Advice needed on how to lower a concrete floor

Raise dining room floor!

 

Unlikely, as you need raise levels in all ground floor rooms.

How can you get the levels out by 33mm,how large is the area.

Is it definitely concrete & not a sand/cement screed, easier & quicker to hire a sds breaker & remove the offending material & then use leveling compound to finish off & bring you up to correct finished level.

I think you would win your case if you took builder to the small claims court to recover the additional expenses to correct his mistakes.

 

Sounds like he fitted the new floor, before doing the knock through.

 

So about, 15.5 square metre, so your looking at six, maybe seven 25kg bags of Floor Levelling Compound laid at 5mm, amount depends on how well you remove concrete without excessive gouging, primer, so about £120 for materials,plus tool hire & a morning's work to remove concrete, then a few more hours to lay compound.

 

Don't know what your layout there is, but any good suggesting a sloped doorstep (or full width sloped step) ?

Mr. HandyAndy - Really

 

It not a sloped doorstep he needs, but the whole floor lowered & level.

I just hope the builder laid a dpm, otherwise you get moisture coming up.

 

One way to find out.

 

Blimey, Winter, what a 'mare.

Don't get too stressed, tho', 'cos that's chust pointless.

Your builder will sort this for you - either by themselves or by paying someone else to do so...

But, you must handle this properly and give them the proper warning about your intentions. Get pro advice on this so's you don't leave yourselves liable for the cost, but in essence it'll involve giving them a written, properly-composed ultimatum, dated and sent recorded delivery (or handed over in person with a witness).

They either (a) sort it by a certain date, or else (b) you get someone else to do it and sue them for the cost. You'll win. (And you send in the 'sheriffs' if they don't cough up...

Anyways, how to sort this? I dunno...

But I suspect it'll either be by (a) using a large surface grinder designed for the job to remove the unwanted 33+mm, or (b) cutting numerous slots the required depth using an 'ordinary' angle grinder and then power-chiselling out each line of mortar in between, or (c) literally pneumatic-drilling/jack-hammering out the whole bludy lot and relaying a fresh floor (probably the likeliest method. Or (d) something else I cannot think of...

For (c), a small hole is drilled or cut out in one area, and then expanded from that point by breaking up the edges using a jack-hammer, or even a sledge 'ammer (really - I bet many builders will do this manually...).

The concrete will not be fully harden yet, and will hopefully be a weakish mix anyhow.

But don't worry about how it's done, just worry about finding someone to do it. Get 2 or 3 quotes from general builders - there's nothing specialised required here. This is a 'normal' job for a builder - after all, concrete slab such as floors are dug up and removed every day.

Enjoy . Chill . Keep us posted .

 

Hilti TE 3000-AVR breaker will break it in a few hours.
That's 75 joules of impact energy. Which is quite colossal for a hand held machine.
About three thumps and its down through 5" of concrete.
No hydraulic or air powered machine can match it.

 

As mentioned above - if you are not 100% certain they have laid a DPM, then a full break-up of the floor is the best way to go anyways.

Wait a minute - they have also laid a thick layer of insulation under all this, haven't they?

 

Yup!

 

If you've used one DA you'll know its totally a bad a*s machine. Takes no prisioners!

 

Never used one. Never will.

Too s c a r y

 

I could be wrong I often am, but surely you would need to give him the opportunity to put right his work? Or maybe I've been watching too much judge Rinder
I would carefully follow Devs excellent advice on this one or you could come unstuck in court.
I know its easy said but do try not to panic, its inconvenient and a pain in the rear end but will soon be all sorted and behind you. Your trust in him and belief about whether or not he can/will correct it may well be neither here nor there at this stage.
Follow the correct procedure.
Maybe show Dev on here a draft of the recorded delivery letter, the one you are going to send TODAY!!! to get the ball rolling.
Good luck.

 

Don't worry yourself too much about proving he is responsible for laying the concrete. You have enough evidence for court and it is unlikely he will dispute doing the work.
At least you are certain about the DPM and the insulation so possibly not a complete cowboy or a rogue trader, just somebody who made a rather large error and is now thinking oopsy if I don't answer the phone this may go away
It won't and he IS liable if the correct procedure is put in place.
I feel for you but all will be well

 

P.s I do hope the reason you are on here posting at 3.06 a.m is more to do with working nights or having a baby to feed or some other reason other than as you say being "at your wits end and worried sick" ??? This WILL be sorted.

 

Fantastic kit, hired one a couple of years ago, it's one serious large breaker,broke up the path so easily, made the JCB Beaver breaker I used before,look basic.