First decide the finished floor height, then level the base
Before this phase began, we had already measured the floor heights as part of the general survey of the home. The stair landing is a useful reference because it helps establish the height of the finished floor at the entrance.
In this home, several high spots in the existing floor were above the landing level. Simply raising the rest of the floor to match them would have increased the finished height unnecessarily, so we decided to lower the highest areas locally.
There was also a practical limit to demolition. In some areas we removed approximately 3 cm of the existing floor construction, yet the thickness available to rebuild the base was still around 1 cm. Lowering the entire home to the exact landing level would have required a much deeper intervention.
We therefore chose a workable finished height slightly above the landing. The entrance door will need to be adapted and trimmed to suit the new finished floor height.
Local demolition and rebuilding the base
We did not demolish the whole floor. We removed approximately 10 m² of the highest areas that prevented us from achieving a uniform base.
After removing the existing material, we rebuilt and locally regularised these areas with cement mortar. Once the repairs had hardened, we prepared the substrate for the final levelling.
Demolition generated approximately 2 m³ of rubble. We used two 1 m³ builders’ bags. The two bags, including collection and waste management, cost €118. Labour to carry the rubble out of the home and load it also needs to be considered. For an equivalent commercial calculation, we allow approximately €160 for one labourer’s working day.
Self-levelling mortar before the new flooring
With the main height differences corrected, we primed the substrate, fitted perimeter strip and carried out the final levelling over approximately 40 m².
Over much of the surface, we aimed for a thin layer of around 5 mm. However, the substrate was not the same everywhere. The project invoices confirm the use of self-levelling mortar for 0–10 mm as well as material for thicker areas of 20–50 mm.
The aim was to obtain a continuous base that was flat enough for the next phase: installing the flooring chosen by the client.
What preparing this floor cost
This phase took 3 working days to carry out. The initial measurements and assessment of floor heights were completed earlier as part of the general survey for the full renovation, and are not included in those three days.
- Preparation, local demolition, regularisation, priming and self-levelling work: €1,089 including VAT.
- Floor preparation materials documented in invoices: €447.81 including VAT.
- Two 1 m³ builders’ bags with collection and waste management: €118.
- Equivalent labourer’s day to carry and load the rubble: approximately €160.
- Transporting materials and carrying them up to the home: €150.
- Total reference for this case: approximately €1,965.
The €447.81 of documented materials includes mortar and cement for local repairs, primers, perimeter strip and self-levelling mortars for different thicknesses.
The reference of about €1,965 combines the listed items with an equivalent labourer’s day; it is not a total supported entirely by invoices. Estimated labour and indicative commercial amounts are distinguished from documented purchases.
Why we do not simply quote a price per square metre
Dividing the total cost by 40 m² would produce a seemingly simple figure, but one of little use for another home. Here, we had to demolish about 10 m² of high spots, rebuild part of the base, remove around 2 m³ of rubble and then level approximately 40 m².
Another home of the same size may need no demolition at all, or the opposite may apply: the height differences may be too large for a thin layer to resolve. The price depends on the existing levels, the condition of the substrate and the construction required before laying the finish.
The detailed technical explanation of when a thin layer is enough and when the base needs rebuilding remains in our dedicated guide to floor levelling before laying the covering.
The client chose the parquet
After preparing the base, the client chose TILO Trend Marcanto Oak Natur L1278 multilayer parquet for this home. We name the brand and model because they are part of this real case, rather than as a commercial recommendation.
We ordered 20 boxes, equivalent to 46.56 m², for an estimated installation area of about 40 m². The difference allows for cuts, board selection and a reserve during fitting.
The linked MARCANTO TREND Oak Natur technical sheet describes boards measuring 2205 × 176 × 13 mm, with a real wood wear layer of approximately 3.2 mm. The manufacturer’s documentation permits floating or fully glued installation and requires a dry, stable, properly prepared substrate that is sufficiently flat.
The price of the parquet, underlay and installation
The parquet was purchased through Parmovil. The professional offer applied to this project was €49.92/m² excluding VAT. For 46.56 m², the supply of 20 boxes comes to €2,324.28 excluding VAT and €2,812.38 including VAT.
Delivery of the parquet to the project cost €70. Carrying the material up to the home requires additional work; for an equivalent commercial calculation, we allow approximately €160 for one labourer’s working day.
The 2 mm EVA underlay was purchased separately: two 20 m² rolls, 40 m² in total, for €64.00 including VAT. The actual material cost was therefore €1.60/m².
For the work, we used a rate of €15/m² for floating parquet installation together with laying the underlay. Over about 40 m², this is €600 excluding VAT, or €726 including VAT.
The same invoice included 12 lengths of white lacquered polystyrene skirting, measuring 2200 × 80 × 14 mm: 26.4 linear metres of material for €70.80 including VAT. The accepted estimate allowed €150 excluding VAT for skirting installation, based on an initial measurement of 20 linear metres. The material ultimately chosen and its length differ from that initial allowance, so we keep the actual purchase and estimated labour separate.
The calculation for this phase includes only materials directly related to the flooring. Other project purchases are not included in this amount.
- TILO parquet, 46.56 m²: €2,812.38 including VAT.
- 2 mm EVA underlay, 40 m²: €64.00 including VAT.
- Parquet delivery: €70.
- Carrying material upstairs: commercial reference of approximately €160 for a labourer’s day.
- Floating parquet and underlay installation, 40 m²: €600 excluding VAT / €726 including VAT.
- Purchased skirting, 26.4 linear metres: €70.80 including VAT.
- Skirting installation allowed in the accepted estimate: €150 excluding VAT / €181.50 including VAT, based on an initial measurement of 20 linear metres.
The bathroom floor height was decided before laying the parquet
The bathroom’s ceramic floor was laid before the parquet. The heights of the two finishes therefore could not be treated as independent jobs.
When setting the heights, we had to account in advance for the finished construction in each area: the substrate, adhesive and tiles in the bathroom; the underlay and 13 mm multilayer parquet elsewhere. The aim was for the two floors to meet at the planned height once both phases were complete.
The photograph of the bathroom doorway shows the result before the final junction detail was finished: the parquet meets the ceramic flooring already in place, and the heights correspond because they were planned when preparing the base.
Checking the overall floor plane with a 2 metre straightedge
During installation, we checked the finished surface with a 2 metre straightedge with a spirit level. The aim is to check that the flooring follows the overall plane defined for the home, rather than to demonstrate that one individual board is horizontal.
These checks relate directly to the earlier preparation. Identifying the high spots, demolishing only where necessary, rebuilding the base and carrying out the final levelling served a practical purpose: providing a continuous surface for the finish and making the height work at junctions with other flooring.
