If underfloor heating is installed insitu onto steel reo correctly and the concrete poured to the correct cover (thickness) over, there shouldn't be reason to see any cracking as a result from in-slab heating. If unsure, make sure to ask for references and see any previous jobs completed.

Hi bagpu55, thanks for your comment, you will find that the level of scratches that come through on the sealer will depend on the type of gloss sealer used. Polyurethane or solvent based sealers last a lot longer and are much more durable, even with animals present. Having said this, the negatives are that solvent based products take some time for the strong smell to escape in a confined environment and are not the most eco-friendly of products. And eventually the scratches will come through particularly in high traffic areas. As for the dust, the gloss will show it a bit more. Based on the fact that you do have a number of animals in your home, you probably will not regret going with the matt finish. The concrete won’t have the ‘wet’ shinny look, but you also won’t be sitting on your couch possibly looking at a lot of scratches on the floor when the light hits it just so. A possible compromise is a satin finish sealer. It will provide some shine and enhancement to the floor without showing as many scratches. I hope this helps you out a bit. Good luck with your choice and post some pics of what your finished floor looks like. Always great to see the finished product!

I think concrete makes a fantastic surface in wet areas, and looks even better in high traffic areas. The feel of a raw or honed concrete underfoot is amazing, and the unpretentious look in well designed spaces is earthy and contemporary. There are so many possibilities for colour, finish, inclusions and add ins, heated or non heated etc, that the beauty of concrete almost matches stone. For me, a huge concern is foundation movement, if on a slab, there is bound to be ground settlement and often hair line cracks can shift and become noticeable, patching is obvious and really just highlights a fault joint, basically destroying an entire floor, and leaving you with the option to tile or lay flooring over it anyway. An expensive excercise just to end up where you started. the veneer version can be laid on both pre finished slabs, fc surfaces and even timber, but the flexible movement and expansion that occurs often voids the warranty on its finish, I've investigated this option for myself, and basically th client takes the risk, and hopes for the best. As far as concerns regarding hardness goes, hardness =durability, so plates smashing will occur as it would on every other floor surface! There are large scale porcelain tiles that have a pre finished concrete look, really large as in 3000mm x 1500mm, minimising grout lines, and will be somewhat warmer underfoot. Cost is really high, so it needs to be something on your wish list, and where No compromise can be or will be made. love concrete..time worn and tested.

it is very much to their credit and will encourage them to be more careful next time and it would have been difficult for you to confront them but after all the mess is over and everything is back in place you'll be so happy that you asked and expected a better result, well done to you