Solutions for cold house

Typhoon2000

Sounds like you may have solid concrete ground floor. They are not great at insulating from the ground below. 

ThisIsWeird

Typhoon2000 said:

Sounds like you may have solid concrete ground floor. They are not great at insulating from the ground below. 

On the plus side, it shouldn't be draughty! 
It could be a suspended concrete beam floor, of course, and I presumed these may have leaky gaps between them a bit like T&G floorboards?
It might be possible to find out the type of floor by checking who the builder was, or by speaking to neighbs. But I can't see any way around lifting the floor before any improvement can be made.
It's worth researching the best form of thin insulation that can be put down beforehand, and also working out the consequences of the added thickness - how much you can actually add.
If all the downstairs is laminated, then a reasonably effective layer - say up to 15mm or even more - should be doable with little consequence other than trimming the bottoms of doors. That would make a huge difference in insulation value.

FreeBear

ThisIsWeird said:

Typhoon2000 said:

Sounds like you may have solid concrete ground floor. They are not great at insulating from the ground below. 

It could be a suspended concrete beam floor, of course, and I presumed these may have leaky gaps between them a bit like T&G floorboards?

From what I've seen of block & beam floors, a layer of screed is put down before the walls are finished. So it shouldn't be any worse than a solid concrete slab for draughts.

Chickereeeee

ThisIsWeird said:

Hi F1001.

....

Yes, a carpet might 'feel' warmer to the touch, but won't actually be in terms of insulation - draughts will get through it even more easily.

.....

If you mean draughts from a suspended wooden floor, then even a layer of the thick, brown paper carpet fitters use under the underlay (or even newspaper!)  stops that. 
Carpets, and a good underlay, do add a useful level of insulation and increase comfort, as they cut down heat loss, due to conduction, at low level. This is the LAST place a radiator will heat, as their convected heat rises. Hence, for reducing gas bills you are correct, but for comfort, it is worth doing.

twopenny

Is there a void under the floor as per older houses?
Is there any insulation under the laminate?
What direction n,s,e,w does the room face?

Albermarle

If you mean draughts from a suspended wooden floor, then even a layer of the thick, brown paper carpet fitters use under the underlay (or even newspaper!)  stops that

I can vouch for that newspapers under the underlay stops draughts from coming up through the floorboards.

Probably not 100% but certainly makes a difference.

FreeBear

Albermarle said:

If you mean draughts from a suspended wooden floor, then even a layer of the thick, brown paper carpet fitters use under the underlay (or even newspaper!)  stops that

I can vouch for that newspapers under the underlay stops draughts from coming up through the floorboards.

Probably not 100% but certainly makes a difference.

I covered the floor in my lounge with extra wide Bacofoil followed by a layer of 5mm woodfibre laminate underlay. With an 11mm foam underlay & carpet, no more cold draughts coming up through the floor, and the room stays nice & warm (new windows, stove, and CH system have all helped too).

Albermarle

I covered the floor in my lounge with extra wide Bacofoil 

and now you are cooking in there   

koalakoala

You’d be better increasing the thermostat than using an electric heater. I personally would be cold at 20-21

twopenny

I also filled the cracks  in floorboards with papier mache (now you can use fillers) and around the gap ithat was around the boards +  skirting.
Then laid newspaper across the floor.
Add underlay and carpet and big difference.

The foil goes behind the radiators so your not heating the wall 
And clingfilm over the windows on the coldest days......mse