Floor levels - Advice needed please!

10pforacupoftea · Mon May 13, 2013 9:49 am

Hi everyone. Being a newie you may have to bear with me!
I am in the process of trying to complete my new build house. It is a small timber frame house on top of a poured concrete basement. Unfortunately, the builders who made the basement and top slab left many jobs incomplete. I am living in the finished house on top of the basement, but the basement remains as 4 concrete walls, totally unfinished.
The basement has a small patio area (6m x 2.2m) at the rear which is part of the total foundation slab, and is contained by concrete walls rising to garden level. It has 110mm pipe upstand connected to the drainage system which is linked to a sump at the front of the property. The sump has a pump and collects all rain and groundwater and pumps it all away very well.
My first job is to raise the level of the rear patio to the height of the threshold where french doors will go for rear access. This will incorporate a channel drain attached to the aforementioned pipe.
The overall height is 150mm and I understand what I must do, but need to do it myself and have no experience (all my budget was spent by the architect and builder leaving me potless!).
I have considered pumping concrete but cannot afford the pump lorry. I have a cement mixer but feel that there is too much for me to hand mix (also would have to barrow ballast a long way from front of house to back with all sorts of slopes and drops in height etc).
I had a thought... could I place 50 or 60 concrete blocks on the area to reduce the amount of concrete required then mix and pour between them?
I intend to lay paving slabs to the drain / threshold height after the concrete work, and also thought that I could just spread 115mm of sand instead and lay slabs on top?? Only worry there is that rain would get under the slabs and therefore not drain away??
Any advice on doing this cheaply and easily would be appreciated!

TheRockConcreting · Mon May 13, 2013 10:18 am

It's not gonna cost alot to do what you need.

C35 Concrete 2.5m3 extra half cube to allow for pump waste.

Â£240+VAT

24m Local 1 man band concrete pump, who will do it for cash

Â£280-Â£300

2 sheets of A193 mesh

Â£40+VAT

Total spend Â£560+VAT

10pforacupoftea · Mon May 13, 2013 1:01 pm

Thanks Jay. This is your kind of work? If I could do this for Â£450 (I'm VAT exempt: new build. I have certification) then I would. I only need 100mm poured because I will be putting mortar and 35mm slabs on top.
I have further requirements of concrete at the next stage as well, but can only cobble together small amounts of cash at any one time. If you can help then it would be great!
Giles.

Mon May 13, 2013 1:17 pm

Get a volumetric truck in they'll barrow it for you normally free of charge,

Where abouts are you?

Another Giles that's a first for me on here

Mon May 13, 2013 4:29 pm

its a long time since jay and giles have worked in London

you wont get that amount of concrete delivered for less than Â£3-350 in London +VAT

and no they wont push the barrows for you,
who told you that Giles?

10pfor a cup of tea ,I wish I had 10 p for every client who overspends on the build and goes skint on the drive and patio
I'd be a millionaire

sorry to say it but both your get out of jail plans are wrong
In your shoes I would save up and get it done right

what part of london are you?

LLL

TheRockConcreting · Mon May 13, 2013 4:43 pm

Mini mix will do it at that price upto a 6 rad.

do u know my movements LLL?

it wasn't that long ago i was working a slab in enfield.

10pforacupoftea · Mon May 13, 2013 4:43 pm

Thanks LLL LOL!
Muswell Hill, North London. By my calcs I need 1.25m3 to raise the level to allow for slabs to be flush with drain channel and door threshold. Am I right in thinking that if the overall height is 150mm and I need to allow for 35mm slabs and mortar base then 100mm of concrete should suffice?

10pforacupoftea · Mon May 13, 2013 4:45 pm

Hi Jay, thanks. "6 rad"?

TheRockConcreting · Mon May 13, 2013 4:50 pm

rad = radial

Mon May 13, 2013 4:51 pm

bah! i was in barnet today i could have passed by and had a look
sorry jay I meant volumetrics
we had 1.5M3 in barnet last year and they charged us Â£220 +vat for that
and we had to push it ourselves
cemex and that are non starters because they charge for part loads
TBH for that amount I would probably buy ballast and knock it up
10p if your slabs are 35mm you really want around 35-50 bed
so that is 75-90mm in total below FFL
LLL

10pforacupoftea · Mon May 13, 2013 4:58 pm

I knew this forum would be useful, already made savings!! Cheers LLL nice one

10pforacupoftea · Mon May 13, 2013 5:02 pm

Ok, so far so good. So I'll still need mesh for a 75-90 pour I assume?

Mon May 13, 2013 6:26 pm

All the volumetrics rd here barrow it for you for free, but yeah you pay a premium on small loads.

Mon May 13, 2013 6:58 pm

crikey its not so grim oop north after all
the lads we use used to bring out a spare pusher but he was a tenner a metre extra

personally I dont think a DIYer should be allowed anywhere near a concrete pump, probably the most dangerous bit of kit in the building game (waits to be shot down)

10p its very hard to see without pictures ,but most here would build up levels with type 1 wacked ,then 1000 gauge visqueen,then steel supported in the centre of the slab

photos would help please

LLL

Mon May 13, 2013 7:10 pm

Steel in the bottom of the slab

50mm up