LVT, laminate or engineered wood over underfloor heating in London: which floor works, and how to stop a cheap quote failing

A new London kitchen or rear extension with water-based underfloor heating looks finished in the brochure. On site, the floor is where shortcuts show up months later as cupped boards, open joints, hollow spots and a manufacturer who voids the warranty because the fitter ignored the datasheet. This guide compares luxury vinyl tile (LVT), laminate and engineered wood for heated floors, using dated published cost bands, and sets out the checks that protect your money. Sources were checked on 28 October 2026.

Published fitting ranges - treat them as bands, not quotes

Checkatrade's LVT flooring cost guide (table updated March 2026) puts average fitting around £45 per m², with materials commonly in the £20 to £50 per m² range depending on wear layer and click versus glue-down. Laminate is often illustrated around £30 per m² for materials and about £30 per m² to fit. Engineered wood (June 2026 table) commonly sits around £50 per m² for materials and about £45 per m² to fit, before intricate patterns, stairs or awkward London terraces with bay windows. These are national guide figures from a named publisher; London access, parking and removal of old floors routinely push a real quote higher. Ask every fitter whether VAT is included and what happens if the screed fails a moisture test.

A 25m² reception room might therefore sit roughly in the £1,100 to £1,200 fitting band for LVT on Checkatrade's average, before preparation and disposal - but a gluedown over a new anhydrite screed with levelling compound, doorway reductions and threshold bars is a different job from a floating click floor on a flat existing slab. Force every quote onto the same scope before you compare the bottom line.

Which product suits underfloor heating?

• LVT. Many glue-down and some click LVT ranges are explicitly rated for water-based underfloor heating. They handle spills better than wood, which matters in kitchens and utility rooms. Follow the manufacturer's maximum temperature and adhesive list; a generic "flooring adhesive" from a van is not enough.
• Laminate. Only UFH-rated laminates with a suitable underlay. Cheap laminate over a warm screed is a common complaint: edges swell, joints open and the pack guarantee disappears. If the datasheet is silent, treat it as unsuitable.
• Engineered wood. A stable plywood or HDF core with a real-wood wear layer can work when the product is UFH-rated, humidity is controlled and the fitter uses the specified glue or floating method. Prefer narrower boards and a reputable brand with a written UFH guide. Solid hardwood is generally a poor choice over heated screeds because it moves too much.

Never take a verbal "it will be fine". Ask for the product code, the UFH page of the datasheet and the adhesive or underlay name before you pay a deposit. If two fitters propose different products at very different prices, compare wear-layer thickness, locking system and the written UFH approval - not the colour of the sample alone.

The subfloor checks that protect the warranty

1. Moisture. Cement and anhydrite screeds need time to dry. Many manufacturers require a documented moisture reading before installation. Fitting over a damp screed after a rushed extension programme is one of the fastest ways to lose a claim.
2. Flatness. Hollow spots and lipping often start with an uneven subfloor. A proper quote should include preparation - latex levelling, plywood overlay or both - as line items, not "extras" discovered on day one.
3. Acclimatisation. Engineered wood and some laminates must sit in the room for a stated period. Skipping this to finish before the weekend is a red flag.
4. Expansion gaps and thresholds. London terraces with long runs through knock-throughs need planned breaks. Ask how doorways, conservatories and UFH manifolds will be detailed.
5. Commissioning. Underfloor heating should usually be run up gradually after installation according to the floor and heating manufacturer's instructions. A fitter who "cranks it up to test" can cook the adhesive.

Kitchens, bathrooms and wet zones

In wet rooms and immediately next to shower trays, follow both the floor manufacturer and the waterproofing system. Many LVT ranges are suitable; many laminates are not. Where a London flat is converting a bathroom above a neighbour, waterproofing and a documented flood test matter as much as the visible floor - escape-of-water claims are among the most expensive domestic insurance losses. Ask who is responsible for tanking, who signs off the test, and whether the flooring fitter will refuse to start until that certificate exists. Do not let two trades each assume the other has sealed the floor.

In kitchens with underfloor heating, allow for appliance voids, kickboards and the fact that a fridge line or island may arrive after the floor. A fitter who lays tightly to temporary carcasses without a plan for final appliances is storing a dispute for later.

How to read a flooring quote like a sceptic

Insist on a written scope that separates supply, uplift and disposal of the old floor, preparation, fitting, thresholds, scotia or skirting work, and VAT. Compare at least three quotes against the same product code - not "similar oak effect". If one price is far below Checkatrade's published bands with no thinner specification, ask what has been left out. Citizens Advice advises keeping deposits as low as possible and not agreeing more than about 25 per cent, preferably with deposit protection. Prefer paying significant sums by credit card where Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act may assist if the trader fails.

Vetting a London flooring contractor

• Match the company name and number on Companies House to the invoice and the bank account.
• Confirm any TrustMark claim on TrustMark's own register.
• Ask for public liability insurance details and recent photos of UFH jobs at the preparation stage, not only the finished room.
• Put the product codes, adhesive, moisture test and programme in the contract. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, services must be performed with reasonable care and skill; goods must be as described and fit for purpose - which includes suitability for heated floors if that is what you ordered.
• For off-premises sales, check you have the cancellation information required by the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

Red flags

• Pressure to decide from "stock on the van" without a moisture reading.
• Refusal to name the adhesive or underlay brand.
• Cash-only deposits or a personal bank account that does not match the limited company.
• Claims that solid wood is "fine over UFH if you leave bigger gaps".
• A quote that ignores doorways, radiators still on walls, or the manifold cupboard.

A warm floor should feel quiet and flat for years. The cheapest quote that skips the datasheet is usually the expensive one - and the one that leaves you arguing with a warranty desk while the boards move under your feet.

Sources checked on 28 October 2026: Checkatrade, LVT flooring cost (March 2026 table); Checkatrade, Laminate flooring cost; Checkatrade, Engineered wood flooring cost (June 2026 table); Citizens Advice, Before you get work done on your home; Consumer Rights Act 2015. Prices are national guide figures; London quotes vary. Always follow the floor and heating manufacturers' instructions. Nothing here is legal advice.