So, we pulled up the laminate to prepare for tiling and underneath

[TooMuchRain]

there is very old vinyl floor and in two areas, on top of that is concrete

with some hard work we could get the vinyl up, but concrete??

and I can't even think why anyone would do that

I am puzzled...

[PigletJohn]

probably levelling an uneven floor.

Is it a concrete/brick floor, or wood?

How old is the house?

[Spindelina]

In this house, we found kitchen cupboards built in over the carpet. Nothing surprises me.

[UriGeller]

We're you expecting floorboards? Aren't post 60's most houses are entirely concrete on the ground floors?

It'll make the laminate easier to lay, just make sure you have the thick insulation so its not cold underfoot.

[UriGeller]

Oh hang on. on top of the vinyl?? Crikey. Beats our 16 layers of woodchip.

[bigTillyMint]

Do you mean there is concrete on top of the vinyl?

My builder just took up our slate tiles and it was a mission to chip all the tile adhesive or whatever it is away, but it can be done! If it is concrete on top of vinyl, that shouldn't be too difficult? If not, could you pull up the vinyl and have the builder just screed over the whole floor so it's level?

[PigletJohn]

there is a machine you can hire that grinds old vinyl flooring off, but I have never operated one myself.

[thejoysofboys]

How old is your house? Just be cautious as the glue used to stick down vinyl floor tiles often contains asbestos.

If you have a builder ask his advice before ripping it all up.

[DiaDuit]

I wouldnt even try and take it all up. I'd just hve it all levelled with screed and tile on that. Far less work because you'd have to screed anyway after breaking up concrete and peeling up vinyl.

[TooMuchRain]

Yes, concrete on top of the vinyl! Am reassured by the idea that it is just levelling the floor though, thanks.

It's a victorian terrace and we are pretty sure it is concrete underneath this part.

If we can just cover it over and tile on top that would be great. We are tiling ourselves but have to get a builder in for other stuff so can check if they could screed.

What would I do without you?!

[bigTillyMint]

A good builder should be able to advise you when they have seen it for themselves. Fingers crossed for you.

[doobledootch]

If you're tiling do you need to lift it up? We did the reverse in our kitchen in that we lifted tiles to put down laminate, but it was a bit of a nightmare getting all of the bits of the concrete that had been used to fix the tiles up, so the man who laid the floor, first put down some silicon levelling stuff that made the floor completely level.

[TooMuchRain]

Just an update in anyone comes across this looking for advice - the builder said that it was (badly applied) self-levelling compound not concrete and we had to get it all up before tiling so we scraped the lino and chipped off the compound which took about a day - looks much better now!