Flooring for New-Build Homes in Dartford & SE London

What is usually there and what is not

What a developer leaves varies from site to site and between house types on the same estate. Commonly the ground floor is a bare screed slab, bathrooms may already have a floor finish, and bedrooms and landings are boarded and waiting for carpet. Some buyers have paid for an upgrade package, which can leave one or two rooms done and the rest bare. The first job at the survey is to walk the house with you and note exactly what each room has.

That also tells us where the thresholds fall. In a new build every room meets the hall or landing at a doorway, so door bars and the height of each new floor are planned together so the house reads as one finish.

New-build estates in the area

Dartford has grown with new estates at The Bridge and Stone Lodge alongside its Victorian terraces and 1960s flats, and new-build homes appear across the wider area we cover. On new-build estates, residents' parking bays usually make access straightforward. Our Dartford area page has more on working in the town.

Moisture checks and levelling

New-build screed slabs from the developer are usually close to ready for LVT, which is one reason LVT is so popular downstairs. Close is not the same as ready, though. A slab laid only weeks before handover may still hold moisture, and trades often leave plaster splashes, sealant or uneven patches by doorways. We take moisture readings, check the floor with a long straightedge and level only the areas that need it. Our floor screeding page explains the process.

Upstairs, chipboard or ply decking is checked for loose boards and squeaks, which are fixed before anything covers them.

Carpet upstairs, LVT downstairs

The most common new-build plan we quote is LVT through the kitchen, dining and hall, carpet on the stairs, landing and bedrooms, and either LVT or sheet vinyl in the bathrooms. Laminate is a lower-cost alternative in dry living rooms. Doing it together means one survey, one written quote and one plan for the order of rooms, so the downstairs is finished before furniture arrives.

Landlords buying new builds to let can also see our rental flooring page.

Planning around your move-in date

The easiest new-build floors are fitted before the removal van turns up, when every room is empty. If you already have the keys and a move date, tell us at the first contact so the survey and fitting can be planned in the gap. Carpet can be walked on as soon as it is fitted. With glue-down LVT we tell you how long to keep heavy furniture off while the adhesive sets, which matters when the sofa is booked for the next morning. Our guide to preparing for fitting day covers the practical side, and we are open every day from 8am to 6pm.

New-build flooring around Dartford and South East London