Guide · West Sussex · PO19
Chichester Microcement over existing tiles — cost, spec and build programme
Refurb briefs in Chichester for microcement over existing tiles typically arrive at the point the client has already ruled out tile. The reason is almost always the same — one of the goodwood estate ecosystem drives high-spec garage and showroom floor demand, a continuous the goodwood estate ecosystem drives high-spec garage and showroom floor demand — and microcement over existing tiles is the finish that answers it. The Chichester catchment we work across covers PO19, PO20 — reached via the A27 / A286, 1 hr from brighton via the a27. Nearby coverage includes Fishbourne (2 mi), Bosham (4 mi), Selsey (8 mi). Site conditions matter here: harbour-adjacent salt exposure in the western catchment. That shapes the primer and sealer specification below, not just the visible finish.
Substrate and preparation
Microcement can be laid over sound existing tiles — mechanical bond primer, mesh-reinforced base coat, then the standard system. Failure risk depends entirely on the tile bond: any hollow or drummy tiles must be lifted or the finish will crack over the void.
Design detailing choices
The value of going over tiles is speed and cost — no strip-out, no waste to skip. The visible result is identical to a new-substrate installation once the finish is on. Best on kitchen and bathroom floors where lifting tile would require weeks and disruption.
The spec sheet
On-site programme
- Percussion surveyPre-start
Every tile tapped — hollow tiles marked, lifted and re-bedded, or the floor levelled with self-smoothing compound.
- Primer + broadcastDay 1
Epoxy tile primer with broadcast quartz for mechanical bond.
- Base + meshDay 2
Fibreglass-reinforced base coat across the entire floor.
- Colour + sealerDay 3–5
Two colour coats + 3-coat polyurethane sealer.
Common install-time pitfalls
- ✕Skipping the drummy check — every hollow tile becomes a crack line in the microcement.
- ✕Wrong primer — standard PVA does not bond to glazed tile.
- ✕Ignoring the level rise on doorways — plane the door or plan the reveal.
- ✕Extending over a grout line without mesh — the joint telegraphs through in 6 months.
The local considerations for Chichester
Chichester — frequently asked
Other guides for Chichester
Microcement over existing tiles — other Sussex towns
Related products & services
The short version
For over tiles in Chichester: expect a £85–£140 per m² budget, a build programme of about 3–5 working days on site, and a survey-to-install window of 4–6 weeks. The finish is one continuous mineral surface — no joints, no trims, no visible transitions.