Is this quote too much? (re-laying of a concrete floor)

[orval]

Hi there,

I've just moved into an 1866 house with solid kitchen and dining room floors. The surveyor said that there was some damp in the floors, so we shouldn't cover them with anything non-breathable. I don't think there is a DPM.

I'm getting wet UFH installed. The heating engineer had is builder colleague come around to quote for preparing the floors -- digging 300mm down and laying new floor with DPM and Kingspan etc.

The rooms are both 14 by 11 foot. He made one comment during the visit about it be three day's work (!?). The quote is £3500.

Initially I thought this was way too much, especially if it was just 3 day's work. But I've looked into it a bit more and I think it could take a lot longer. As yet, we don't even have an idea how hard the concrete is.

So, what do you think? Is this a reasonable price?

Cheers,
Orv

 

[hotrod]

The rooms are both 14 by 11 foot. He made one comment during the visit about it be three day's work (!?). The quote is £3500.

Initially I thought this was way too much, especially if it was just 3 day's work.

3 days work but for how many men? 4men*3days = 12man days.
£3.5k / 12 = 290 day inc mats! So it's starting to look reasonable..... if labour is 60% of quote.

 

[orval]

3 days work but for how many men? 4men*3days = 12man days.
£3.5k / 12 = 290 day inc mats! So it's starting to look reasonable..... if labour is 60% of quote.

Oh good point. I got the impression he was talking about two people doing the work.

I haven't had his formal quote through the post yet, so there may be more detail to follow.

(Also, as an aside, I've just taken a hammer to one of the tiles on the kitchen floor and it appears that they have been laid on top of lino!)

 

[theoldun]

All things being equal if floor is 145 years old, you should be able to stand in the middle, shout quick march and the floor will march out to skip by itself. In case floor is in an ar*ehole mood, will give you a top end of budget with labour rate of £320 for two men per day. All materials etc VAT inclusive.
Jack hammer and load to skip 640
Heavy breaker 45
Skips 2no 6 Yarders 404
MOT 2 large bags say 82
Poly, say 15
Wacker, 38
Concrete 360
70mm Celotex FF4000 and 25mm perimeter 344
Labour MOT and celotex 320
Labour concrete 320
Screed say 29 ms at £15 ms 435
Total 3003
20% overheads and profit 600
Total 3600

Been generous with labour rate and time content. Onlyallowed for sub base to be 55mm thick including sand blinding as existing sub ground will be as hard as iron. Total excavation below finished floor level to be 300mm. Offer him £3000 cash
oldun

 

[orval]

Hmm, interesting. Thanks.

BTW I'm now getting a couple of other quotes.

I think I'm going to drill into the floor somewhere to see how thick it is.

What is MOT?

And how does Celotex compare to Kingspan?

 

[JimLoskot]

MOT is hardcore/rubble/crusher run etc...

 

[theoldun]

Had been doing a quote for slab with UFH prior to yours and had celotex FF in my mind. Do not use that use GA4070 will work out £33 cheaper than FF4070 and still give U value of 0.22 Wm2/K.
MOT is normally a crushed granite fill 38mm to dust for sub grade fill. Takes the place of hardcore.
How does Celotex compare to Kingspan? We normally find celotex cheaper where we buy, plus being more versatile.
The old Victorian cottage floors normally consist of Victorian Staffordshire 6x6 or 8x8 quarry tiles on 12mm lime mortar laid on 75mm lime concrete.
If you are lucky enough to have genuine quarry tiles the 6x6 sell in a reclaimed yard at £1.25 each and the 8x8 at £2.60 each.
oldun

 

[jstrong]

Just been reading up on excavating as will be doing my own floor preparations for garage conversion.

Does this sound ok or is there a better way?

Excavate and lay and compact 100mm of MOT then 5mm sand then 90mm celotex/kingspan? then dpm then concrete depth?? then screed 75mm.


Any answers regarding which order the materials go in and depths gratefully received.

 

[jstrong]

One more thing, well two actually!

Will need to run a gas supply under the floor for a hob in a central island and also power for said hob and a couple of other appliances (fridge & freezer).

Should I just run a length of copper say 15mm for the gas supply within the floor once I get to the concreting part of the job? and should it be wrapped in anything?

Also similar advice on the electric cable would be welcome!

 

[jstrong]

Sorry, one more thing, what is a 25mm perimeter?

 

[Deluks]

Alright Columbo

Increase your sand depth to 20mm.
From bottom, concrete, insulation, screed.

OR insulation, concrete, and you can do away with screed if you can get conc nicely troweled up (requires some skill) or use self levelling compound on top (requires some money)

Run leccy cable conduit pipe under the whole lot. Gas, not sure of regs but I wouldn't put gas pipe anywhere I couldn't easily get to it in case of a problem.

25mm perimeter is a strip of insulation around the edge, up against the wall which seperates floor structure from walls/foundation, so you don't lose heat through the walls via the floor slab. (Very important if you have u/floor heating!)

Just one more thing... Next time start a new topic. (Forum rules, no hijacking)