ᐅ Saving costs / basement / affordable tiles / sealed screed?
Created on: 27 Jan 2014 21:18
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Irgendwoabaier
Hello,
since my girlfriend wants to spend a bit more on the hardwood flooring upstairs, I need to find where we can save money elsewhere. Naturally, the flooring in the basement came to mind as a potential cost-saving area—specifically in the storage room (unheated) and my planned workshop/office combination (planned with underfloor heating to prevent it from getting too cold).
The first idea was to use anhydrite screed or anhydrite heated screed laid on insulation boards, with inexpensive tiles on top. Both rooms would also work fine with cheaper floor coverings—if the potential savings are significant enough. However, it seems that if we skip the tiles, the screed might need to be sealed differently or maybe even a different screed should be used. So, it’s not really clear whether savings are actually possible here...
As someone with no building expertise, my question is: what cheaper alternatives exist—and how much could be saved compared to affordable tiles (material cost under 12€/m²)?
Regards from Lower Franconia
I.
since my girlfriend wants to spend a bit more on the hardwood flooring upstairs, I need to find where we can save money elsewhere. Naturally, the flooring in the basement came to mind as a potential cost-saving area—specifically in the storage room (unheated) and my planned workshop/office combination (planned with underfloor heating to prevent it from getting too cold).
The first idea was to use anhydrite screed or anhydrite heated screed laid on insulation boards, with inexpensive tiles on top. Both rooms would also work fine with cheaper floor coverings—if the potential savings are significant enough. However, it seems that if we skip the tiles, the screed might need to be sealed differently or maybe even a different screed should be used. So, it’s not really clear whether savings are actually possible here...
As someone with no building expertise, my question is: what cheaper alternatives exist—and how much could be saved compared to affordable tiles (material cost under 12€/m²)?
Regards from Lower Franconia
I.
I
Irgendwoabaier29 Jan 2014 11:27Correct – the basement, where cost reduction options would be considered, has not even been built yet.
Current status: Quotes for the individual trades are currently being obtained; most have been received, but some key ones are still missing. Of course, there is a discrepancy between the desired features and the budget – this needs to be resolved. The contingency for unforeseen expenses should not be used at this stage.
Current status: Quotes for the individual trades are currently being obtained; most have been received, but some key ones are still missing. Of course, there is a discrepancy between the desired features and the budget – this needs to be resolved. The contingency for unforeseen expenses should not be used at this stage.
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Irgendwoabaier29 Jan 2014 12:01This will of course be discussed – all points that could lead to significant savings need to be considered. A discussion with the structural engineer from my partner company as well as the individual trades will take place in February.
Michalko schrieb:
As I said, how about cement screed instead of anhydrite screed? It would probably save you a few thousand in costsThe difference between cement and anhydrite screed for me was exactly €0.9/m² (about $1.00 per sq ft), so there’s not much to save there (personally, I would still choose cement screed for the basement). In my opinion, a proper screed sealing won’t be much cheaper than a basic porcelain tile (of course, it depends on the installation cost). For ready-mixed screed, there are also different flatness requirements, which can increase the installation price or require additional leveling afterward.
If you want to keep costs low: Why not install a click-lock floor yourself (laminate, cork, engineered wood, vinyl…)? There are quite a few nice options available, many suitable for underfloor heating (just may need to be installed with narrower gaps).
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perlenmann29 Jan 2014 13:34How many square meters are we actually talking about? I think the savings aren’t really worth debating. Whether it’s sealing at €2 per m² (about $2.20 per sq ft), laminate at €5 per m² (about $5.50 per sq ft), or tiles at €8 per m² (about $8.80 per sq ft), the costs are quite minor in the bigger picture. The labor is what costs the most.
If you want to save money, doing the work yourself is where you save the most. So, putting down carpet or laminate will be the cheapest option. You also keep the flexibility to change it later if you want.
If you’re painting the walls yourself, you can also do the sealing; it’s pretty much the same thing.
If you want to save money, doing the work yourself is where you save the most. So, putting down carpet or laminate will be the cheapest option. You also keep the flexibility to change it later if you want.
If you’re painting the walls yourself, you can also do the sealing; it’s pretty much the same thing.
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