Hi, we have recently moved into a New Build property (3 months ago). The whole downstairs is Amtico LVT. A few days in we noticed that there was a large dip in the kitchen floor, the developers, and flooring contractors have since been out to carry out remedial works (twice) and have had to stop, once they started pulling up the Amtico the screed came up with every plank. The guy who came out to fix the floor a few days ago stopped the job immediately and asked to see the spec sheet/details of the sub floor, as he suspects it is Calcium Sulphate based and will need grinding. Has anyone else experienced this before with New Builds? Thanks!
Although I have my suspicions on what has happened (or not) any further thought on it are very much appreciated, see photos attached.
New builds are often calcium sulphate, as its lightweight and has green credentials. New builds are built to a tight budget, and corners are cut in every aspect of the build. Its very likely, but not certain, that the floor was not ground off, prior to (or not) a primer, then latex. In this scenario, if there was no problem with your floor, it probably would have been fine. However, as soon as a plank or tile needs to be lifted, its a world of pain, and will most likely all have to come up.
Thanks for your reply. Looking at previous threads similar to mine the grinding process isn’t a nice job at all, will it be worse now we are months down the line? I can easily scratch the subfloor with my nail and it produces yellow dust, with an almost grease like feel to it. Haha, yes I did think that, currently unsure if it is a good or a bad thing we had the dip in the first place, I suppose at least this time round they have to do a ’proper job’!
100% looking at the pics, then 2 coats of a moisture suppressant like uzin pe404. Every new build I’ve done I’ve had to grind the floor. Loads of fitters don’t and take the risk.
Thanks for the above opinion, as you have both said, its not been ground down, and most probably no primer/suppressant applied. As the Amtico is throughout the whole downstairs im not looking forward to the upheaval with two kids and a dog!! On a side note, prior to my meeting tomorrow with the builders they have said that the boss of the flooring company has said that it can be common for screed to come up with the lvt, from what I have read do you think I’m right to say that’s just a load of BS?
....haha, fills me with a lot of optimism if theynactually send him out to look at it. Any advice for me re. the developers? Other than I’m assuming its lvt & levelling screed up throughout whole of downstairs, grinding, moisture suppressant, appropriate levelling screed re-applied and then lvt installed. Anything I’ve missed? Thanks again by the way!
I did a red row few years back. Grind Moisture test, was over 90%RH 2 coat moisture suppressant Prime & screed at 5mm next door a big commercial company we’re going over the same floor , prime & screed. I said to him how come you ain’t grinding it and he said it’s not in the price. He said they do loads like that and the odd one comes up. Crazy. They work direct for redrow where I was working direct for the client. On your floor Chris was a moisture test taken? But you should tell them it all needs ripping up and starting again.
Sure I mentioned in a similar thread couple yrs ago. I did a full replacement for a family on a new build, took their floor 4yrs to fail and when I inspected it, it was same scenario as yours. All came up and started from scratch. It was the grinding that they were more dreading but my machine is decent and dust was minimal but we were all surprised how quick the developers admitted fault and coughed up... The couple had sleepless nights on the run up with sorting furniture etc. After I was done they had a decorator in from the developers to tidy up/touch up paint work
Exact same happened to me on a redrow site as well Daz, I was working private while the others were working next door. They had screeded and packed up whilst I was Still grinding lol
Thanks for all of this mate, it seems like such a straightforward thing to somebody not in the trade, safe to say im realising it’s the exact opposite. I suppose they just work on averages, and like you say, if one or two cone up on a large development then happy days for them! Regarding moisture test, who knows, most probably not, but I’m definitely finding out tomorrow. On your Redrow where the moisture was over 90%RH did you have to wait for it to dry, or just apply the 2 coats of moisture suppressant? Thanks!
Although not ideal its always good to know we arent the only ones who have had this issue. 3 months in and we’ll be moving out for a bit by the looks of it! To be fair to them the developers aren’t putting up too kuch resistance so far, they had to grind the floor on another property however the owners hadn’t yet moved in.
What’s disappointing is that the screeding company’s should be going back and removing the latence. It’s easier to remove and still a building site. Also it helps it dry. It’s just another corner cut
Yeah you are right, definitely easier when there are no owners living there, although they are essentially just hoping nothing is wrong with it, at least in the first 2 years anyway! Haha, they came today to discuss ways to go forward with it, I had asked them to provide me with exact details of subfloor compound (basically is it concrete or Anhydrite), and they didn’t have specific details, just said it was a ‘Top Levelling Concrete’, and will contact the groundwork’s company to get the further info. They said it definitely wasn’t Anhydrite/Gypsum etc when they were here, but didn’t even know what I meant when I brought up Calcium Sulphate flooring in the first place
Update. At the moment they are claiming that the subfloor is a ‘Tarmac Topflow Concrete’. They have said that they can send out a rep from Tarmac if necessary, and also Ardex who supplied the screed (Arditex CL), we are able to get a Tech support guy to visit site from Ardex via a friend of the family who is in the trade. I just don’t believe a word they are saying at the moment!
