to a white waterproof membrane, with a worker at the railing and the door opening covered in plastic
Tile off, membrane on
Worker in a hi-vis shirt sealing the membrane where the patio meets the wall, next to the covered, widened door opening
Sealing every edge
After: angled aerial view of the finished tiled patio, its redwood and glass railing running along the edge above a lower-level door
After: new tile, new doors
The inspection

What we check

A lot of Mill Valley homes have tiled or slate patios built over bedrooms and living rooms. When a patio gets old, the flashing reaches the end of its life and water starts getting into the rooms underneath. Salt air off Richardson Bay wears it out faster.

  • Where the water is getting in
  • The flashing, since that's usually what fails
  • The rooms below the patio, for signs of water
  • The structure under the patio, for damage the water may have done
The repair

How we fix it

If we find a leak, here's how the repair goes.

  1. Take up the surface

    We remove the tile or slate so we can get to what's underneath.

  2. Fix and reseal the flashing

    We fix the flashing that let the water in, then reseal it.

  3. Put down a waterproof membrane

    We do this part with a specialized coating company.

  4. Restore it or upgrade it

    We put your tile or slate back, or you can pick something new.

Plan on about 6 weeks if we can order materials ahead. If picking out stone takes longer, it can run up to about 3 months.

Upgrade option

The cool deck option

If your patio sits in the sun all day, you can have it rebuilt as a cool deck. It uses raised stones, so the surface doesn't get as hot.

Our work

Some of our past jobs

Person holding an umbrella on a wet tiled deck with a dark wood railing, trees behind
Tile deck over living space, Fairfax
Narrow tiled deck between a wood railing and glass doors, with a doormat
Tile deck over living space, Fairfax
Tiled deck wet from rain, with a wood railing and trees beyond
Tile deck over living space, Fairfax
Glass doors from an exercise room out to a deck with a white railing
Deck converted to a workout room, Mill Valley
Exercise room with skylights and sliding doors to a deck
Deck converted to a workout room, Mill Valley
Upper deck with a painted floor and a cable railing on wood posts
Cable rail on an upper deck, San Francisco
Letters

What clients have written to us

We have worked with Home Doctors for years. They just replaced all of our windows and exterior doors along with building us a window bench among other projects. We are always impressed with their level of quality, professionalism and attention to detail. I cannot recommend Craig and his team enough. They are an absolute pleasure to work with. Please feel free to reach out should you have any questions.
Susanne Carek of Kentfield
Dear Craig, Thank you for the terrific job the Home Doctors did installing the new windows in our house. Bill and I are both impressed with the fine craftsmanship and your attention to detail! You cheerfully accommodated our many extra requests, you and your crew were unfailingly courteous and respectful of our privacy, and you always dealt with us fairly and honestly. You were true professionals in every respect. I would not hesitate to recommend the Home Doctors to anyone seeking a reputable construction firm.
Sue of San Francisco
Mike was very professional and did a great job repairing several of our Pella sliding doors. I very much recommend your company and specifically Mike.
Pete Petri of Belvedere-Tiburon

Questions

Is the inspection really free?

Yes. We come out, check the patio for leaks and structural problems, and tell you what we found.

Why do patios over bedrooms start leaking?

The flashing wears out. Once it reaches the end of its life, water gets past it and into the rooms below. Salt air off Richardson Bay speeds that up.

How long does the repair take?

About 6 weeks when we can order materials ahead. If choosing stone takes a while, it can take up to about 3 months.

Can you put my tile or slate back?

Yes, we can restore the surface you have now. You can also use the repair to upgrade, for example to a cool deck with raised stones.

Mine's more of a deck. Is that the same thing?

We call them patios. If yours is a tiled or slate deck over a bedroom or living room, it's the same problem and the same repair.

Get your patio checked

Send the form or call us at 415-883-4085.

Book the free inspection Call 415-883-4085
  • CSLB License #1154343 (B, General Building)
  • BBB Accredited
  • Serving the Bay Area since 1990
  • 6 Pamaron Way, Suite A, Novato
Call Free inspection