Bitumen?

[macten]

Went to start a job this morning to tile an exterior pathway joining 2 properties with 30x45 porcs.
The old tiles were loose and I lifted a couple to see they had been stuck down with what looked like bitumen. No grout had ever been put in and they had been down 20 years.
Customer arranged to have the old tiles removed a couple of days ago and he said the concrete looked good so arrived there today to start work.
Here is the path

But the above isn't the concrete substrate I was hoping for:

Think it is a 1 inch layer of bitumen - I'm able to mark it with my thumbnail and scrape bits off so it is softer than asphalt which I believe I could tile straight to.
How would you guys go about it? I rang Mapei tech and they said if it's bitumen then it either needs to come up or sand and cement screed over it.
I'm confident I can get it up using an SDS Chisel but was worried about the level of the final tiling with the drain in pic 2.
Help!

 

[mikethetile]

are you sure its bitumen

looks like asphalt to me

 

[macten]

I don't know. How do I identify?

 

[White Room]

As above, asphalt

 

[macten]

Think it's the 1inch hot rolled stuff and they put old tiles on whilst still hot as you can see the imprints.

 

[DHTiling]

what is the building to the right..?

Looks like it could be asphalt pour for damp reasons..?.. hard to tell from pics.. but IMO it is unsuitable to tile directly too in an exterior area..

 

[macten]

The building to the right is the customers property. Below the path are storage areas being used to keep bins.
So do you rccommend I go ahead and try and lift it tomorrow?

 

[DHTiling]

So it is to waterproof... If you remove then how are you going to prevent water from ingressing below..?

Discuss with customer the way forward before you hack it up.. you can tank but discuss costs first..

Another alternative is to uncouple it

 

[david campbell]

you would be quicker laying sand/cement screed than trying to rip up that asphalt

 

[DHTiling]

Another option as well but can the height be increased that much..?.. damp course on the house..?

 

[White Room]

I'd be laying an sbr slurry on top of the ashpalt and fixing the decoupling to that

 

[doug boardley]

what is it that's draping down from the bottom course of bricks, is it the dpc?