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I am a beginning DIY’er finishing my basement. I want to install a 3/4″ plywood floor over 2×4 sleepers. I thought this would be a lot easier to do if I had the floor leveled out first by sub contracting someone to install floor leveling compound. I saw this in a book that I am a using as a guide for this project. The room is roughly 30’x30′. I set up some level strings across the room and measured down to the floor every foot and the floor doesn’t seem to be out more than 1.5″ from side to side. It does have highs and lows. I like to do things right and really want a nice level floor. I intend to cover it partially with carpeting and partially with Pergo. I got a bid on the work and I was shocked by the price. It was about 8 times what I expected. I do live in Fairfield County where money is plentiful and I can understand why prices are high here, but I was stunned. Would anyone familiar with this kind of work be able tell me what a fair price would be for this job?
Thanks in advance.
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For carpet and Pwergo, you should be able to just do the leveling compound, seal coat, and then the finish material. Why add the plywood and sleepeers?
*Tom, Here in Laguna Beach, CA., Ardex 15 can be poured by a contractor for about 1.50 to 2.00 per sq ft. You can easily do it yourself with a helper, and the purchase of the implements necessary to mix and spread the product. It goes on very easy and is self leveling. Just mix it to instructions, start the pour in a corner for about a 7 x 7 area, and move it into place with the applicator/spreader to the thickness that you set the gauge to on the spreader. Don't over work it. Just even it out in the square that you are placing. Put the next pour into the center of the next square and blend it into the first, and so on. Thicker pours will cover less area, but most times a 1/4" spread will even out your slab well. With the product being self leveling, it will flow into the low spots and stay off the high spots of the slab. It will flow for about 10 minutes. Pre fill any cracks in the slab or at the edge so you don't lose any of the leveling compound down the cracks. It can be an expensive mistake. Materials will cost you about 50 to 75 cents a foot. You can pour it easily in a normal work day. GW
*Tom,Ditto with Piffin. Why raise your basement floor 1-1/2 inches with sleepers and possibly another 5/8 or 3/4 inch with wood and then another 1/2 inch or so with your finished flooring ( carpeting and/or Pergo wood flooring)? Carpeting will work just fine without leveling....install Pergo where floor is already nearly level or just use floor leveler ( cement type like Ardex) in that area only.If for some unknown reason, you really want to follow through with sleepers, then simply install taper strips to the sleepers in the low areas; forget about leveling the concrete floor first. All leveling can be done with the sleepers, by either adding long, tapered shims to the tops of the sleepers( glue and screw them to the 2X4s) or by cutting some sleepers down...whatever it takes to level it all out. Will it be easy? No. But for a DIY'er like you, all it's gonna cost you is time and the 2X material.My advice....skip the sleepers, install on what you already have; unless....you have a moisture problem, or sewer back-ups or something?Davo.
*Thanks guys. I'm really not sure why I want to install a sub floor. It looks to me like it is required by local code. When I applied for a building permit, they gave me some handouts and one is a digram of how to build the floor as I described. Also, this will be mainly a playroom for my 17 month old son. I thoght the subfloor would provide extra warmth. I intended to put foam insulation boards between the sleepers. The book I am following (from Hometime) also shows the subfloor assembled in this manner. If I cannot find a contractor around here to do the leveling compound for a more reasonable price, I will try to do it with shims as suggested by Davo. Adding depth to the floor is no big deal as the ceilings are high enough.
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I am a beginning DIY'er finishing my basement. I want to install a 3/4" plywood floor over 2x4 sleepers. I thought this would be a lot easier to do if I had the floor leveled out first by sub contracting someone to install floor leveling compound. I saw this in a book that I am a using as a guide for this project. The room is roughly 30'x30'. I set up some level strings across the room and measured down to the floor every foot and the floor doesn't seem to be out more than 1.5" from side to side. It does have highs and lows. I like to do things right and really want a nice level floor. I intend to cover it partially with carpeting and partially with Pergo. I got a bid on the work and I was shocked by the price. It was about 8 times what I expected. I do live in Fairfield County where money is plentiful and I can understand why prices are high here, but I was stunned. Would anyone familiar with this kind of work be able tell me what a fair price would be for this job?
Thanks in advance.