My belief is that rubble-stone foundations are best left undisturbed, especially below grade. You have your wish list. My recommendation is that you have a certified civil and structural engineer examine both the soil and structural integrity of your home in consideration of your intentions. Much of what you wish to do, if it can be done, will likely need to be accomplished within a very short timeframe - you have to keep the existing foundation stabilized! Qualified contractor, not a DIY project. All I can encourage is get LOCAL EXPERT advise before you begin. I live in N. IL. Our son owns a home the approximate age of yours. Basements then were cellars and weeped in wet season. The advise I share is based on guideance from an architect who evaluated their home for an addition. Hope this rather negative reply is taken as a recommendation to be cautious, not a put down on your desired result. Good luck.

As much as I love the look of a beautifully finished concrete, it is cold, hard, loud and it can be SLIPPERY. It etches and stains BEAUTIFULLY. Yep. It etches like marble. It stains WORSE than marble. It is harder to maintain then marble. And above all else, many homeowners cover up their concrete inside of 7 years....because it is so hard to live with. The concrete floors that have the BEST wear and the BEST lifespan and the LEAST amount of problems are epoxy coatings. Not the "over the counter" DIY garage epoxy finishes at Home Depot, but the professional grade epoxy finishes that takes an epoxy specialist to deal with. A basic clear coat epoxy (nothing special that is SUPER slick when wet) can start around $7/sf. That includes the labor and the prep to get the epoxy to stick. If you need additives (like colour or grit) then the price goes up. A stunning 3-stain finish coated with clear epoxy + grit additive to increase the slip resistance = $15 - $25/sf. Finished concrete floors are a lifestyle choice and not a cost saving measure. And even then, they are often covered up because they are cold, hard and loud. The echo created by the concrete is impressive. It takes quite a bit of extra noise insulation in the walls and ceiling to dampen the sound bouncing around because of the concrete. If you wish to try to live with them, I would suggest getting them prepped and add a microtopping that is burnished (ground and polished) to a lovely sheen. Then leave them be for a while. Yes, they will stain. Yes they will etch. And yes they will crack (spider web like cracks are absolutely normal and to be expected/accepted). Once you have lived with them for a while (even if it is just to get through the renovation) you can decide if they are the floors for you. If you decide to cover them up after all, then the only thing you have done is made a PERFECT subfloor that is ready for ANYTHING. If you go ahead and "finish" them (with stain, epoxy, urethane, etc) but decide later on to put down something else (like tile or stone), you will find you need to get rid of the product you put on them (grinding or shot blasting all over again). The "finish" is considered a contaminant that must be removed before a permanent floor can be put down....including vinyl.

No problem...remember the real Saltillo needs waxing/polishing to REALLY show them off. The glossy Saltillo tiles show off their colours. Just make sure you get the maintenance 'stuff' as soon as you have the tiles installed. You can practice with a few left over tiles to get the hang of it. The Saltillo will out live the house! I like the highly coloured ones (with the strong dark oranges mixed in with the light sandy ones) but it is your home. Make sure you get what you like!

You're being too paranoid here so apologize to the handyman and let him continue to remove the tile, just have him wear a mask and clean up when done. Yes, I do know the risks of asbestos causing Asbestosis and potential mesothelioma later in life but here are a few facts from the Mesothelioma center. Light, short-term exposure rarely causes disease. A one-off exposure from do-it-yourself renovation is not a major risk. Asbestos exposure is cumulative, so short-term exposures can add up. Not everyone who is exposed to asbestos gets diagnosed with mesothelioma. Even for people who were exposed to large amounts of asbestos, it is rare to develop mesothelioma. While asbestos is the cause of mesothelioma, a number of risk factors make certain people more likely to develop this cancer. For comparison you're more likely inhale more asbestos walking a busy mile of roadway in a city with stop lights every block, or waiting to have your brakes replaced. Many brake pads and clutches contain asbestos and test have shown 30% of dust in a garage doing brake work is asbestos. The EPA is aware of this and have guidelines to follow if you chose to do your own brake work. Do's for Home Mechanics: Use pre-ground, ready-to-install parts. If a brake or clutch lining must be drilled,grooved, cut, beveled, or lathe-turned, use low speeds to keep down the amount of dust created. Use machinery with a local exhaust dust collection system equipped with HEPA filtration to prevent dust exposures and work area contamination. Change into clean clothes before going inside the home and wash soiled clothes separately. Minimize exposure to others by keeping bystanders, as well as food and drinks, away from the work area. There is no reason for your paranoia, let them finish the job and be done with it. One thing I'll tell you is the black mastic on the floor will never come up and makes it hard to stick anything on it and stay. I've used a product in a gallon can and a paint roller to cover the black mastic which will allow new flooring to stick and stay, but I can't remember the name. In your case sheet vinyl would be a better choice than the peel and stick squares.