Can I lay concrete and the screed before worrying about where the services are going to go?

[teaboyjim]

Is it normal and acceptable to lay concrete slab along with the traditional screed without first laying service pipes in them such as electric cable, water pipes and gas pipe?
This would allow me to continue with the concrete plans of concreting two downstairs living rooms even though I'm not certain where the service pipes are going to go
If it's decided by the plumber and electrician or project manager to put the services into the screed can this be done after the screed has been set by cutting channels into the screed with conduit if that's what's specified

I've moved on from trying to work out if I "should replace" the existing copper pipes/water pipes/electrical installation to a definite spec to replace the electrics and central heating system

 

[noseall]

Is it normal practice to just cut out any channels in the screed for services and any container such as strong metal/plastic conduit

No.

Laying cables/pipes in the floor screed is one of the least favourable options, but sometimes it can be the only option. Complete first fix plumbing and electrics or at least consult with them before screeding any floors. That's one of the points in having a room for a screed in the first place.

I take it your not having UFH?

 

[teaboyjim]

No. Laying cables/pipes in the floor screed is one of the least favourable options, but sometimes it can be the only option.

So when laid in purpose built flat is that because there's no other design option and also with extensions?

Complete first fix plumbing and electrics or at least consult with them before screeding any floors.

Ideally I need one person to create an overall plan and this is what I don't have at the moment.

That's one of the points in having a room for a screed in the first place. I take it your not having UFH?

no UFH, could you please explain what you mean by "That's one of the points in having a room for a screed in the first place" as I don't understand it? If it was decided that electric and water needed to be buried in screed (Because there was no other choice hypothetically) would it be any problem cutting out a channel in the screed or can that crack the screed or damage the strength of it?

 

[sxturbo]

in the living room the plumbing pipes and electrics will drop down from the ceiling,

so yes you can screed now.

however for kitchens and such its a definite no no.

 

[^woody^]

If you want services in the floor, you should form an accessible duct

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Channeling through cured concrete/screed is noisy, messy and tedious. As above, cast channels or bury ducting

 

[noseall]

could you please explain what you mean by "That's one of the points in having a room for a screed in the first place" as I don't understand it?

Allowing for a screed is a versatile way of allowing the builder to marry into existing floors later on in a project, after all the knock-through jobs are done. A one off house for example - the builder can just fill the slab up to FFL and power-float the concrete, if he wishes. However, if he wanted to install UFH, or in the example of builders constructing extensions (that require marrying into existing floors later on) then leaving the oversite concrete below FFL and filling it later with screed and insulation, is ideal.

 

[mrrusty]

On my recent project we laid this https://www.drainagesuperstore.co.uk/product/manthorpe-pipe-cable-ducting-3m-length-box-of-10.html into the ground floor concrete on all likely service routes. It turned out really successful and carries water, gas, leccy where needed. In my case dropping down wasn't an option due to plaster cornices which needed to be retained.

Only thing to watch for is it is best to secure them down before laying concrete - my builder didn't and said it was a PITA weighing/propping them down because they kept floating out...good solution though.

 

[teaboyjim]

in the living room the plumbing pipes and electrics will drop down from the ceiling, so yes you can screed now. however for kitchens and such its a definite no no.

So plumbing and electrics will drop from ceiling in living rooms so that means not in the ground

 

[teaboyjim]

If you want services in the floor, you should form an accessible duct

Is one option considered better practice than the other option? In other words would accessible ducts be when there's no other better option available.
Would accessible ducts be as suitable in the kitchen as the living room? - In my mind I've evolved the project along so that I'm going to replace the central heating, the water pipes and do a rewire just for the peace of mind of doing it....

 

[teaboyjim]

Allowing for a screed is a versatile way of allowing the builder to marry into existing floors later on in a project

Thanks

 

[teaboyjim]

Channeling through cured concrete/screed is noisy, messy and tedious. As above, cast channels or bury ducting

So I take it that it's more sensible to cast a channel when curing the screed

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Its like seeing the council resurface the road outside your house, getting 1 day of smooth lovely surface then BT dig a hole in it.
Going under the slab lets you use wider-radius bends (important for water supply pipes, for instance). In slab can be a pest with it floating or moving but worth the effort.

 

[teaboyjim]

On my recent project we laid this https://www.drainagesuperstore.co.uk/product/manthorpe-pipe-cable-ducting-3m-length-box-of-10.html into the ground floor concrete on all likely service routes.

Thanks for the link!

 

[sxturbo]

Could you kindly explain that or could someone elaborate a bit more. So plumbing and electrics will drop from ceiling in living rooms so that means not under the ground but are you saying that it's definitely a big no for dropping pipes and electrical cable from the ceiling in the same way as the living room? What's the reason for this? - Thank you for taking the time to reply

Pipes and electrics usually run through the centre of the house as this provides shortest routes for branches, and also makes it easiest for runs.

They usually drop down through the walls, certainly the case with concrete floors