Laminate or Vinyl?

[Spirael]

The house we're in the process of buying currently has no flooring, but a budget has been provided to get 'mid range' flooring laid.

Long story in a nutshell, it's new build but the building firm went bust so it's being sold and organised by the bank that swallowed the assets. As such it's not the building firm supplying/fitting the carpets but a known flooring company.

My current job is to decide before the end of the week what flooring I want in each room!

DD is a toddler and we're intending more children, so carpet for the stairs, landing and bedrooms is going to be a speckled colour and the most indestructable one I can afford find. Tiles are not included in the budget, and I find them a bit cold anyway, so bathrooms are going to be vinyl.

My question however is for the lounge, kitchen, entrance hall, WC and utility room - or the entirety of the ground floor. I would rather avoid carpet and stick with a hard floor and cheap rugs while DD is toilet training young.

So has anyone got any wisdom or words of advice regarding the decision between laminate and vinyl?

We're moving to somewhere where the downstairs is entirely tiled. Where we currently live has beautiful parquet flooring, but I am sick of DS injuring himself every time he falls, as it's just so hard. I never, ever thought I would say these words, but I am going to get cushioned vinyl.

We have vinyl plank flooring throughout the ground floor and its brilliant. It used to be a mix of carpet, tiles and laminate but was a nightmare to keep clean and we always found the tiles and laminate really cold underfoot. Weirdly although the vinyl is laid straight on top of concrete it feels softer underfoot than the tiles or laminate and younger DC are much less likely to hurt themselves if they fall over. Have to sweep lots but a quick swish round with a mop and its clean again, would recommend any day.