Village Houses · Terracotta · Stone · Uneven Bases
Polop's older houses were built long before laser levels. Their floors dip, step and bend, and a good tiling job here respects that while still giving you a surface that is smooth, safe and easy to live on.
Polop is a small inland village, and a good proportion of its homes are older houses with thick walls, small windows and floors that have been replaced, raised and patched over time. A tiler quickly learns that no two rooms here behave alike.
Around the village, hillside villas are more regular, with straighter slabs and open rooms. For these, owners tend to choose the same kind of porcelain floors seen elsewhere on the coast, just with views over the valley.
We approach each house on its own terms. Before we promise a finish, we tap the floor, check it against a long rule and ask about its history, because past damp or a previous rushed repair can make all the difference.
Old floors
An old village floor may be made of tile on screed on stone, or of boards, or of earth beneath a thin topping. We find out what is there by opening a small test area. That can save a great deal of trouble compared with discovering it halfway through.
Rising damp is common in ground-floor rooms of older houses. If a floor is cold and slightly damp, new tiles will not cure it. We tell you plainly, and where treatment is needed first, we can bring in our damp specialists.
We also check the walls, because a tile floor stops at the skirting and an unsound plaster edge there will show. Repairs to the lower wall are often part of the quote. Taking a little time at the start is the cheapest part of the whole job, and it saves rework later.
Materials
Terracotta and natural stone suit these houses well. They are not perfectly uniform, and that is the appeal. Colour shifts, small marks and slight differences in thickness are normal and give a floor depth. We show you samples, but real pieces will vary.
Both need sealing, and both need a sensible cleaning routine afterwards. We explain which products to avoid, since strong acids damage stone and some cleaners leave marks on terracotta. We avoid brand claims and stick to what works in practice.
If you prefer something lower-maintenance, porcelain that echoes a stone or clay look is a fair compromise, and we can pair it with rustic details such as a stone threshold. Sealing is not optional with these materials, and we apply it at the right time, once the floor is clean and dry.
Levels
There is a limit to how flat a very old floor should be made. A thick levelling layer adds height and weight, may bring the floor up against old doors and can look odd beside irregular walls.
We often suggest levelling most of the error, not all of it. Steps between rooms are part of the charm of older houses, but a worn or inconsistent step is a hazard. We can rebuild and tile them properly, with a trim that protects the edge.
For villa owners on the hills around the village, preparation is simpler, and we move quickly to laying large tiles with clean, tight joints. Our builders can stiffen or repair the base where a tile floor would otherwise be laid on something that moves.
How it works
We visit, test the floor, measure the rooms and talk about what you want from the finished house. You get a written quotation separating any preparation from the laying, so a difficult base is not hidden in the total.
Work is carried out room by room, with careful protection of old walls and woodwork. Owners who live abroad receive photos and short videos, and decisions on layout and sealing are checked with you before we finish.
Questions
Yes, after we have checked what the floor is built from. We level most of the unevenness, but not always all of it, so the room still suits its old walls and doors. We explain the compromise.
It fits well and stays cool, but it needs sealing and sensible cleaning. It varies in colour and finish, so we recommend looking at samples and understanding the upkeep before deciding.
Not before finding the cause. New tiles over a damp base can fail or trap moisture. We inspect the room and, if needed, involve our damp proofing team to treat the problem before laying.
Yes. Villas on the surrounding slopes are usually simpler to tile, and we work there regularly, from living rooms to terraces, with the same attention to preparation.
Across the area
Polop sits close to the coast and to several larger towns, where we work throughout that area. Nearby pages explain how floors differ from place to place.
Tiling and flooring in Benidorm flats: removing old tiles, levelling, porcelain, laminate and bathrooms, planned around blocks and neighbours. Free quotation.
View Benidorm →Tiling and flooring in Altea: uneven old town floors, traditional tiles and stone, modern porcelain for coastal villas, careful access. Free quotation.
View Altea →Tiling and flooring in La Nucía villas: large-format porcelain, open-plan living areas, stairs and empty-house timing, with levelling first. Free quotation.
View La Nucía →Tiling and flooring in Finestrat: split-level hillside homes, steps and stairs, terraces with sun exposure and Cala de Finestrat apartments. Free quotation.
View Finestrat →Tiling and flooring in Calpe: salt-resistant choices for seafront flats, hardwearing holiday-let floors, villa porcelain, sealed bathrooms. Free quotation.
View Calpe →Tiling and flooring in Alfaz del Pi and Albir: replacing tired floors in villas and flats, wood-effect porcelain, bathrooms and kitchens. Free quotation.
View Alfaz del Pi & Albir →Tiling and flooring in Benissa: fincas with large rooms and old floors, natural stone, old town houses and coastal villas, prepared carefully. Free quotation.
View Benissa →Tiling and flooring in Villajoyosa (La Vila Joiosa): durable floors for year-round family homes, old-street townhouses, seafront flats. Free quotation.
View Villajoyosa →Tiling and flooring in Callosa d'en Sarrià, where Dragon Reforms is based: village houses, fincas, hillside terraces and valley homes. Free quotation.
View Callosa d'en Sarrià →Tiling and flooring in Albir: holiday and second-home flats near the promenade, hillside villas below the Sierra Helada, fitted to visits. Free quotation.
View Albir →Get in touch
Tell us about the house, its age and the floors you have now. We will come to look, explain what is realistic and send a written quotation that costs you nothing.
If you are overseas, we can plan the work from photos and calls, and update you throughout as the floors go down.
Customer reviews
Genuine Google reviews from Dragon Reforms customers.
Professional Collaboration & Complete House Renovation – Calpe
“We have been collaborating for many years on projects both large and small, with excellent results. Our latest collaboration was the complete renovation of a house in Calpe. Thanks to their professionalism and reliability, they were able to handle all phases of the project. We hope to continue working together for many years to come.”
Complete Apartment Renovation – Benidorm
“I would like to say a huge thank you to Dragonreforms. Nico and his team did an excellent job renovating our 2 bedroom apartment in Benidorm. This included a beautiful new bathroom, kitchen, flooring, interior doors, plumbing and complete electrical works. Truly amazing workmanship. You have made our dreams come true.”
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