In brief
- A screeding claim is only as good as the mix records, level checks and reference sites behind it.
- Uneven finished levels and drummy patches show up weeks after the screeders leave, when the floor is already covered.
- Agree the evidence before award: mix design, thickness, cured samples, a level survey and one site visit in the area where the work is being done.
Contents
Floor screeding competency risks in Garowe are best checked by evidence, not by a claim. Before you accept a screeder's word, ask for the mix design, thickness, curing method and level tolerances they will work to, then ask for records from a floor they finished recently. If they cannot show records, treat the claim as unproven and price the risk into your supervision.
What does a floor screeding claim actually cover?
A claim usually covers only the finished surface, while the risks sit in the layers below it. Screed is a thin layer of cement, sand and water, sometimes with an admixture, bonded or unbonded over a slab or insulation. What matters is the mix proportions by weight, the water added on site, the compacted thickness, the curing period and the level tolerance the team can hold across a room.
These are general practice items, not local rules, so confirm each one against your project specification or engineer. Ask the screeder to write them down: the mix ratio they use, the target thickness, how they measure level and how they cure.
How do unverified claims turn into uneven finished levels?
Uneven levels come from process failures that no amount of confidence can hide. A screed spread too dry will not compact and will leave a weak, dusty surface. One mixed with too much water shrinks as it dries and pulls away from the edges. A base that is dusty, or not primed, leaves the screed unbonded, and it drums underfoot later. Thick bays laid in one pass without joints settle differently from thin ones.
The failures show slowly. A screeding team that leaves on Friday can look acceptable on Saturday. Two weeks later the surface sounds hollow in patches, or a straight edge rocks across the floor. By then the tiles or the final floor finish may already be down, and the repair means breaking out the screed, not just filling a dip.
For evidence of level control, ask how they check a room before they leave: a long straight edge, a spirit level, or a laser on a tripod. Any of these works if the team uses it and writes the readings down.
How do you test the claim before the floor is covered?
Set the evidence you want in the contract before award, then collect it in stages. Ask for the mix design in writing and check it against the specification. Watch the first bay being mixed and placed. Note the water added, because extra water on site is the main cause of a weak, shrinking screed.
After curing, walk the floor and mark defects. Tap the surface for drummy areas, drag a straight edge across the room and check the fall in wet areas runs to the drain. Ask the contractor for the level readings and compare them with the tolerance in the specification.
A site visit adds useful evidence alongside the documents. Ask each bidder for a recent reference site they can visit in the area where the work is being done, and ask the building owner how the floor has behaved since. If the contractor cannot arrange a visit, that is information too.
What to do next
Write the screeding evidence into your tender documents now: mix design, thickness, curing method, level tolerance and one recent reference site the bidder can arrange for you to visit. Ask each bidder to return it with the price. Carry out the site visit and the straight edge check yourself before you accept the screeding, or send someone who will.
Frequently asked questions
Can I check floor screeding quality after the tiles are laid?
Only indirectly. Tapping for hollow spots and watching for cracked or lifting tiles gives clues, but the level readings and mix records must be collected while the screed is exposed. Once the finish is down, the evidence is mostly gone.
What records should a screeding contractor show?
Ask for the mix design and proportions, the target thickness, the curing method, the level tolerance and the readings taken on a recent floor, plus one recent site you can visit. Confirm the tolerance against your project specification or engineer.
Does a low screeding price mean poor quality?
Not on its own. A low price becomes a risk when the bidder cannot explain the mix, thickness or curing method, or when reducing sand, cement or curing time is how the price was reached. Compare the price against the written method and the reference site.
Local reporting: this article is written for building work in Garowe and Puntland. Ground conditions, prices and rules differ between places; confirm the details for your own site.