Ok...these are Lowe's knock-offs of DriCore. The identical dricore panels are $1.67/sf....so the $1.40/sf is better than the originals.

The "fun" part of these panels is you STILL NEED the concrete subfloor to be dealt with. If I'm correct and the installation instructions allow you to use shims (as does DriCore...which is why I'm making this assumption) then you can "fix" small variations in the concrete. To a maximum of 1/4" (6mm). That's it. If you have a wonky subfloor, you will still need to pay someone to deal with flattening the concrete to the point where you can use the shims.

If you must use the shims, you will need to use some tools to anchor these things. I know it says "no tools needed" but that is for a PERFECT subfloor. And most basements in Canada are HORRIBLE. That's why carpet was used in the first place. It was cheap and easy and did NOT require the wonky concrete slabs to be fixed. Just roll it out, glue it down and off you go. Cheap and cheerful.

As soon as you use something that is rigid (laminate, DriCore, etc) you still need to flatten the concrete. That can be at a price of $1.50 - $4.50/sf. With these types of panels you can "get away" with the cheaper fix....but it still needs to be fixed.

As for "cheaper and better" or easier to use...no. There aren't very many options out there other than DriCore and the Lowe's knock-offs.

First things first: rip out the carpet and check to see the level/flatness of that concrete slab. Look for obvious signs that the concrete needs work.

Now check your own personal DIY skills. Can you grind down concrete? Can you pour and level concrete?

If you have a BEAUTIFUL slab (no work needed) it is *possible you can work with Delta FL. It is cheaper (less than $1/sf) but it does NOT like to work with laminate floors that have underpad (either attached or added as an extra purchase).

A regular laminate (no pad or foam underneath) is allowed to go straight over top of the Delta FL membrane. It is not very warm...but it is dry. But it NEEDS a beautiful concrete slab. It needs more work than the subfloor panels you have found.

Carpet is sounding pretty good right now isn't it?

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