M&M House and Garden Renovations and Maintenance

M&M House and Garden Renovations and Maintenance Covering Hibiscus Coast and Millwater/Milldale. Outside-space projects - decking, patio & pathway construction.

Indoor maintenance, odd-jobs, bathroom tiling and grouting repairs, and more.

I do handyman work, which mostly consists of grout and silicone repairs in tiled showers, as well as small tiling jobs f...
11/08/2025

I do handyman work, which mostly consists of grout and silicone repairs in tiled showers, as well as small tiling jobs for customers on the Hibiscus Coast.

Often, even in some newly built houses - the grout and silicone isn't in great condition - potentially too much water has been used when mixing the cement grout on installation, as this will make it crumbly and less water-tight, as well as making the colour look uneven when it dries.

The internal corners where walls meet the floor in a shower are often problem/leaky areas too - evidenced by black mould growing on the silicone sealant.

If moisture is getting through your grout and silicone and building up behind the tiles, this can create unsightly mould and bad odours, plus it can potentially lead to bigger problems such as tiles coming loose, and dampness and rot issues in other areas of the bathroom or sub-floor beneath the tiles.

To prevent the need to renovate or re-tile the entire bathroom, it's best to address any potential issues early.

I strip out all the loose and mouldy existing grout and silicone, and after drying the area out over the course of a few days, I replace it all with epoxy-based grout.

Epoxy grout is a lot more impermeable to water and more mould resistant than the more common cement based grout.

Epoxy grout also has a much more consistent colour, and is easy to clean so your bathroom will look fresh and new for years to come.

Check out some of my before and after photos below, and contact me if you would like to discuss a bathroom grout refurbishment (or for any other tiled/grouted surface).

📞 022 475 4610 - Matt
✉ [email protected]

I do grout and silicone repair in tiled showers, as well as small tiling jobs for customers on the Hibiscus Coast and su...
12/05/2025

I do grout and silicone repair in tiled showers, as well as small tiling jobs for customers on the Hibiscus Coast and surrounding areas.

Often, even in some newly built houses - the condition of the grout and silicone can deteriorate quite quickly - potentially too much water was used when mixing the cement grout on installation, as this will make it crumbly and less water-tight, as well as making the colour look uneven when it dries.

The internal corners where walls meet the floor in a shower are often problem areas too - evidenced by mould growing on the silicone sealant.

If moisture is getting through your grout and silicone and building up behind the tiles, this can create unsightly mould and bad odours, and it can also potentially lead to bigger problems such as tiles coming loose, and dampness and rot issues in other areas of the bathroom or sub-floor beneath the tiles.

The same situation can also occur on outdoor tiled balconies or decks.

To prevent the need to renovate the entire bathroom, its best to address any potential issues early.

I strip out all the loose and mouldy existing grout and silicone, and after drying the area out over the course of a few days, I replace it all with an epoxy-based grout.

Epoxy grout is a lot more impermeable to water and more mould resistant than the more common cement based grout. It's also very strong so a good solution for outside areas, where wooden sub-floors may be prone to movement.

Epoxy grout also has a much more consistent colour, and is easy to clean so your bathroom will look fresh and new for years to come.
Check out some of my before and after photos below, and contact me if you would like to discuss a bathroom grout refurbishment (or any other tiled/grouted surface).

☎️ 022 475 4610 - Matt

If you've got a toilet like the one in the picture below and it's constantly dripping from the cistern into the bowl, an...
18/02/2025

If you've got a toilet like the one in the picture below and it's constantly dripping from the cistern into the bowl, and potentially increasing your (already ludicrous) Watercare bill - it's probably quite an easy fix.

Firstly, you can look under the lid of the cistern to help identify the toilet make and model # in case you need to get any spare parts from Mico Plumbing - https://www.facebook.com/MicoPlumbing, or one of the other plumbing suppliers (there's 3 or 4 different suppliers in Silverdale in the Forge Road area).

