A new kitchen floor is only as flat and as durable as the subfloor it’s laid on. As part of a kitchen renovation in St Kilda, Ivan Bodnar checks level, moisture and the existing floor before he recommends a material. He also plans how the floor and the cabinetry go in, so one doesn’t create problems for the other.
Homeowners say this a lot, and it can mean several different things. It could be a small dip that some levelling will fix, an old covering that has lifted, or a sign of moisture or damage that needs attention before any new flooring goes in. Laying new flooring over a problem you haven’t checked often leads to avoidable rework. That’s why the on-site assessment covers these four points first.
Where the floor rises or falls, how much, and whether that affects benchtop heights, appliance clearances or the cabinet run.
Signs of moisture near the sink, dishwasher or external walls, which can decide which materials are suitable and what needs fixing first.
Whether the current covering is sound enough to stay as a base or has to be removed, and how much height each option adds.
How the new floor meets the adjoining rooms and doors, and whether services underneath still need to be reachable.
Reference photo: protecting the cabinets, benchtops and surrounding surfaces while work goes on in the room.
There isn’t one right answer. Some floors can run under the cabinetry, and others should stop at the kickboard. It depends on the material, the layout and whether the cabinets are staying or being replaced. Ivan explains the options for your kitchen and includes the agreed order in the written quotation.
01 ASSESS & AGREE SCOPE
Check the subfloor, moisture and the existing floor, then decide what will be reused and what will be replaced.
02 REMOVE & PROTECT
Lift the old coverings where needed and protect any cabinetry, benchtops and adjoining rooms that are staying.
03 PREPARE THE SURFACE
Do the surface preparation and levelling that suits the chosen material, after any moisture or damage has been dealt with.
04 LAY, FIT & FINISH
Lay the floor in the agreed order with the cabinets and appliances, then finish the edges and thresholds.
A kitchen floor gets water, dropped pans and constant foot traffic. The practical options for your floor depend on what the assessment finds:
If you’re choosing between a tiled floor and other finishes, Splashback & Kitchen Tiling covers tile substrates in more detail. Surface Preparation & Suitable Materials explains the wider approach.
An inspection can’t reveal every concealed issue. Lifting an old floor or moving cabinets can expose damage that wasn’t visible before, so the right scope may change once the existing floor is removed. If that happens, Ivan explains what he has found and the practical options before going further.
Ivan Bodnar is an independent sole trader. He does not claim builder registration or trade licences. Plumbing and electrical work, such as moving a sink or a floor-level power point, is done by appropriately licensed specialists. Ivan does not offer structural engineering or asbestos removal. Where the subfloor or an old floor covering needs that kind of attention, an appropriate practitioner is required. Permits and approvals vary from project to project.
