You need the shower pan tested and approved before tile covers it. Raleigh includes the shower pan test in plumbing rough-in and describes pan inspection before tile conceals the liner and water test. Name who prepares the test. Check the product’s timing and obtain the required inspection result before covering the work. Raleigh rough-in requirements Pan inspection stage
What a shower pan inspection checks
At a shower pan inspection, the inspector checks the exposed pan and its water test. Raleigh describes it as a partial plumbing rough-in. Its rejection list also identifies shower membranes that have not been tested. Remote inspection description Plumbing rejection reasons
Check the pan, membrane, and drain connection. Finished tile does not prove the shower is waterproof. Schluter’s waterproofing data sheet explains that tile and grout are not inherently waterproof and describes membrane connections at seams, corners, penetrations, and drains. Those instructions apply to its named products. Schluter waterproofing data sheet
Ask the inspector which assembly and test they expect to see for your permit. Ask the installer which instructions govern the selected system. Keep both answers in the job file: the inspector’s test requirements and the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
Use who owns the shower to define the scope across framing, plumbing, waterproofing, and tile. The inspection name does not tell you which sub supplied each part.
When the test happens
Plan the pan inspection before tilework conceals the assembly. Raleigh’s inspection guidance includes it within plumbing rough-in, while its remote-inspection page explains the partial rough-in option. Confirm whether your inspector wants that stage separately or as part of another scheduled visit. Inspection sequence Partial rough-in option
Check both the wait before filling and the test duration. Schluter’s KERDI data sheet says to wait 24 hours for final mortar set before water testing. That is a product-specific waiting period before the test. It is not a statewide rule requiring a 24-hour flood test. KERDI testing note
For the selected product, gather the following before scheduling:
- The assembly and drain identification.
- The installation instruction revision.
- The installation completion time.
- The required wait before filling.
- The inspector’s required water level, test setup, and observation period.
- The person responsible for maintaining the test until inspection.
Write the confirmed timing into the tile handoff. If the assembly changes, revisit the instructions and inspection plan. Do not transfer one manufacturer’s waiting period to another product. Outside Raleigh, confirm the required test and inspection with the permit authority before setting the tile date.
Who owns the water test
The contract should assign who installs the pan, connects the drain, prepares the test, schedules inspection, and repairs a failed detail. The GC should assign those tasks before the crews start the shower. Compare the plumbing scope with the tile scope to name each interface owner.
Use this table to discuss scope. It does not set statewide rules for which trade does the work.
Scroll to read all columns.
| Task | Person to name in the scope | Question to settle |
|---|---|---|
| Substrate and backing | Assigned framing or substrate installer | Who accepts readiness before waterproofing? |
| Drain and piping | Responsible plumbing contractor | Does the drain suit the selected assembly? |
| Membrane and connections | Assigned waterproofing installer | Which complete system and instructions apply? |
| Filling and maintaining the test | Named test lead | Who supplies and checks the accepted setup? |
| Inspection request | Permit holder or assigned coordinator | Which permit and stage are being requested? |
| Corrections and retesting | Agreed repair owner | Who returns before the tile release? |
Check plumbing credentials separately from tile experience. NC’s plumbing licensing statute defines the regulated scope, and the state board provides a license search. A tile portfolio does not show whether someone is licensed for the plumbing connection. G.S. 87-21 NC plumbing license search
Record the name of the responsible contractor and the specific scope you checked. Ask the board about any licensing question for the specific work. Do not decide from the trade name alone.
Prepare the pan using its own system instructions
Read the exact assembly instructions with the installer. The Schluter data sheet, for example, describes bonded sheet-membrane seams, preformed corners, pipe seals, and compatible drain connections. These details should not become instructions for a traditional liner system or a different liquid membrane. Named-system details
Before the test, ask the installer to show the membrane boundary and each connection. Take close-ups of corners, the curb or threshold, and the drain. Add a wide photo showing the shower location.
Have the plumber identify the drain connection and explain the test setup accepted by the inspector. Ask whether the setup tests the full intended assembly, including its connections. Obtain a clear answer before filling.
Keep the area accessible and protected from other trades. Assign someone to monitor the setup. If a later installer needs to cut, fasten through, or change the tested assembly, consult the responsible installer first.
What to record during the test
Use a job record that identifies the shower, system, installation date, test preparation, and requested inspection. Add the start and observation times required for your accepted procedure. Record the water level using the method the inspector accepts.
Keep these records:
- A wide photo showing the shower and job location.
- Product identification and the governing instruction.
- Close-ups of the exposed drain and membrane connections.
- The agreed test setup and initial observation.
- Any observed change, leak, or repair.
- The inspection result and conditions for concealment.
Keep photos separate from the inspection result. Photos show the exposed work. Obtain the city’s approval through its inspection process. Raleigh inspection process
Read Raleigh residential inspections to coordinate this checkpoint with the rest of rough-in. A plumbing rough-in request still needs the other work listed for that stage ready.
If water drops or a leak appears
Hold tile installation and notify the test lead and GC. Record the observation before someone drains or changes the setup. Ask the responsible installer to investigate both the assembly and the test equipment.
Use the inspection correction record to assign the repair and confirm the next review before tile starts.
Do not declare the membrane defective from a single unexplained water-level change. Document the conditions and obtain the installer’s diagnosis. If the inspector rejects the test, use the written result to plan the repair and retest.
Keep the repair tied to the selected system’s instructions. Request manufacturer guidance when the proposed repair is unclear. Record the repaired location, materials, preparation time, and repeated test before asking for acceptance.
Raleigh lists missing shower membrane tests among plumbing rejection reasons. Keep the completed test and inspection result with the tile release to avoid a repeat failure. Published rejection item See why residential inspections fail for a correction register that keeps tasks with their owners.
Release the shower to tile
Give the tile lead the accepted result, product instructions, and any areas requiring protection. Identify the person to contact if the crew finds damage or needs to change a detail. Name the shower and approved work in the release.
Raleigh offers a live remote option for certain pan inspections, but eligibility and instructions need confirmation with the inspector. A saved video alone is not that process. Live remote inspection guidance
Outside Raleigh, check the local pan inspection and water-test procedure. Use the tile trade page to clarify installer scope while keeping permit authority and product acceptance with the responsible parties.
Find related local checkpoints in NC permits and inspections.
Where Cercha fits
Cercha Search helps you find plumbing and tile trades by location. Portfolios can show exposed shower details, and Messages supports the initial scope discussion. Confirm licensing directly and obtain the test and inspection records from the responsible contractor.