Removing tiles and thinset to lay new ones

[Zach]

hi all. I have tried to see if there’s a thread on this already. Apologies if there is.

I’m buying a new build house that unfortunately already has kitchen and downstairs toilet tiles chosen. They’re already down And I really dislike them. So I’m hoping to remove them and the thinset and start again.

I’ve watched videos of people lifting tiles and then grinding off the thinset and the amount of dust etc this creates. I’m not fussed about the mess. I’m just concerned that having lifted newly laid tiles I’m going to give myself a huge job to rectify.

It’s a concrete pad so I’m assuming the following steps;
Lift tiles
Grind/scrape off thinset
Will I need to use a self levelling compound or is it likely to be ok once back to concrete
Remove skirting boards
Retile
Reapply skirting

Two further questions to this project would be;
do I need to have a joint between the rooms? (Kitchen, hall, downstairs loo)
The only porcelain tiles I’ve seen are 60x60 this seems like a massive tile for a standard hall would this be visually too big or is this the standard these days

Thank all

 

[Bill]

If you have no height issues and the 'thinset' is stuck well to the sub base, then simply self level over the thinset and tile away.

 

[Zach]

Thanks. I guess the only height issue is that in the lounge I want hardwood so want to make sure these are relatively level transitioning from hall to lounge

 

[EdMac]

Getting the old adhesive up turned out to be a much bigger job than I'd anticipated. A combination of a scraper, the 'Big Mutt Pro', hammer and chisel and an angle grinder got it back to concrete - but it took a while. I hired a tile lifter from SHS but it was crap - it just smashed the tiles up and didn't touch the adhesive. The tiles are easy to lift anyway.

You might find there is a SLC under the adhesive anyway, our house is not that old and there was an SLC down in the dining room but they had laid carpet over it so obviously it broke down so I had to take that up too.

 

[Dumbo]

Thanks. I guess the only height issue is that in the lounge I want hardwood so want to make sure these are relatively level transitioning from hall to lounge

Purpose made wooden threshold in doorway will get you over any transition heights