Hi hoping for some guidance please as I'm stuck in a dilemma. I have had UFH fitted to a existing concrete floor. The guys who installed the heating use Mapei Mapeker to secure the backer boards but did not prime the floor or the boards when fitting other that that the work was done in accordance with installation instructions. I used climate product installed by installers recommended by the suppliers. After a few days the LVT company came to do the screed using Mapei renovation screed exactly as per manufacturers instructions. Screed was done in 2 layers the first about 3mm over the wires and the second about 8mm thick a few days later. The total area screeded was about 65m2 (rooms are about 5x4.5m) A week after the screed went down a handful of hair line (less than 1mm) cracks appeared that spanned almost right across the whole floor. Over time slightly narrower shorter cracks appeared. For about another 2 weeks. When the installer came back he raised some concerns and Mapei came around to inspect. When you tap the screed it sounds mostly solid with only a smallish section that sound hollow The long and short of it is that the Mapei report stated they the best solution will be to add their 2 part resin and mesh and then screed over another layer before laying LVT. This will add another £3.5K to this very expensive project. I feel like I'm stuck as neither the installer of the UFH or the Screed company want to take responsibility. Any advice will be appreciated. Ideally if possible I would want to get the LVT laid without doing any further remedial but then I'll be taking on the liability. Does anyone know what the likelihood hood of it failing over time if it is left as it is?
I have attached some pictures that was taken about 6 weeks after the screed was done. (sorry for the Kids mess ) It's now been about 12 weeks since the screed was done and I have been using the UFH daily for the past 5 weeks and no further cracks apparent.
Was all the ufh boards solid before the 1st coat of screed was done ? Was the 1st coat primed before the 2nd coat was done ?
Thanks for the response. Yes it was the backer boards were solid and was properly primed before the screed. The only thing that wasn't primed was the concrete floor that that the boards were stuck to. Everything else was done to standards.
So, just to be clear, the guys are asking for roughly £55 sq. m to apply mesh and another coat of latex ? Did Mapei state that the product was correctly specified & applied ? My thoughts are same as Daz, it will probably be ok.
Hi Both thanks for the responses. Yes I have had another 4 people come out today and say that doing feather edge and lay it. Yes the supplier is asking £55. sq m to do the remedial of resin, mesh and screed. They have stated they're not willing to do the work without the remdials now and if i decide to go somewhere else they will charge me 20% to return the LVT to Amtico. I'm really annoyed as it seems everyone did it all according to standars and now no one is taking responsibilty for the cracked screed that cost almost 2.5k to lay. I'm no looking to see if there are other local compnies to supply and fit. How do I deal with my current supplier? Pay them for the work they have done and move on? Everyone is blaming someone else now and I'm stuck in the middle
Hi Neilydun, Yes Mapei checked to it was correctly applied and specified. They do not say if the batch may have been defective but I guess they wont. Is there any way you could even figure out who's to blame? I get that things go wrong but I feel like I'm paying the price for it. Really apprciate the input and support BR
Yes, very frustrating. Have you put it to the company your working with, that you have followed there advice, and don`t feel like you should be paying an extra 3.5k ? Maybe there is a deal to be done that would work for you both. I am sure they won`t want the hassle of returning product either.
3.5k They're having a laugh with that one! Sounds like they're trying to extract some extra money out of you. I've had similar with the cracks and I went as far to check to see of the screed came up easy (blown) then gave it a good feather and fitted after it proved it was solid. Been down over 2 yrs now and customer hasn't came back to me with any issues. For you to have to give them another 3.5k before fitting etc then is that including their fitting of the Amtico? Or is it a totally separate charge before the next charge for fitting & paying for the amtico?
Hi all thanks for the advice. I'm now taking my business elsewhere and doing what has been recommended here. I must have spoken to about 15 others and they all say feather it and lay it. Clearly Mapei and the supplier being risk adverse, which I can understand to a point but it goes beyond the practicable. I'm grateful for this forum and will check in periodically to provide updates on the results. I trust we will prove them wrong
