My new place has a horrible block of damp concrete at the hearth where "they" tore the 1870s fireplace out at some point in the 20th century. Yuk.
I want to remove the top two-and-a-half inches of this stuff (with a chisel, it's soft as cheese and breaking off all over the place as is) put down another (? I doubt it) damp membrane and then lay new floorboards to take the floor up to the wall. Rather than having a hideous blob of manky cemont as a talking point in my front room.
Just want to know if this is a good idea or a bad one, as I have never attempted it before. I'm reasonably practical and competant at projects but am feeling a bit wary. Who knows what lurks beneath? I have opened up old fireplaces to find ghastly nests of dead birds before......
My ideal end of project is having a lovely wooden floor without grim damp concrete blobby thing festering. Should I just go for it? Are thre any pit-falls I should look out for? All help appreciated.
