Steps To Every Room!! It's Just Crazy! Help!

[BGRenovations]

Hi guys,

Hope I've posted in the right section. Would have posted in floors outside of the UK but it doesn't exist, hence why I posted here. Suppose this also qualifies for DIY Disasters lol

Now, this is driving me mad, take a look:

Untitled

• BGRenovations
• 3 Jul 2012
• 1

Untitled

• BGRenovations
• 3 Jul 2012
• 1

Untitled

• BGRenovations
• 3 Jul 2012
• 1

Untitled

• BGRenovations
• 3 Jul 2012
• 1

Untitled

• BGRenovations
• 3 Jul 2012
• 1

I have two options:

1, Remove the steps, then I'm left with a 10 CM gap under each door and I still have the problem of very high ceilings.
or
2, Raise all the rooms by 10 CM with an unbonded screed and then lay floor tiles. I think option 2 is better as it will make the ceilings lower which I prefer, but the problem is I've worked out the screeds alone would cost around £250 -£300 so would have to be done gradually. The thing is, are there any special preparations before I carry out the work? Although the floors are fine, I can screed directly over the tiles right? Should I lay membranes in each room and lay my screed ontop of them or is it unnecessary work?
So i just lay leveled battens on the existing tiles and shovel in the sand and cement mixture, let it cure, and then remove the battens and fill in the gaps? I can't remove the battens while it's curing otherwise I'll be putting my foot in it

 

[JohnD]

I wonder if there is something structiral under than tiled threshold, part of the frame, or if it is intended to prevent floodwater?

or maybe the builders intended to screed the floor and didn't get round to it?

knock one off and see what it's made of.

if you want a boarded floor, you could lay one floating on insulation slabs, which would cut down heat loss and fill up the space.

 

[BGRenovations]

I wonder if there is something structiral under than tiled threshold, part of the frame, or if it is intended to prevent floodwater?

or maybe the builders intended to screed the floor and didn't get round to it?

knock one off and see what it's made of.

if you want a boarded floor, you could lay one floating on insulation slabs, which would cut down heat loss and fill up the space.

Hi JohnD, thanks for your input. When we viewed house, there were gaps of 10CM under every door and I think what has happened, the builder couldn't be bothered putting in the screeds to bring the level up to fill in those gaps so to make it easier for himself, he's just added steps instead

But to be honest, I'm wondering now what he's tiled over! Could be just bare earth for all i know. But the tiles are very secure but there are a couple of hollow ones. And the floors are absolutely freezing in winter i cannot describe the cold so those insulation blocks would be ideal. But would they be strong enough to walk on? Thing is with boarded floor, getting the wood is a bit tricky. They're not very struck on wood here, everything's concrete and tiles!!! I mean they do sell wood, but not a good variety and i dont like that thin laminate crap they do. You can't get plywood and hard board here or at least ive never seen it. I'm jujst not so sure wood would be suitable for the kitchen either so still not sure what is best. If only I could tile over insulation blocks

 

[JohnD]

you can surely get polystyrene slabs, even if equivalents to Kingspan and Celotex are not easily available. There will be something similar from German suppliers. You can lay chipboard (ugh) or ply on it, or T&G floorboards, or engineered flooring.

I did a floor I am very pleased with last year, it's 18mm hardwood-faced WBP ply, I drew "plank" lines on it with a black biro at 100mm intervals,, then used Colron to stain it, with slight variations in colour between adjacent "planks", then treated with satin Diamond floor varnish, it looks great. I used the planking effect to disguise the real joins between the sheets of ply. Very inexpensive and not at all hard work.

Is in a bedroom so would need more frequent revarnishing downstairs.

 

[BGRenovations]

They're very big on insulation here and so yes polystyrene slabs are available and they have a good variety. Think they're German imports.

But as I said, you can't get ply here. Only chipboard and softwood planks are available at least to my knowledge.

I'll have to have a think about this. you see if money wasn't an issue I'd do the slabs as you said, then lay chipboard and then tile over that but that will be expensive I think.

 

[JohnD]

softwood floorboards will do, preferably T&G.

Surely a timber yard would have ply?

 

[BGRenovations]

Surely a timber yard would have ply?

I've been to many yards, but I'm yet to see ply; the same for hardboard too. Never ever seen it over here. It really bugs me the way they don't like wood. Maybe because it's too expensive to import i don't know. I'll have a scout about though, but I've been Mr Briccolage near to the capital which is a french chain and the most i got there was chipboard and softwood planks. But bloody expensive! Then again, wood everywhere is expensive I guess.

 

[BGRenovations]

Hi JohnD, decided to go with the more practical option of laying floor tiles instead of a floating wooden floor. Any advice on whether I would need a membrane down before I lay screed or do you reckon would risk damp problems such as condensation as the membrane would be placed over existing tiles?

The tiles are very secure and are laid on a concrete base. Can't lay insulation as don't have enough height to play with so will just lay the unbonded screed which will be about 70 -75mm leaving 9mm for new tiles and adhesive.

EDIT: Probably no need to reply now because was just thinking to myself, don't think would be necessary to lay membrane over existing tiles as the tiles form the barrier between existing concrete and what will be new screed anyway and there's no existing signs of damp.