Large limestone floor

[Gentleman Jim]

Hi there folks - more advice please. I have just got back from measuring up a potential job. However it is new territory in many respects and I would really appreciate your help.
The "tiles" are mixed size some up to 700mm. The job extends into three separate rooms plus a small toilet making a total of 73 (ish) metres2. They are to go down on top of UFH which is being laid by their builder. He is going to finish the job with SLC so that "the tiler" can then go ahead and lay on a good surface.
The questions are: 1. What adhesive and grouts should be used (and if you have time, why, so that I can use the info in other jobs), 2. Although the actual area is large it is broken into three areas (the largest area is 36m2) does there need to be expansion joints incorporated and if so how do we blend it in so that it doesn't cause any eyesore, and 3. For labour costs only (and not including anything for expansion joint(s) or materials) I work it out to be around £2400, does this sound about right or am I still getting my estimates off the mark.
As always, many thanks.
Jim

 

[Fekin]

Well £2400 for 73 sqm works out at £32.87 psqm, so it isn't an expensive sqm rate for the most part, as quite a lot of tilers charge quite a lot for laying limestone tiles.

 

[DHTiling]

Hi there folks - more advice please. I have just got back from measuring up a potential job. However it is new territory in many respects and I would really appreciate your help.
The "tiles" are mixed size some up to 700mm. The job extends into three separate rooms plus a small toilet making a total of 73 (ish) metres2. They are to go down on top of UFH which is being laid by their builder. He is going to finish the job with SLC so that "the tiler" can then go ahead and lay on a good surface.
The questions are: 1. What adhesive and grouts should be used (and if you have time, why, so that I can use the info in other jobs), 2. Although the actual area is large it is broken into three areas (the largest area is 36m2) does there need to be expansion joints incorporated and if so how do we blend it in so that it doesn't cause any eyesore, and 3. For labour costs only (and not including anything for expansion joint(s) or materials) I work it out to be around £2400, does this sound about right or am I still getting my estimates off the mark.
As always, many thanks.
Jim

hi jim...
make sure the builder levels the floor with a latex leveller ( arditex is good ).
use a flexible white adhesive and back-skim the tiles show you don't get any shadowing from the adhesive bed..Use a good sealer..lithofin stainstop is ideal...use a rapid setting flexible grout so that it doesn't bleed into the tiles body...expansion joints will have to installed is the run of tiles exceeds between 5 to 7 mtrs and as this is a staggered pattern then you will have to use a preformed expansion joint and then incorporate this into the tile pattern...schluter do expansion joints that have coloured rubber inserts to match the grout colour..so they don't stand out as much.....good luck and post us some pics in the gallery..............dave..