Cost savings in the basement - cheap tiles or sealed screed (which one)?

Hi, since my girlfriend wants to spend a bit more money on the parquet floor upstairs, I have to see where the additional expenses can be offset. One obvious saving point was the flooring in the basement – specifically in the storage room (unheated) and in my planned workshop/office combo (planned with underfloor heating so that I don’t get too cold there). The first approach was: Anhydrite screed or anhydrite heated screed laid on insulation boards, with cheap tiles on top. Both rooms would also work fine with cheaper floors – if the savings possibilities are significant. However, since apparently the screed should be sealed differently if tiles are omitted, or perhaps a different screed should be used, it’s not so clear whether savings can actually be made... As a construction layman, the question is: what cheaper alternatives are there – and how high are the possible savings compared to cheap tiles (material price <9.00 Fr. per m²)?

Who installs the tiles in the basement... that's where your potential savings are. I have received quotes ranging from 25-50 CHF/m2 from various tilers. Then there were often additional costs for adhesive, baseboards, and silicone joints.

The difference between cement <--> anhydrite screed would have been exactly 0.75 CHF/m² for me, not much to save there (personally, I would still opt for cement screed in the basement). In my opinion, a proper screed sealing will not be much cheaper than an inexpensive porcelain stoneware tile (of course, it depends on the installation price). With a ready-to-use screed, there are, of course, different requirements for flatness, which also increase the installation cost (or require subsequent leveling).
If it should be cheap: Why not install a click floor (laminate, cork, parquet, vinyl...) yourself? There are quite a few nice options available, also suitable for underfloor heating (though it might need to be installed a bit more tightly).

Hi, as Chris_23 already writes, a proper cement screed, and then lay tiles on it. If the screed has been laid cleanly and a truly flat surface is present, you can save a lot by tiling yourself. It’s also really not as difficult as you think, spreading the tile adhesive with a notched trowel, and then laying the tiles; there are also tile spacers :) The only thing I usually don’t like to do is grouting the tiles; you have to be quick and not let anything dry out.

So I am also in favor of screed, and if it is applied well and properly sealed, then that is sufficient. I would avoid tiles, rather go for cork or laminate.

I would avoid tiles, rather cork or laminate.

Well, whether cork or laminate is appropriate in the basement then?

I do not believe that it is good to install cork or laminate in the basement. We have a screed floor and that is sufficient.