Floorboards in new extension

We are having an extension built. We have a choice for the ground floor to be constructed by having a concrete slab or a wooden floor, using joists with an air gap. A couple of the builders have recommended the wooden floor as it will aid in routing the services i.e. radiator pipes etc

The builders have said that the floor covering will be made of chipboard with a laminate flooring as a finished surface.

What would opinions be of fitting floorboards instead of the chipboard and then having the floorboards as the finished surface. What would be the pros and cons of this ?

As long as the floorboards have T&G (to prevent draft), are properly installed and of good quality I would opt for floorboards - as long as they aren't softwood like pine.

Go for the joists unless you want to put ceramic tiles down in the future on this floor.

As the couple of builder have said, the joist method means you have access under the floor to route cables and pipes. If you lay a concrete floor, once this is down you are stuffed if you want to run pipes/cables underneath.

You can lay laminate and other flooring over a concrete floor but laminate is garbage, do yourself a favour and fit real wood if its a wood floor look you want. Note that any pro' wood floor company will tell you than fitting real wood over concrete will need battons fitting. If its glued down its very likely to fail!

With a joist floor apart from the fact that you have easy routes for pipes and cables now and in the future you also have a much easier base to fit/refit different flooring now and in the future. Its a doddle to fit t and g flooring to joists.

If you go for the joist floor dont bother with the chipboard, its garbage. If it gets wet it will fail. Go for floor T and G floor boards as a minimum and you could sand and varnish BUT unles you get hardwood the standard floor boards are going to be softwood and will mark up more easily when walked on etc.

If it was me I would go for the joist floor and fit a quality oak t and g floor directly onto it. This will last you for years and is very easy to clean. I know this to be true as mine has been down for 7 years and still looks like brand new and I have three kids running all over it and a dog!

Hope that helps

Steve