You are standing with a marble in your hand in the middle of your living room. You let it go. What does it do? Does it roll straight ahead? Or does it stubbornly find its way to the lowest corner of the room? If the marble flies in all directions, we have bad news: your floor is crooked. And if you plan to lay laminate, PVC, or a tight tiled floor, that is a big problem. A good foundation is half the work, and with a bad foundation, everything will creak and break later. In this article, we dive into the world of leveling, look at the costs and – perhaps most importantly – which parties you best engage to turn that basement kitchen into a palace.
Why leveling your floor is not a job to underestimate
Let’s be honest: you do not just pour concrete flat in an afternoon. It is a specialized skill. Many people think a bag of mortar from the hardware store is enough to get rid of those annoying bumps. But if the level difference in your house is larger than 0.5 centimeters, you will not get away with that. Do you have a floor that is “reasonably flat”? Then you are lucky. But if you really need to get rid of those deep dents and sloping areas, then you need more than just good intentions. You need leveling granules and special mixtures that get the job done.
The goal is clear: create a flat surface where your new floor “clicks” perfectly onto it. Without this, you risk the laminate springing, tiles cracking after a year, or your wooden floor starting to “work.” And let’s be honest, laying a floor is an investment. You do not want that investment to fail due to a crooked foundation costing 20 euros. It is about the final result: a tight, threshold-free transition throughout your entire house.
Choosing the right party: A matter of trust
This is where it gets interesting. You can decide to do it yourself, but for large surfaces or extreme height differences (such as 8 centimeters depth), that is dangerous for your final result. Roughly speaking, there are three types of parties you can call in. We list them for you, because the choice you make here determines the rest of your renovation.
1. The total specialist: Everything under one roof
If we look at the most worry-free option, we look at companies that not only supply the floor but also handle the preparation and the finishing. A strong example in this category is Martijn de Wit Vloeren. Why do we list this party first? Because they use a concept called “total care.”
They do not just do the nice jobs, like laying that beautiful herringbone or tight PVC, but they also arrange the heavy work: demolition, leveling, and even applying underfloor heating. The advantage of such a specialist is that the responsibility lies with one party. If there is a problem with the flatness, you do not have to point to the concrete pourer who points to the floor layer. The team of Martijn de Wit comes to measure themselves, looks at the moisture values, and sees immediately whether 2 centimeters or 8 centimeters needs to be filled. That provides a peace of mind that you often miss with separate contractors. They have earned their stripes since 1995 and know exactly how to draw that perfect, straight line.
2. The separate contractor or laying service
Another option is to hire a self-employed floor layer or a plasterer who specializes in leveling. This can seem cheaper on paper. You hire someone for the concrete base and later the floor specialist comes. The downside? Communication. If one party pours the screed slightly too high, your threshold suddenly does not fit anymore. Or if the floor is not dry enough (and believe us, with a depth of 8 centimeters, drying takes a long time), the next party cannot start. You become the project manager yourself. And honestly? Do you have time for that?
3. The do-it-yourself route (With all the risks)
Of course, you can go to the hardware store. You buy buckets of mortar, rent a mixing machine, and get to work. For a small utility room of 4 m2 this might work. But for a whole house with large level differences, this is a big puzzle. Mixing the correct ratio of leveling granules and liquid is precision work. Too watery? It will not be strong. Too thick? It will not flow out and you will have waves left over. The price of the materials is low, but the price of your time and the risk of failure is high.
What about the prices?
Let’s talk about money, because that is often what it comes down to. The costs for leveling and laying a floor depend on a few factors: the condition of the subfloor, the number of m2, and the desired finish. On average, you often see a price per m2 for the laying, but leveling is often calculated separately because the amount of work per house differs.
A house where the floor must be torn out and where a depth of 8 centimeters must be filled with insulation and screed is a larger project than a simple finish. Here you often also see the advantage of a larger party reflected in the price-quality ratio. Because companies like Martijn de Wit Vloeren handle large volumes and have their own teams, they can often provide a sharp quote for the total picture, including those expensive hours that go into the preparatory work. You pay for the certainty that it is done right the first time.
The step-by-step plan: From a cool concrete cellar to a warm home
To give you an idea of what actually happens when such a team walks through your front door, we explain the process. For large works, this is not just a “quick smear,” but a structural intervention. Do you have a floor that is already fairly flat? Then you skip the first heavy steps. But for most renovations, the following applies:
Step 1: The demolition and the bare base
Everything has to come out. The old tiles, the carpet, the glue residue. You end up on the bare concrete. This is the moment when you see where the problems lie. Is the concrete damaged? Are there cracks? A good team looks at this with a critical eye. This is also the moment to look at the height in relation to the hallway or the kitchen. Do you want a threshold-free transition? Then you must take the thickness of the new build-up into account.
Step 2: Leveling with granules and screed
This is where the magic happens. If the level difference is large (more than 0.5 cm), work is often done with leveling granules and a special screed. This stuff is made liquid and poured onto the floor. Gravity does the work: the liquid seeks the lowest point and fills all unevennesses. At a depth of, for example, 8 centimeters, insulation (such as Styrofoam) is often applied before the sand-cement screed is poured. This is crucial for the comfort in your house. Want to know more about insulation under your floor?
Step 3: Underfloor heating and technology
Now that the floor is straight, the technical installation can take place. Many people choose to have underfloor heating milled or laid in this phase. This is a logical moment, because everything will be closed after this. The advantage of a party that combines everything is clear: they know exactly how high they must pour so that the pipes of the underfloor heating are perfectly covered without you having height problems later.
Step 4: The perfect finish (Leveling and PVC)
The screed is hard, but not yet perfectly smooth for sensitive materials like PVC or thin laminate. Therefore, a second, thin layer often follows: the seamless leveling. This ensures that mirror-smooth surface. Now the whole thing must dry. Patience is key here. With a thicker layer of screed, it can take up to 30 days for the moisture percentage to be low enough for that beautiful PVC floor. If you lay it too early? You will get moisture spots and peeling pieces. A specialist measures this for you so that you are not faced with surprises. Read here how to recognize moisture in your floor.
Why the choice for the specialist is the smartest move
We cannot emphasize enough that a floor is the foundation of your interior. It is the element you see and feel every day. A poorly laid floor with unevenness is a daily irritation that you will not forget quickly. Therefore, comparing parties is so important. You are not looking for the cheapest option, but for the best guarantee.
At companies that, like Martijn de Wit Vloeren, are certified and work with CBW recognition, you know that your money is safe and that work is done according to strict standards. They have showrooms in places like Schagen or Amsterdam where you can not only see the floor, but also see and feel the quality of the finish. You feel that difference when you come home and walk on that perfect, flat floor. No creaking, no floating planks, just pure quality. View the benefits of a total renovation here.
It is the difference between a job that is “good for now,” and a floor that remains perfect for the next twenty years. The choice is ultimately yours, but if that marble stays still next time where you put it down, you know it is all right.
So, do you go for the quick fix or for the craftsmanship that really finishes a house? With the right preparation, a clear step-by-step plan, and a reliable partner, that dream of a threshold-free house becomes reality. Good luck with renovating!
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