Help with newly discovered floor!

gingerninja72

Hope someone can help and apologies for my amateur descriptions, hope this is clear! We have recently bought a place, and have ripped out a small bathroom next to our kitchen, and will be moving the boiler and washing room into there before we can start on gutting the kitchen area itself

Some floorboards under the bath were clearly rotten due to some kind of leak, so when ripped up, we discovered that instead of wooden joists, the flooring is resting on small (approx 4") wooden batons which in turn are directly on concrete screed. This continues through to the kitchen also, and explains why the floor seems 'spongy'. Sooo, we want to sort this out before the rest of the work happens - it all needs replacing

I see little point in replacing any wooden batons, as any moisture that gets down there will just mean they will eventually rot, as there is no airflow. My mate who has been doing the initial work has suggested that a waterproof membrane is put down (which would need to run partly up the walls as well), then some boarding (can't remember what type he said) followed by screed. This would give us a solid watertight base to work on.

Does this sound about right? Or do I have other options? Forgive my ignorance, but would another option be to put concrete (ie not wooden) supports down, then floorboards on top - would that give a good moisture/damp free and solid result

Suggestions welcome and possible costs! Its not a huge space, probably about 10'x15' in total

ormus

a membrane and kingspan boards then covered by the screed is ok.
so is screed alone.
cost of the screeding? about 400/500 quid.

gingerninja72

Cheers

So would you not recommend any kind of support for floorboards straight onto the existing screed? I.e. what was there already, but....better. I understand that due to lack of ventilation, wood is out of the question, just wondering if there was another option

ormus

no. i just dont see the point.
a concrete floor is a concrete floor. a wood floor is a wood floor.
me? i would just use screed for the whole thing.

(ive no idea how much kingspan is).

gingerninja72

OK, see what you're saying. No point in mixing building techniques

I guess I was seeing if there was another alternative, as my mate who has been doing the work says the concrete will take 3 days before you can walk on it, and 2 weeks to be ready for a kitchen/floor to be installed on it, and we want to keep disruption down to a minimum

Sound about right? Sorry for more questions, I am a self-confessed amateur DIYtard