Carpets, Lino & Flooring

Should I totally remove an old screed floor before fitting a new kitchen?

Anonymous user 23/02/2024 - 2.47 PM

I have an 1965 house in which we're totally gutting the current kitchen (4m x 2.7m approx.) and starting again. I have removed layers of old flooring (two layers of old vinyl tiles) to reveal the original 48 year old screed. In places, this had turned to powder so I have removed it. In other places, the screed sounded hollow when tapped so, again, I have removed it. This has left large patches where the concrete subfloor has been exposed. The remaining screed is pitted and covered in old bitumen in places. Where the old screed has been removed at the edge of the room, it has revealed a gully in the concrete subfloor about 3" wide and 2" deep running along the edge of the room. If anyone knows the purpose of this gulley, I'd be interested to know. Where the old screed has been removed by the outside back door, it has uncovered a low inner brick course running parallel to the door in line with the inner wall with a gulley either side, similar in dimensions to the one described above. The remaining screed appears to be between 10mm and 20mm in depth. We have thought about having a polished concrete floor but, unfortunately, this is cost prohibitive. So, we'll have to resort to ceramic tiles or vinyl. My questions are: o Should I attempt to remove the remaining old screed and start again? o If so, should this be replaced with another sand & cement screed or a self-levelling compound, bearing in mind that at the edges, the screed/compound is going to be in excess of 3" deep (assuming the gullies are filled) o Has anyone had any experience of using a company like "screed.it"? o Should the gullies be filled first before relaying the screed/compound? o If advised to leave the old screed in place, what should be used to fill and repair the floor? o I don't want to get involved in replacing the floor myself so should I approach a builder, floor fitter or plasterer (which some people have advised to approach) to replace or repair the floor? Many thanks in advance for anyone's help.