There is a small white washer, the shape of a donut with a hole in it, but a bit smaller - that's located on the bottom of the flush mechanism inside the cistern. They only cost a few dollars each from Mico.

All you need to do is twist the flush valve/mechanism (the bit with the 2 blue buttons on it in the 2nd photo) anti-clockwise and it will come out. Then you can replace the washer, (I've tried to show where it goes in the last photo).

Then just re-insert the mechanism back into the toilet with a clockwise turn.

(Its best to shut the water off first - most toilets will have a simple shut off valve/tap where the plumbing enters the wall...)

I hope that saves somebody an expensive plumber's bill! And if that doesn't work, you might have to call a plumber after all I guess! 😞

(Not me I'm not a plumber...) 😂

Recently re-grouted another bathroom/shower in a beautiful home in Army Bay.If the grout and silicone in your shower sta...
05/11/2024

Recently re-grouted another bathroom/shower in a beautiful home in Army Bay.

If the grout and silicone in your shower starts to fail then its probable water will be getting in behind the tiles.

If not addressed this will cause unsightly mould and discolouration which is impossible to scrub off the grout or, even worse, loose tiles as the tile adhesive beneath starts to absorb water and break down.

The best remedy for this is to cut out the existing grout and silicone and replace with new, epoxy based grout.

Epoxy grout is what is often used in commercial kitchens because of it's high waterproof and mould resistance properties. It also has a very uniform colour which remains stable, as well as water tight for many years - meaning your new shower will look brand new and stay dry for years to come!

Check out the before and after photos below, and feel free to give me, Matt a call on 📞022 475 4610 for a no obligation site visit and quote.

I recently repaired the grouting in 2 separate showers in this fairly recently built house in Gulf Harbour. As you can s...
17/06/2024

I recently repaired the grouting in 2 separate showers in this fairly recently built house in Gulf Harbour.

As you can see the grouting wasn't in great condition. At the joint where the wall tiles meet the floor tiles, there was a gap behind the silicone which was leading to a build up of moisture and consequently lots of mould, which was difficult to clean and maintain. Not to mention the risk of water damage.

I stripped out the existing grout and silicone, and replaced it with an epoxy-based grout alternative, a bit more fiddly to apply - but a lot more durable - and with a water-tight seal all the way around, and much better mould-resistance, this will last a lot longer and still be going strong in decades from now.

Contact me if you would like a shower/grout/silicone refurbishment.

📞 022 475 4610

The owners genuinely said it makes a world of difference to how their shower looks and feels!

References available on request.

We have our Sterling 4 berth caravan for sale on TradeMe. It's priced very competitively to sell already, (compared with...
11/11/2023

We have our Sterling 4 berth caravan for sale on TradeMe. It's priced very competitively to sell already, (compared with other Sterlings on TradeMe of the same size and age), but we are also open to serious offers in the high 20's.

It got a brand new WoF last week (with VTNZ so no issues), and is all in good condition for it's age, light an easy to tow, everything is in working order including the solar, water, fridge, electrics and gas.

It's set up and certified to be self-contained and could be off-grid for a few days due to to the solar power, gas/elec fridge. It's also drier than a penguin's pocket - always has been, and warm as well - because it's European and they come well insulated and equipped for cold weather!

Give me a call or text to arrange a viewing, we are in Gulf Harbour, Whangaparaoa - but could travel within reason to show you it on the weekend.

Mob: 022 475 4610

And take a look at the TradeMe ad for more details: https://www.trademe.co.nz/.../21-24-ft/listing/4404651940...

What shape shall I make out of this? Pittosporom Little Kiwi - makes for a great low hedge, and although naturally round...
05/11/2023

What shape shall I make out of this? Pittosporom Little Kiwi - makes for a great low hedge, and although naturally round in shape - takes well to pruning.

Address

16 Cape Cod Drive
Whangaparaoa
0930

Telephone

+64224754610

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when M&M House and Garden Renovations and Maintenance posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to M&M House and Garden Renovations and Maintenance:

Shortcuts

Share

Category