Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job down) which
has turned into a bit of a disaster. Its off level by about an 1" in both
directions and the surface looks like a roller coaster for mice.

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats going to
work until the base is sorted.

Initial thoughts are to erect level formwork & top the base with a little
more concrete.

Is it going to bond OK to the exciting base, especially where it
'feathers'.? Would PVA help?


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Sat, 5 Jun 2010 09:53:37 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats going
to work until the base is sorted.

Simple. Get the people who did the base to dig it out and replace
properly at their expense.

If cowboys are allowed to get away with crap they will remain in
business.

--
Cheers
Dave.

In article o.uk, Dave
Liquorice scribeth thus
On Sat, 5 Jun 2010 09:53:37 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats going
to work until the base is sorted.

Simple. Get the people who did the base to dig it out and replace
properly at their expense.

If cowboys are allowed to get away with crap they will remain in
business.


Yep, but I bet matey has now paid them and there're long away in their
travillin van..

Or else he did it himself and cocked it up and is too embarrassed to
admit it;!...
--
Tony Sayer

On Sat, 5 Jun 2010 10:32:04 +0100, tony sayer wrote:

Yep, but I bet matey has now paid them and there're long away in their
travillin van..

In that case probably within 30 miles of here...

Or else he did it himself and cocked it up and is too embarrassed to
admit it;!...

More likely, I can't see how you can fup up so badly with a shed base
unless they just dug a vauge hole and threw a couple of barrow loads
in without any formwork at all.

--
Cheers
Dave.

tony sayer wrote:
In article o.uk,
Dave Liquorice scribeth thus
On Sat, 5 Jun 2010 09:53:37 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats
going to work until the base is sorted.

Simple. Get the people who did the base to dig it out and replace
properly at their expense.

If cowboys are allowed to get away with crap they will remain in
business.


Yep, but I bet matey has now paid them and there're long away in their
travillin van..

Or else he did it himself and cocked it up and is too embarrassed to
admit it;!...

It was actually the clients gardener.....


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Sat, 5 Jun 2010 23:39:27 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

tony sayer wrote:
In article o.uk,
Dave Liquorice scribeth thus
On Sat, 5 Jun 2010 09:53:37 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats
going to work until the base is sorted.

Simple. Get the people who did the base to dig it out and replace
properly at their expense.

If cowboys are allowed to get away with crap they will remain in
business.


Yep, but I bet matey has now paid them and there're long away in their
travillin van..

Or else he did it himself and cocked it up and is too embarrassed to
admit it;!...

It was actually the clients gardener.....


.... in the drawing room with the carving knife?

Bruce wrote:
On Sat, 5 Jun 2010 23:39:27 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:

tony sayer wrote:
In article o.uk,
Dave Liquorice scribeth thus
On Sat, 5 Jun 2010 09:53:37 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats
going to work until the base is sorted.

Simple. Get the people who did the base to dig it out and replace
properly at their expense.

If cowboys are allowed to get away with crap they will remain in
business.


Yep, but I bet matey has now paid them and there're long away in
their travillin van..

Or else he did it himself and cocked it up and is too embarrassed to
admit it;!...

It was actually the clients gardener.....


... in the drawing room with the carving knife?

Looking at the finish it couldn't have been a float.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 05/06/10 10:12, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Sat, 5 Jun 2010 09:53:37 +0100, The Medway Handyman wrote:

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats going
to work until the base is sorted.

Simple. Get the people who did the base to dig it out and replace
properly at their expense.

If cowboys are allowed to get away with crap they will remain in
business.


Wot Dave said.


But if you do end up fixing it, I wouldn't put more concrete on top,
because unless you are expecting to put about 3" thickness all over
you'll liable to end up with a weak layer that may crack off.

What you could do is screed it (ie sharp sand, cement, forget the
pebbles). As long as that goes on about 30mm all over (so 50mm in the
off level bit) it would probably be fine and it would look dead smooth.

Keep whatever you do covered for a few days by polythene in this sun or
it will fall off if it dries out without setting.

