Hello all

If anyone can give me any advice I would be really grateful... as an
expectant father I am trying to get my house sorted before the
imminent arrival!

Background:

I live in a house that was converted from a farm building sometime in
the last 50-100 years (?) and I want to put ceramic tiles down on the
kitchen and hallway floors. I have pulled up the existing vinyl tiles
that were covering the floor to expose the black adhesive (?) below.
The tiles came up easily and the adhesive below is dry to touch and is
well stuck to the underlying concrete floor.

The concrete floor is very unlevel and has highs and lows as well as
small areas where the concrete has simply crumbled. This is probably a
result of damp (?) as there is no damp proof course (!).

I want to prepare the floor properly so that the ceramic tiels lie
flat and survive for a few years (I really can't afford to have a dpc
fitted so I am trying to get the next best solution).

Proposal:

1. Fill the bigger holes with mortar.
2. Coat the floor with a couple of layers of bitumen paint (to stop
damp getting to adhesive/tiles - the whole floor wont be coated as the
areas under the kitchen units will be left).
3. Then use a leveling compound over the floor part to be tiled.
4. Apply tile adhesive and lay the ceramic tiles.

Questions:

1. Is this a goof solution or is there a better way?

2. Have I got the order above correct? For example, should the bitumen
paint go on the leveling compound?

3. There is a confusing array of products available - water
based/vinyl/latex etc. What types of bitumen/levelling compound/tile
adhesive are compatible? Will they all bond with on another?

Basically any advice you can give would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Will