Wish I'd read this thread a year ago when I redid my basement. Went with vinyl plank because it looked great and fit the budget, but man... after one heavy storm, water seeped in through a tiny gap near the patio door. Ended up pulling half the floor to dry it out. Lesson learned—prep and sealing really do matter. Tile would've saved me a weekend of headaches and drying fans everywhere.
Went through something similar a couple years back with our old historic place. Thought we'd done everything right—sealed the foundation, installed a sump pump, the works. But turns out, water finds a way... especially in older homes. We went with engineered hardwood thinking it'd hold up better than regular wood, but after one particularly nasty storm, we had water creeping in from who knows where. Ended up pulling boards and running fans for days. Honestly, tile would've been smarter for us too, but hindsight's always 20/20, right?
One thing I've learned is that no matter how much prep you do, older homes (and basements in general) can surprise you. Now I just assume water will eventually get in somewhere and plan accordingly—raised shelving, waterproof storage bins, and flooring that's easy to dry out or replace. It's not foolproof, but it helps keep the stress levels down when the next big storm rolls through.
I get your point about tile being the safer bet, but honestly, tile isn't always the best choice either. Sure, it's water-resistant and easy to clean up, but it can feel pretty cold and uncomfortable underfoot, especially in basements. I've had clients regret tile because they ended up hardly using the space—it just didn't feel inviting.
One alternative that's worked well for a few projects of mine is luxury vinyl plank (LVP). Yeah, I know some folks cringe at the idea of vinyl, but hear me out... today's higher-end vinyl can look convincingly like wood or stone and holds up surprisingly well against moisture. It's warmer and softer underfoot than tile, and if you do get water intrusion, cleanup is usually straightforward—no warping or swelling like you'd get with engineered hardwood.
Another thing: While waterproof bins and raised shelves are smart, don't underestimate the value of improving drainage outside your home. I've seen houses dramatically reduce basement flooding just by extending downspouts further away from foundations or regrading slopes so water moves away instead of pooling. Sometimes tackling the issue outside first can save headaches inside later on.
Bottom line: you're right that older homes will always surprise you, but choosing flooring that's both practical AND comfortable can make a huge difference in how much you enjoy the space—even after dealing with some water drama.
Good call mentioning the drainage outside—it's crazy how much difference a simple fix like extending downspouts can make. Had a project last year where the owners kept getting water in the basement every big rain, and turns out their downspouts were dumping water right near the foundation. Once we redirected them further out, problem solved. Also gotta second your thoughts on LVP—clients skeptical at first usually end up loving it once they see (and feel) it installed.
Totally agree on the downspouts—had a similar issue myself. Redirecting water away from the foundation made a huge difference, but I also found that grading the soil slightly away from the house helped even more. Simple and cheap fix, just needed a shovel and some elbow grease. And yeah, LVP surprised me too...was skeptical about durability at first, but it's held up great so far.