Lots of water/cement slurry on the existing concrete to assist with the
bond.

You could go all the way to an SBR screed regime as mentioned recently
then you could repair it down to 10mm minimum depth. Maybe the cost of
the SBR will balance the saving in the materials???

Don't know what the original monkeys were doing. I can get raw concrete
good to 5mm in a confined inside 3x1m space without formwork or guides
(flat enough to take insulation).

With level formwork and a straight bar it could hardly be easier. It
should be practically perfect.

--
Tim Watts

Hung parliament? Rather have a hanged parliament.

On 5 June, 09:53, "The Medway Handyman" davidl...@no-spam-
blueyonder.co.uk wrote:
Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job down) which
has turned into a bit of a disaster. *Its off level by about an 1" in both
directions and the surface looks like a roller coaster for mice.

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats going to
work until the base is sorted.

Initial thoughts are to erect level formwork & top the base with a little
more concrete.

Is it going to bond OK to the exciting base, especially where it
'feathers'.? Would PVA help?

--
Dave - The Medway Handymanwww.medwayhandyman.co.uk

A good concrete to concrete joint should be scabbled (mechanically
roughened) - but for this application - how about just laying a course
of bricks?

"The Medway Handyman"
writes:

Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job down) which
has turned into a bit of a disaster. Its off level by about an 1" in both
directions and the surface looks like a roller coaster for mice.

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats going to
work until the base is sorted.

Use an angle grinder to cut level channels, dust it off with a
pressure washer and fill any unevenness with car body filler.


HTH &c
--
Jón Fairbairn
http://www.chaos.org.uk/~jf/Stuff-I-dont-want.html (updated 2009-01-31)

On Sat, 05 Jun 2010 10:50:10 +0100, Jon Fairbairn
wrote:
"The Medway Handyman"
writes:

Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job down) which
has turned into a bit of a disaster. Its off level by about an 1" in both
directions and the surface looks like a roller coaster for mice.

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats going to
work until the base is sorted.

Use an angle grinder to cut level channels, dust it off with a
pressure washer and fill any unevenness with car body filler.


But what do I do with all this WD40?

On Sat, 5 Jun 2010 09:53:37 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:


Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job down) which
has turned into a bit of a disaster. Its off level by about an 1" in both
directions and the surface looks like a roller coaster for mice.

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats going to
work until the base is sorted.

Initial thoughts are to erect level formwork & top the base with a little
more concrete.

Is it going to bond OK to the exciting base, especially where it
'feathers'.? Would PVA help?


I wouldn't use concrete that feathers because thin concrete will
always crack, no matter what you put in it.

If the out of level is only an inch, I would erect the shed level
using steel packers where the base is low, then fill the gap between
the base angle and the concrete with expanding grout underpinning.

"Expanding" is a misnomer - the admixture is just enough to prevent it
shrinking.

For the steel packers, go to any fabrication shop and ask for some
offcuts in an assortment of thicknesses. Used in combination, these
will give you packers in a range of different heights. For a small
fee they will flame cut them to the size you want. For a slightly
larger fee they will grind the edges flat.

Hardwood folding wedges would be an alternative.

For the expanding (non-shrink) grout, you can either buy it ready
mixed in pourable or trowellable form, or use an admixture from a
builder's merchant and add it to a 1:3 cement:sharp sand mix. Don't
add too much admixture or it will really expand and bend the shed
base!

http://www.bcsproducts.co.uk/frames/grouts.html

To make the grout frost resistant, SBR would be ideal if you have
some, but some waterproof PVA is a cheaper alternative. After all,
it's only a shed.

Bruce wrote:

To make the grout frost resistant, SBR would be ideal if you have
some, but some waterproof PVA is a cheaper alternative. After all,
it's only a shed.


One person's shed is another person's home.

On Sun, 06 Jun 2010 10:27:31 +1200, Gib Bogle
wrote:
Bruce wrote:

To make the grout frost resistant, SBR would be ideal if you have
some, but some waterproof PVA is a cheaper alternative. After all,
it's only a shed.


