OK...point #1. If any part of your slab is 'below grade' the ENTIRE THING is graded as 'below grade'.

Personally I would pick different flooring for the 'wet' rooms such as the bathrooms and laundry. The reason: 'water proof' flooring is expensive. So WHY pay for the entire basement to be covered in 'water proof' when only a few hundred square feet actually 'need it'.

The other thing is: a floating floor is really all you want to play with. Tiles in bathrooms/laundry room can be adhered to the concrete, the rest can be floated.

The basics for ANY floating floor is the same. You must have a vapour barrier (not always underpadding) and you must always have a WELL PREPARED concrete slab that is flat (no wonky subfloors for a floating floor...ever).

A laminate floating floor and a vinyl floating floor and a cork floating floor (and even a linoleum floating floor) all require the same thing. And the mechanism to install is always a 'click-together' system. An engineered hardwood can be floated but it almost always requires glue on the seams.

Again, all of the same PREPARATION is required. So go ahead and start paying for the concrete slab to be fixed up so that your flooring of choice can be laid down as soon as you can.

The 'nightmare' the sales guys are talking about relates to installation and moisture. They are TRYING to get you to purchase the product THEY NEED to move. Yep. I would hazard a guess that these guys have been given 'targets' to meet and/or they have been offered bonuses for moving a certain TYPE of product (too much in the warehouse is costing the company TOO MUCH money).

In a nutshell, the reason why you are getting 4 different opinions is because you spoke to 4 different salespeople with 4 different 'company agendas'. That's it. There is no mystery in that.

My questions for you (if I were your sales person):

1. What is your budget (do NOT fudge numbers with sales people...it pisses them off and makes them less likely to get the RIGHT floor)?

2. What is your FAMILY situation? Animals? Landscaping issues such as pools, etc?

3. What are YOUR expectations? Can you accept the limitations of certain flooring if it gets you the LOOK that you want for the price you are able to pay?

I am getting ready to put flooring in my walkout basement and I will always go with LVP. I will put a cheaper one but not taking the chance on getting wet and ruining carpet or other flooring. I want to spend my money once. Hope this helps

I’d go with porcelain tile with a hardwood design. Had it installed on our screened porch about 5 years ago and have experienced no problems despite hot summers and cold winters. Looks great, too.

SJ McCarthy, thank you for the info! To answer your questions:

1) We are gratefully able to pay what it will take to have a quality product installed.

2) We've got active kids and lots of their friends who will enter the area from the backyard (no pool). There are several game tables involved (we are leaning toward vinyl but are worried about denting). Also, we host a youth group once a month with 50-ish teens on folding chairs. There will be a small kitchen area with a sink, fridge, etc.

3) My priorities are sturdiness (will take a beating and still look good), will hold up to the water in the kitchen area, appearance--I want something pretty that looks like wood, and nothing that will make it noisier (the staircase and part of the ceiling are open to the upstairs).

This flooring will NOT go in the bathroom or laundry room. And I know I don't want tile (too hard) or carpet (dirty too fast). Any advice is VERY appreciated.

Hikinganne, wondering what you ended up choosing? We are wanting what you described, and for all the same reasons.