basement flooring?

Hmm... I'm just curious on how do you drain the basin, floor trap, WC or shower. Just in case, you are at basement, can the water drain out via gravity to outside ICs? If you need piping below, you might think twice to install a raised toilet floor rather than hacking the concrete floor. If you need to do this, you may go for a heavy duty cement board on floor joists wtih expoxy tiling finish or vinly flooring. Concrete is the best substrate for tiling but you need to waterproof the area before screeding/ tiling on top.

Concrete is a great base for tile. However, if you have areas where you patched new concrete next to old, it will crack at the joint. In this event, use a crack supression under the tile. I am all for laminate in the basement. However, I would discourage in a bathroom due to the large amount of water. Check out this website for a product to put down under the tile.

http://www.tiletool.net/Crack_Tile.asp

The last thing i would put in a basement or bathroom is wood. Wood doesn't take moisture well at all and absorbs moisture even in the air. Concrete is the best place for ceramic that's why when it's a wood floor they put concrete backer boards down. I would sugest caramic, vinyl or the newer pvc flooring made by balta it comes in alot of patterns and moves just like a laminate floor.

If it's concrete, then it should be a grey color. Buy a brick colored paint. Pour paint into a tray. Use a large rectangular sponge and dip just the base of the sponge into the brick paint. Dab the sponge on newspaper to remove excess and then use the sponge to "stamp" rectangles on the floor in a pattern that would appear like bricks. When dry, paint floor with a non yellowing lacquer.

Concrete is a good base but make sure your tile set is plentifully applied. Any voids and your tile will crack.

Are you kidding? Who gave you that crappy advice? A concrete slab is the best subfloor for ceramic tile. Just thinset the tile in place.

You have hardwood, lamiate flooring or carpet. The lamiate flooring that looks like hardwood is cheap though and you can tell it after only a year or two. Your best bet would be to spend a little more and go for the real stuff that will last 10x longer!

My bathroom downstairs.

Cement Floor.

Ceramic tile.

Works well.Whoever advised you was wrong.