One person's shed is another person's home.


I expect we'll see a lot of coverage of such homes in South Africa.

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
newsgoOn.71850$dN2.7024@hurricane...

Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job down) which
has turned into a bit of a disaster. Its off level by about an 1" in both
directions and the surface looks like a roller coaster for mice.

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats going to
work until the base is sorted.

Initial thoughts are to erect level formwork & top the base with a little
more concrete.

Is it going to bond OK to the exciting base, especially where it
'feathers'.? Would PVA help?

Using some stuff already suggested - one course of bricks all round using
variable depth mortar bed to bring the bricks level.
Screed inside the bricks up level with the top.
Put the shed on the bricks.

Interested as to why you turned the job down - were they not prepared to pay
the price of a decent job?

Cheers

Dave R

On 05/06/10 12:18, David WE Roberts wrote:

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message newsgoOn.71850$dN2.7024@hurricane...

Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job down)
which has turned into a bit of a disaster. Its off level by about an
1" in both directions and the surface looks like a roller coaster for
mice.

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats going
to work until the base is sorted.

Initial thoughts are to erect level formwork & top the base with a
little more concrete.

Is it going to bond OK to the exciting base, especially where it
'feathers'.? Would PVA help?

Using some stuff already suggested - one course of bricks all round
using variable depth mortar bed to bring the bricks level.
Screed inside the bricks up level with the top.
Put the shed on the bricks.

Interested as to why you turned the job down - were they not prepared to
pay the price of a decent job?


I should have asked: is the base good enough as the exposed floor? It
crossed my mind briefly whether to just sort of the bit that bears the
metal frame, but the base sounded so bad I defaulted to "screed it"...

--
Tim Watts

Hung parliament? Rather have a hanged parliament.

David WE Roberts wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message newsgoOn.71850$dN2.7024@hurricane...

Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job down)
which has turned into a bit of a disaster. Its off level by about
an 1" in both directions and the surface looks like a roller coaster
for mice. They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way
thats
going to work until the base is sorted.

Initial thoughts are to erect level formwork & top the base with a
little more concrete.

Is it going to bond OK to the exciting base, especially where it
'feathers'.? Would PVA help?

Using some stuff already suggested - one course of bricks all round
using variable depth mortar bed to bring the bricks level.
Screed inside the bricks up level with the top.
Put the shed on the bricks.

Interested as to why you turned the job down - were they not prepared
to pay the price of a decent job?

Simply because humping & mixing large amounts of concrete is bloody hard
work. I can earn more doing simple jobs - like changing light bulbs,
putting up borders, siliconing around baths etc.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On 05/06/10 23:43, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Simply because humping& mixing large amounts of concrete is bloody hard
work. I can earn more doing simple jobs - like changing light bulbs,
putting up borders, siliconing around baths etc.


Why not get friends with a labourer or two? Get them in to do the hard
work while you set it up and finish it off to perfection.

--
Tim Watts

Hung parliament? Rather have a hanged parliament.

In article ,
Tim Watts wrote:
On 05/06/10 23:43, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Why not get friends with a labourer or two? Get them in to do the hard
work while you set it up and finish it off to perfection.

That makes life a whole lot more complicated (would Dave employ them?...)
and he can make enough cash as it is picking off the easy jobs.

Why change if it works?

Darren

On 06/06/10 09:45, D.M.Chapman wrote:
In ,
Tim wrote:
On 05/06/10 23:43, The Medway Handyman wrote:

Why not get friends with a labourer or two? Get them in to do the hard
work while you set it up and finish it off to perfection.

That makes life a whole lot more complicated (would Dave employ them?...)#

That was the idea...

and he can make enough cash as it is picking off the easy jobs.

Why change if it works?

Just another idea. That's why I said "make friends with" not "employ".

--
Tim Watts

Hung parliament? Rather have a hanged parliament.

In article _pAOn.38105$J52.1450@hurricane, The Medway Handyman
scribeth thus
David WE Roberts wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message newsgoOn.71850$dN2.7024@hurricane...

Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job down)
which has turned into a bit of a disaster. Its off level by about
an 1" in both directions and the surface looks like a roller coaster
for mice. They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way
thats
going to work until the base is sorted.

Initial thoughts are to erect level formwork & top the base with a
little more concrete.

Is it going to bond OK to the exciting base, especially where it
'feathers'.? Would PVA help?

Using some stuff already suggested - one course of bricks all round
using variable depth mortar bed to bring the bricks level.
Screed inside the bricks up level with the top.
Put the shed on the bricks.

Interested as to why you turned the job down - were they not prepared
to pay the price of a decent job?

Simply because humping & mixing large amounts of concrete is bloody hard
work. I can earn more doing simple jobs - like changing light bulbs,
putting up borders, siliconing around baths etc.


Seriously .. the residents of the Medway town's can' change a light bulb ;?,

theres gotta be a joke in there somewhere;!...
--
Tony Sayer

In article ,
tony sayer wrote:

Seriously .. the residents of the Medway town's can' change a light bulb ;?,

Have you ever *been* to Chatham highstreet? ;-)


Darren

On Sun, 6 Jun 2010 11:01:44 +0100, tony sayer wrote:

Seriously .. the residents of the Medway town's can' change a light bulb
;?,

You may not have any trouble standing on a chair to do it but wait
until you are older when and standing and taking a few steps is hard
work. Let alone lifting ones foot high enough to get it onto a chair
in the first place...

--
Cheers
Dave.

In article o.uk, Dave
Liquorice scribeth thus
On Sun, 6 Jun 2010 11:01:44 +0100, tony sayer wrote:

Seriously .. the residents of the Medway town's can' change a light bulb
;?,

You may not have any trouble standing on a chair to do it but wait
until you are older when and standing and taking a few steps is hard
work. Let alone lifting ones foot high enough to get it onto a chair
in the first place...


Actually since I split my femur last year its getting that way a bit;!..

Makes U wonder why their children can't do that sort of thing for them
but I suppose there're too busy paying their massive mortgages;?..
--
Tony Sayer

tony sayer wrote:
In article _pAOn.38105$J52.1450@hurricane, The Medway Handyman
scribeth thus
David WE Roberts wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message newsgoOn.71850$dN2.7024@hurricane...

Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job
down) which has turned into a bit of a disaster. Its off level by
about an 1" in both directions and the surface looks like a roller
coaster for mice. They want a metal shed erected on top, but there
is no way thats
going to work until the base is sorted.

Initial thoughts are to erect level formwork & top the base with a
little more concrete.

Is it going to bond OK to the exciting base, especially where it
'feathers'.? Would PVA help?

Using some stuff already suggested - one course of bricks all round
using variable depth mortar bed to bring the bricks level.
Screed inside the bricks up level with the top.
Put the shed on the bricks.

Interested as to why you turned the job down - were they not
prepared to pay the price of a decent job?

Simply because humping & mixing large amounts of concrete is bloody
hard work. I can earn more doing simple jobs - like changing light
bulbs, putting up borders, siliconing around baths etc.


Seriously .. the residents of the Medway town's can't change a light
bulb ;?,

Commercial premises. Light bulb? H&S issue innit. Needs proper access
equipment, warning signs, risk assesment.

theres gotta be a joke in there somewhere;!...

I laugh all the way to the bank. Paid to change them & a good mark on the
lamps/tubes.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
news:_pAOn.38105$J52.1450@hurricane...
David WE Roberts wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message newsgoOn.71850$dN2.7024@hurricane...

Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job down)
which has turned into a bit of a disaster. Its off level by about
an 1" in both directions and the surface looks like a roller coaster
for mice. They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way
thats
going to work until the base is sorted.

Initial thoughts are to erect level formwork & top the base with a
little more concrete.

Is it going to bond OK to the exciting base, especially where it
'feathers'.? Would PVA help?

