Testing and Handover Requirements by Screed System

Calcium sulphate (anhydrite) screeds are commonly tested using RH probes once they've reached the manufacturer's stated minimum curing period, and typically require the surface laitance to be removed before floor coverings are laid. Cementitious screeds can be tested by carbide bomb or RH probe, and generally have different drying profiles that need to be assessed on their own datasheet rather than assumed to match anhydrite timescales.

Where a proprietary rapid-drying or modified screed has been used, its own manufacturer testing protocol takes precedence over generic guidance, since these products are formulated to behave differently from standard mixes. Confirming which protocol applies before testing begins avoids results being misread against the wrong benchmark.

A useful handover pack records the screed type and strength class installed, the date of the pour, curing conditions maintained, moisture test results with dates and locations, and confirmation of surface regularity checks. Where underfloor heating is present, a record of the commissioning heat-up procedure should also be included.

Keeping this documentation organised from day one, rather than reconstructing it at project end, makes it far easier to resolve any later query about floor performance and gives follow-on trades confidence to proceed. It also provides a clear reference point if a dispute over flooring failure arises months after completion.

The condition a screed is handed over in depends heavily on how it's protected between the pour and the point other trades return to the area. Uncontrolled foot traffic, dropped materials, or other trades working on the surface before it has cured sufficiently can all cause surface damage that shows up as a defect at handover even though the screed itself was installed correctly.

Agreeing a protection strategy, whether boarding, restricted access, or a phased handover of different areas, and recording that this was followed, helps demonstrate that any damage identified after handover occurred due to activity beyond the screed installer's control rather than a fault in the original work.

Even with good documentation, disagreements can arise at practical completion, often around whether the floor was ready for flooring installation at the point it was handed over. Having agreed testing criteria and dated records from the outset gives both parties an objective reference point to work from, rather than relying on recollection or assumption about what was promised.

Where a genuine dispute does arise, independent testing against the same method used during the original works is usually the most straightforward way to establish the floor's actual condition, and this is far easier to arrange credibly when the original testing regime was clearly documented and agreed in advance.