coved or flat? When you say the subfloor is laid, are you referring to the underlayment? Subfloor is not an appropriate surface for sheet vinyl or linoleum. Generally, a layer of 3/8" particle board, or another dimensionally-stable, flat material, is laid on top of the subfloor. You could probably find someone wiliing to do the job for a few hundred bucks, flat laid, no coving, directly over whatever surface is there now, whether it is right or not. If you are just trying to get the lowest price, this is what you'll have. If you're going to pay someone, get a real flooring person who knows how to do coving. Thay way, you'll be paying an expert, and it is going to be worth the price paid. If you just want flat laid linoleum, do it yourself. You'll do a better job than a "professional" doing it the unprofessional way.

Your not suppose to go straight over the vinyl. Plasticizer migration of the existing plastic top layer of sheet vinyl, with mess with the adhesive. Your suppose to emboss the surface of the vinyl, with a product made just for that, Like Ardex SD-F Feather finish. All self stick tiles require a primer, that is part of the system. As soon as you start listening and believeing the help at the big box stores like Lowe's and Home Depot, your on your way to failure.

Consider genuine sheet linoleum and cork as decorative surfacing. As such, most flooring professionals prefer to install these after cabinetry and most other trades have left the building. However, be sure that the substrate (underlayment paneling) has been installed to allow the cabinets to be set on that. You can install it all before cabinets and other work, but you would have to take extraordinary measures to guarantee that your decorative surface doesn't get wrecked during all the other work that takes place in the typical kitchen renovation. Think of floating cork flooring as plastic laminate flooring with cork and a wear surface as the top layers, instead of a decorative photo rendering of the real thing.

To avoid all the maintenance required of concrete floors, you have to work with the mid to high range products. Usually the ones finished with epoxy. A clear coat epoxy over stained concrete = stunningly beautiful (and with a price tag to match....it can be heart stopping!) or a textured "coloured" epoxy (kinda like what is seen in an automechanic's garage. Either one of those will allow you the low maintenance concrete finish. And linoleum can be a higher maintenance floor. Some of those floors STILL require waxes/polishes on a semi-annual basis. A floating laminate (without under pad) or a floating vinyl SPECIFICALLY designed for in-floor radiant heat as mentioned above will work nicely.