Using some stuff already suggested - one course of bricks all round
using variable depth mortar bed to bring the bricks level.
Screed inside the bricks up level with the top.
Put the shed on the bricks.

Interested as to why you turned the job down - were they not prepared
to pay the price of a decent job?

Simply because humping & mixing large amounts of concrete is bloody hard
work. I can earn more doing simple jobs - like changing light bulbs,
putting up borders, siliconing around baths etc.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk


And wireless doorbells:-)

Adam

ARWadsworth wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message news:_pAOn.38105$J52.1450@hurricane...
David WE Roberts wrote:
"The Medway Handyman" wrote in
message newsgoOn.71850$dN2.7024@hurricane...

Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job
down) which has turned into a bit of a disaster. Its off level by
about an 1" in both directions and the surface looks like a roller
coaster for mice. They want a metal shed erected on top, but there
is no way thats
going to work until the base is sorted.

Initial thoughts are to erect level formwork & top the base with a
little more concrete.

Is it going to bond OK to the exciting base, especially where it
'feathers'.? Would PVA help?

Using some stuff already suggested - one course of bricks all round
using variable depth mortar bed to bring the bricks level.
Screed inside the bricks up level with the top.
Put the shed on the bricks.

Interested as to why you turned the job down - were they not
prepared to pay the price of a decent job?

Simply because humping & mixing large amounts of concrete is bloody
hard work. I can earn more doing simple jobs - like changing light
bulbs, putting up borders, siliconing around baths etc.



And wireless doorbells:-)

:-) Yup I did once install one of those for a customer! And I've fitted a
new plug onto a sink chain :-)

Along with putting up shelves for a Mr & Mrs Handy, sorting out a leaky sink
waste for Mr & Mrs Plumb and changing electric sockets for a Mrs Sparks!


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job down)
which has turned into a bit of a disaster. Its off level by about an
1" in both directions and the surface looks like a roller coaster for
mice.
They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats
going to work until the base is sorted.

Initial thoughts are to erect level formwork & top the base with a
little more concrete.

Is it going to bond OK to the exciting base, especially where it
'feathers'.? Would PVA help?

You can't feather concrete - you can lay a sand/cement screed, quite strong,
bout 3:1 sharp sand and yes, unibond will help where it feathers to nothing

--
Phil L
RSRL Tipster Of The Year 2008

On 5 June, 09:53, "The Medway Handyman" davidl...@no-spam-
blueyonder.co.uk wrote:
Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job down) which
has turned into a bit of a disaster. �Its off level by about an 1" in both
directions and the surface looks like a roller coaster for mice.

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats going to
work until the base is sorted.

Initial thoughts are to erect level formwork & top the base with a little
more concrete.

Is it going to bond OK to the exciting base, especially where it
'feathers'.? Would PVA help?

--
Dave - The Medway Handymanwww.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Erect shed with shims or galv.washers on fixing bolts to pack it
level. Grout it where unsupported.
I assume the shed has it's own (timber?) floor. The gradient on the
base will help water drain off of it.

On Sat, 5 Jun 2010 08:05:53 -0700 (PDT), harry
wrote:

Erect shed with shims or galv.washers on fixing bolts to pack it
level. Grout it where unsupported.


Hey, I already suggested that! ;-)

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Customer has had a shed base laid (not by me, I turned the job down) which
has turned into a bit of a disaster. Its off level by about an 1" in both
directions and the surface looks like a roller coaster for mice.

They want a metal shed erected on top, but there is no way thats going to
work until the base is sorted.

Initial thoughts are to erect level formwork & top the base with a little
more concrete.

Is it going to bond OK to the exciting base, especially where it
'feathers'.? Would PVA help?

Having read this thread so far, I am wondering why no one has mentioned
using treated wooden sleepers to sit the shed on, two by four the width
and a bit of the shed should be enough. All sheds need ventilation under
them.

To these sleepers attach blocks of the same wood and plane them down to
accomodate the hight difference across the concrete. The fact that the
concrete slopes is an advantage to stop rot and rust forming.

Dave