Screed disaster

[sealtt]

Just been to take a look at the screed floor our contractor laid a few days ago, it's a mess. Lumpy all over with dips of 15mm and peaks of 15mm meaning there is about 30mm difference between parts.

I spoke to him and he wants to use a self levelling compound to get it smooth before laying underfloor heating Mats and tiling over with ceramic tiles.

Any thoughts on this?

Edited by sealtt on Sunday 25th September 10:36

[Trophy Husband]

Self leveller will only suit if the peaks are no higher than the correct level to suit finished floor levels. Looks like a really poor job to me done by hand without suitable level control. Is it sand/cement or concrete (looks like conc to me). A wet mix would have been better as easier to control levels. IF the peaks are high I would want it scabbling down and then self levelled as a minimum with the alternative for him to redo the whole job. Should be +/- 3mm under a 3m straight edge. Good luck.

[Pistom]

What a mess. I've seen site concrete at better levels than that!

Self leveller is a bodge. What finish are you going for? I hope you weren't hoping for tiles.

Semi-dry self leveller is the pros choice for screeding and a good screeder will get it level to 1mm over 3m. If you have to check against the spec, they are not so hot.

You can grind that down but rather him than me.

Breaking it out is going to be a ball ache but don't pay a penny until you've got a decent finish.

[sealtt]

The screed came premixed on a open tipper truck, the contractor was annoyed because it came too dry he said and that's why he couldn't get it good level.

It is going to be ceramic tiles. It's just a garage being converted for use as a home office / kids arts n crafts room, so I don't care if it isn't by the book perfect. So long as it's good enough, even if he 'bodges' it to get it right.

I just want to make sure it's ok before the underfloor heating Mats go down. So thinking if I need to insist on it being redone or if he grinds it down that will get it smooth enough + levelling compound for dips?

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Too dry a mix would be my guess but if your man wasn't happy with the mix why did he go ahead and for it?

[Spudler]

What a bullster!
Even if it was "to dry" he should have got the surface flat, albeit a sandy finish. I doubt you could scuff that with your shoes. As it came delivered there's a good chance it was fine, probably he was just useless.
From your follow up post it sounds like a self leveller will be favourite.
Every chance he'll fk that up as well so insist he uses a spiked roller (less than £30), he may supprise himself with the result.

[Mothersruin]

Your man is at fault for accepting the mix and then trying to bodge it. I'd also wonder where else he's happy to drop standards.

[sealtt]

Does he need to sort this before the floor heating mat goes down (Being installed by the electrician) or after?

The thicker it gets the less ceiling height we've got left!!! Already has 50mm celotex & 75mm of this screed (+/- however many mm...).

[V8RX7]

As others have mentioned

What is your target FFL - presumably the same height as the doorway.
After taking off the height of the tiles and adhesive is there room for self leveller ?
Have you checked it's level front to back and side to side IE with a laser etc ?

[sealtt]

Well he went at it self levelling. It's now uneven, but smoothly so.

The overall peaks and dips are probably still a good 25-30mm, just they are now undulations so less detectable than before.

At the hospital most of the time with a newborn baby so hard to give this matter proper attention. Not sure what to tell him to do now.

[mikees]

Sorry mate , that's coming up. You can't tile it. At this rate you have a 3 foot high room by the time he gets it level. He's gonna have to swallow loss of a few days labour and a skip.

[dickymint]

25-35 mm undulations...after an unnecessary layer of self leveling? Hope you got him on a price including materials as it's likely to cost a heck of a lot more in tile adhesive

[jules_s]

mikees said:

Sorry mate , that's coming up. You can't tile it. At this rate you have a 3 foot high room by the time he gets it level. He's gonna have to swallow loss of a few days labour and a skip.

Absolutely that needs to come up

It wont take days though

[hedgefinder]

It doesnt look completely level/good, but surely that 25mm-35mm measurement isnt correct?
thats differences in height (peaks and troughs?) of well over an inch in depth??

Thats worse than it was intially described at screed stage before any self leveller went down
???

Edited by hedgefinder on Wednesday 28th September 19:52

Edited by hedgefinder on Wednesday 28th September 19:52

[sealtt]

Sorry, I meant to say peaks of approx 10mm-15mm above correct level and dips of about the same below correct level.

Edited by sealtt on Wednesday 28th September 19:54

[dickymint]

PS. As I've just shown this to Wifey (fabrication manager at Mandarin Stone). "He's gonna have to raise the patio door a couple of inches by the time that's level"

[hedgefinder]

sealtt said:

Sorry, I meant to say peaks of approx 10-15mm above correct level and dips of about the same below correct level.

but thats approximately what it was according to the intial post before it had self leveller down?
If thats the case I dont think the guy knows what he is doing and would have a distinct lack of confidence in his ability to carry out any further work in this area.

[sealtt]

hedgefinder said:

but thats approximately what it was according to the intial post before it had self leveller down?
If thats the case I dont think the guy knows what he is doing and would have a distinct lack of confidence in his ability to carry out any further work in this area.

Yes it's not much difference to min & max from before, just smoother. He may have improved it by about 5mm-10mm, it's hard to say as there are undulations all over.

Already paid him 50% up front for materials, I wasn't worried as he's done a few jobs for us before, but it was all basics and seems this might be a bit much for him. Though he has done house renovations so thought it'd be ok.

[48Valves]

I'd have him take it out and start again. I would also be checking the rest of his work very carefully.

If he won't do it tell him you will find someone who will and he will be paying the bill.

[mikees]

jules_s said:

mikees said:

Sorry mate , that's coming up. You can't tile it. At this rate you have a 3 foot high room by the time he gets it level. He's gonna have to swallow loss of a few days labour and a skip.

Absolutely that needs to come up

It wont take days though

I was factoring in that he's crap.

I'd get him to lift it then do the slc myself. It's a piece of piss. Looks like a job you could learn on and do a good job. Surely the only trade you might need is a sparks. Give it go.