Flooring for a kitchen without a damp proof course

[Maffy]

I live in a 1960s house with a 15 year old kitchen extension. Two years ago in the kitchen we had installed Karndean vinyl flooring, at significant cost given it necessitated a special moisture control layer beforehand.

Part of the flooring recently came away and the originally fitter has blamed a 'significant damp problem' beneath, claiming the floor cannot be repaired. It now turns out the kitchen extension was built without a damp proof course.

A builder says he can fix the problem by removing the kitchen cabinets, digging to 70cm, adding a DPM and replacing everything. Is there any alternative?! If old houses do not have damp proof course, could we not just install ceramic/clay tiles instead?

Thanks for an help!

 

[ree]

Why not post pics of the damaged floor, the kitchen and an outside view of the extn??

How do you know that the DPM is absent?

 

[JohnD]

Have you got a water meter? (this is not a joke)

 

[Maffy]

Yes, can add photos soon.

The extension was built by a neighbour, who said he did not add damp proofing when our builder spoke to him.

We have a (company) water meter if you mean one of those, but not one of the little meters to measure damp. The Karndean fitter said the concrete had the highest reading possible on his latter...

Thanks!

 

[JohnD]

have a look at the water meter, when there are no taps running in the house. Is the bubble still moving?

I am thinking of a leaking pipe under the floor.