Major difference in floor heights ... how to fix?

[J]

We have someone renovating our 1920s bathroom. Somewhere along the way, he discovered a 2" slope in the floor from the back of the 10' bathroom to the front. He then went ahead and poured self leveling compound (SLC) on the floor to "even things out" so that we can tile the floor and walls. Now there is a

2.5" difference in height between the bathroom floor and the hallway wood flooring. I can't even find reducers that run that high, and any mockups I try to make of a ramp look ridiculous.

Is this standard procedure for leveling a floor? I have never seen such a high gap between substrates before. I have to really bend my knee to step down from the bathroom into the hallway. I can't even find pictures of such a high gap online. I am wondering why they chose to level the floor rather than just find a middle ground and work from there. A 1" difference in height I could have handled. Anyone have this happen before? How did you handle it? Thinking of having poured floors removed, which sounds like a major undertaking I am keen on avoiding. This just sticks out like a sore thumb as is. Thanks for any information you can give!

[Tony944]

At present time there is nothing you can do, you should have seek advice and research before you have anything done!

We have someone renovating our 1920s bathroom. Somewhere along the way, he discovered a 2" slope in the floor from the back of the 10' bathroom to the front. He then went ahead and poured self leveling compound (SLC) on the floor to "even things out" so that we can tile the floor and walls. Now there is a

2.5" difference in height between the bathroom floor and the hallway wood flooring. I can't even find reducers that run that high, and any mockups I try to make of a ramp look ridiculous.

Is this standard procedure for leveling a floor? I have never seen such a high gap between substrates before. I have to really bend my knee to step down from the bathroom into the hallway. I can't even find pictures of such a high gap online. I am wondering why they chose to level the floor rather than just find a middle ground and work from there. A 1" difference in height I could have handled. Anyone have this happen before? How did you handle it? Thinking of having poured floors removed, which sounds like a major undertaking I am keen on avoiding. This just sticks out like a sore thumb as is. Thanks for any information you can give!

[DerbyDad03]

I have to imagine that he would have had to build a dam to prevent the compound from flowing into the hallway. As soon as that situation presented itself he should have stopped. Did he really think that a 2.5" step into the bathroom would be OK without asking you first?

If that happened to me, he'd be removing the floor and I would seriously consider firing him. Something like that should have been signed off on by the client before it was done.

[Ed Pawlowski]

You need a new contractor. First thing to do with that much difference is to determine the cause and see of it can be corrected. If the floor sagged two inches there may be a structural problem that will get worse with the compound and tile weight.

Is it a first or second floor bath? It may have to be jacked in the basement and if the second floor, another support. Check before you waste a lot of money on a room that may need major structural work.

[clare]

How thick is the "pad" at the thinest point? Sounds like the guy went overboard. If the house is sagged that badly in the bathroom perhaps it should be jacked back up to level. The only other alternative would be to shim the rest of the floors to level to match -- not a small job

- and not as good as jacking to level if it can be done.

I had one situation with a "ski hill" in a foyer where I actually lowered the floor in the middle by removing the subfloor and shaving the joists, then re-installing subfloor. This might be an option if you can "sister" the joists to maintain integrety/strength.

[Dan Espen]

Seen this on This Old House. (So that makes me an expert.) You go in the basement, find the problem, jack up the floor and repair.

Once knew someone renting new construction in the Bronx. House was out of tilt about a foot and a half front to back. They had a false floor in place, but it was a stopgap solution.

If you don't fix the cause of the problem, it usually just gets worse.

[Abduhl]

Let me guess, this contractor didn't get a building permit.

[Ed Pawlowski]

It may not be required for internal non structural work. He's putting down tile, not ripping walls out.

[trader_4]

+1 x 100

And what does the contractor say now? I'd be asking him how he plans to solve it, what he was thinking.

+1

What did he do with the door? Cut it short? And as others have said, an investigation needs to be done to find out where the sinking has come from, is there a reasonable way to fix it correctly, is it stable now or still sinking, etc.

[clare]

TECHNICALLY here we require a permit to replace roll flooring with tile (there are structural issues) but not replacing roll or vinyl tile with same. In real life, the permit is seldome pulled.

[Tekkie®]

Ed Pawlowski posted for all of us...

+1 He probably needs a jack job...