Replacing Entire Ground Floor - What is the correct solution?

We have a 1920's house, consisting of the following flooring areas-

• Concrete floors in the front and rear rooms.
• The kitchen is quarry tiled, as is a pantry/under stairs area.
• The hallway area is compacted concrete and ash, but is solid, although it's uneven where the old terazzo top layer had to be removed as it was damaged.
• Obviously no existing DPM anywhere.

Company A

We've been advised by one company that the floors in the main rooms are fine and don't need to be excavated, and can be screeded over with Arditex which contains latex (we believe) so therefore would provide some DPM qualities. Although this would raise the floor level.

The quarry tiled areas are to be excavated to 250mm and replaced with hardcore/DPM/reinforcement and 100mm C35 slab.

The hallway to be screeded with Ardex A35.

Company B

We've also been advised by another company that the entire ground floor areas need to be excavated fully and replaced with new slabs including insulation. This would have the advantage of keeping the level in the main rooms as they are, therefore not having to butcher the door frames etc. And also prevent heat loss?


Just unsure which is the correct solution, and who to trust as there's a great deal of money at stake. Any advice appreciated.

Personal view, if you can afford it, do the job properly and excavate, DPM, insulate and screed the floors

Defo go with B
Ardex screed isn't a dpm as well. You would need to use DPM1c

What about Arditex NA ?

http://www.ardex.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=18

That's what I meant. We just call it Ardex NA