Hello everyone,
We are about to build a turnkey duplex house. There are options here to reduce the purchase price by providing some of the work ourselves.
For example, in the packages "Earthworks as DIY" and "Tiling as DIY," the following is stated:
This includes determining the residual moisture of the screed using a suitable measurement method (e.g., CM measurement), pretreatment of the screed including cleaning, sealing/resin treatment of shrinkage cracks, sanding or filling the screed for leveling.
Is determining the residual moisture difficult? Are there devices available that can be purchased cheaply or rented? What exactly does screed cleaning involve? Just vacuuming it once?
Since this will be a solid new build, we do not expect many cracks in the screed. Are we correct in assuming this? Is filling the screed difficult?
Best regards from Stuttgart!
We are about to build a turnkey duplex house. There are options here to reduce the purchase price by providing some of the work ourselves.
For example, in the packages "Earthworks as DIY" and "Tiling as DIY," the following is stated:
This includes determining the residual moisture of the screed using a suitable measurement method (e.g., CM measurement), pretreatment of the screed including cleaning, sealing/resin treatment of shrinkage cracks, sanding or filling the screed for leveling.
Is determining the residual moisture difficult? Are there devices available that can be purchased cheaply or rented? What exactly does screed cleaning involve? Just vacuuming it once?
Since this will be a solid new build, we do not expect many cracks in the screed. Are we correct in assuming this? Is filling the screed difficult?
Best regards from Stuttgart!
S
StuttgartDHH10 May 2015 15:05The idea now is that the company will handle the entire tiling work, including measuring the residual moisture. We would only want to lay the laminate flooring (and underlay for impact sound insulation).
D
Doc.Schnaggls11 May 2015 12:55Hello,
as previous posters have already mentioned, I would NEVER want to determine the residual moisture myself, since mistakes here can lead to significant additional costs.
The steps you listed are critical for you, because the contractor is off the hook if the screed settles, cracks further, the floor becomes uneven, or if the moisture level is still high enough to cause floor coverings to warp or detach.
Whether a screed has many cracks or few (ideally none) depends less on whether the house is new or old, and more on whether the work was done carefully and with good materials.
May I ask out of curiosity which company you are building with?
Regards,
Dirk
as previous posters have already mentioned, I would NEVER want to determine the residual moisture myself, since mistakes here can lead to significant additional costs.
The steps you listed are critical for you, because the contractor is off the hook if the screed settles, cracks further, the floor becomes uneven, or if the moisture level is still high enough to cause floor coverings to warp or detach.
Whether a screed has many cracks or few (ideally none) depends less on whether the house is new or old, and more on whether the work was done carefully and with good materials.
May I ask out of curiosity which company you are building with?
Regards,
Dirk
S
StuttgartDHH11 May 2015 20:32Sure, D&Z Construction (see also specific company feedback)
The issue is not only the cost involved in the damage itself. Just think about what removing the tiles, sanding down the screed, and re-laying everything means for everyday life. The mess is barely bearable. You end up living in a construction zone for weeks, unless you can or want to move into a hotel. For these reasons alone, there should be no shortcuts when it comes to the tiles. The moisture content (CM) measurement requires specialized equipment. This equipment not only needs to be available but also properly operated. I would definitely not cut corners here, especially if it involves an anhydrite screed.
S
StuttgartDHH15 May 2015 17:14We will probably have D&Z do everything since we bought a turnkey house. If we had to install the flooring ourselves, we would have to buy the materials independently. After roughly estimating the prices at the home improvement store, including waste and excess, we would save a mid three-digit amount. Considering the sums involved in house construction, this is negligible and – in my opinion – not worth the risk.
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