I think Sophie said it all. The low-level concrete finishes (polished slab without any form of sealant) run around $5/sf. They stain, etch and require plenty of up-keep. Lots of disappointed house owners eventually cover them up after 3-5 years of "hating" how they feel/look after one party.

The only floors that will survive another flood = porcelain or concrete. Concrete can be amazing (with the higher price tags discussed by Sophie) or it can be a horrible experience (low price tag/cheap way out). But one thing is for sure: concrete is hard and cold. So too are porcelain tiles. If you live in a cold climate (even a moderate climate like Seattle WA) you will find yourself constantly finding ways to warm up the floors or cover them up with endless area rugs.

Take a look at how you wish to use the basement. If you feel it is a living space that gets used more than 1 per week, then you want to work with something that will give you comfort for a decade or two before the next flood.

If you feel it is worth it sacrifice 3650 days of discomfort to have a floor that will survive an event that happens once every 10 years, then concrete and porcelain are the way to go.

Personally I choose comfort (and something other than concrete/porcelain) and will turn to my excellent home insurance to deal with the 1 day in 10 years when my basement is flooded.

I am down on vinyl due to the toxic out-gassing.

Consider linoleum tiles or rubber. Softer on the feet.

Do you really live down in the basement; meaning use it a lot as a family room?

Have you installed a sump pump and/or french drains on the exterior? Are you confident it will not flood again?

It would be used quite a bit with our family of six. We have a sump pump, but the backup was due to roots in the sewer system. We no longer have the tree and had the line cleared. We can’t guarantee that nothing will ever happen in the basement again...

ok - if an expert told you there was a 90% chance that you will not have flooding again, what flooring would you desire for this space?

Extremely helpful insight SJ McCarthy (and all). We may be changing course...

One contractor suggested LVT as an option? Anybody heard of it or used it ?

LVT is "Luxury Vinyl Tile" or plank. These are the floors that look like wood, stone or tile but are vinyl through and through. They rarely allow underpad (the better one's do) or some will come with a cork underpad already attached like CoreTec Plus.

These are higher end floors ($4.50/sf and up) and are often used as laminate or hardwood replacement options. There are literally THOUSANDS to choose from. They have been around for 10+ years and are en vogue right now as the "every floor for every person".

They require flat subfloors. So they will need to have things ground down. Carpet hides wonky concrete (which is why it was used in the first place) so you will need to invest in subfloor prep. Once the subfloor is dealt with, you will never have to deal with it again....which is why it should be done at some point in it's life.

There are people who swear by their higher end vinyls (8mm thick + cork underpad = $4.50/sf and up) and there are other people who have problems with their "thinner" vinyls (3mm without any underpad allowance). Thin vinyl directly over concrete slab is only slightly warmer than tile/concrete.

I'm a firm believer that laminate (high end laminate) has it's place. A beautiful 15mm laminate ($3.50/sf) with a nice 1/4" cork underlay ($0.80/sf) can do everything you need it to do.

In a basement, you want some form of thermal insulation. That's where many vinyl products "fall down". They really do NOT like underpad (most of them anyways). Just keep that in mind.

Again, think about what you WANT your floor to do for you. This is a well used space (it is full-on living space by what you are saying) and comfort is a big plus.

visualizemavin, does LVT fall into the category of vinyl you are down on? If I could choose any flooring I would choose hardwood for cleanliness, warmth and aesthetic. BUT I know they’re impossible in a basement. Interested in finding out more about laminate and this LVT. Will give carpet another thought too.

My vote would be an LVT. Their is glue down and floating type installation. Both have their pro's and cons. Given the glue that's down right now I would go with a floating version. Some options have the pad built right into the product so you don't have to lay it down prior. There a tons and tons of products out there in the LVT world. I've used Mannington Adura in million dollar homes and the results have been fantastic.

https://www.mannington.com/residential/adura

Find a supply store - take a look at some options so you get a good feeling for the product. In my eyes its the cheapest option that you'll get that looks like hardwood. Tile would be my next recommendation.

My washing machine flooded our basement on New Year's Day. After hours of dry vacuuming standing water we were able to lift the LVP up to dry subfloors with floor dryers for a week and now I am relaying the removed planks which are as good as new. I am very happy we had these floors. Tile grout would have allowed the concrete sub floor to get wet for grout is porous I would have been very worried that mold would grow. With the LVP being easily lifted I was able to make sure my sub floor was indeed dry with minimal work.

Thank you all! Good to know, Roarah, I was wondering about that very thing. We actually just got back from looking at vinyl plank samples and have been won over. That is what we are going with. Many, many thanks!

omg I am I too late?!?!? Please check the manufacturer's #'s as to amount of off gassing of VOC's! These are very toxic substances and you do not want your family breathing in this stuff for years. Yes, they are in all vinyl laminates - just some have less than others.

Thank you, we have not purchased anything yet, and will check into it.

Since 2010 most companies have greatly reduced the VOC in their LVP products. Some very low end brands or discontinued discounts might still have an issue. Also if not using glue the off gassing is not as prominent either.