It is not often that an investor needs to change the
flooring of his or her rental house. Once every few years, the flooring comes
to the end of life and you do need to install new Acadian Flooring Ameica.
which you should consider when deciding which solution is the floor to work?
First of all, you should think about the following three factors:
replacement cost, durability of the material, and maintenance cost.
Replacement Cost
The replacement cost consists of material and labor cost.
While some material is cheaper, the labor may be more expensive because it
takes longer or more effort to install. When you shop around for contractors,
always ask them to provide the unit price for both material and labor cost. The
unit price is commonly seen in price per square foot or price per square yard.
Material Durability
You also need to consider which type of flooring lasts
longer. Even if you already have a type of flooring in mind, the grade of the
material makes a difference in the durability as well. If you use a lower grade
material, it may not last more than a tenant. As a result, you will find
yourself spending money again to install new flooring within a couple of years.
Maintenance Cost
Tenants may not take good care of the flooring. They may
drag furniture, drop objects, or bring mud onto the floor. What if the tenant
has young children or pets? Even if the flooring lasts several years under
different tenants, you still want to consider the ease of cleaning and
maintenance between each tenant's move in.
The following are the four typical types of flooring for
rental properties. Here we explain the pros and cons of each option.
1. Carpet
Pros: Easy and fast to install. Relatively inexpensive.
Cons: Difficult to clean and maintain.
Carpet is the most common flooring option. A darker color is
preferred for rental properties so stains are less visible. Also consider using
carpet one upgrade higher than the lowest grade so it can last a few more
years. The lowest commercial grade carpet is so thin that a drag of furniture
can easily damage it. Carpet is known for its difficulty to maintain. You will
always need a professional steamed or dry cleaning when the tenant moves out.
That cleaning alone costs $100-$200 every time.
2. Vinyl (linoleum)
Pros: Easy and fast to install. Inexpensive.
Cons: Looks cheap. Prone to peel up.
Vinyl is used mostly in kitchens and bathrooms because of
its water resistance. Vinyl sheets are prone to tear and topical repair is not
possible. Unlike vinyl sheets, vinyl tiles can be replaced easily when damaged.
They are usually self-adhesive so you just peel and stick. Vinyl tiles are
still inexpensive and a significant upgrade in appearance from a vinyl sheet. Therefore
they have become more and more popular these days.
3. Laminate (Pergo)
Pros: Easy to clean. Nice looking. Long lasting.
Cons: Longer to install. More expensive.
Laminate creates wood like looking floors. It takes longer
and requires more technique to install because each piece is joined together by
an interlocking mechanism. It is durable, long lasting but not very water
resistant. When a tenant moves out, cleaning will be a pleasant task.
4. Tile
Pros: Easy to clean. Nice looking. Long lasting.
Cons: Longer to install. More expensive. Prone to crack if
hit by heavy objects.
Tile is the most stain and water resistant. While the
installation costs more, it increases the property value so the property can be
sold at a higher price later. There is almost no cost to cleaning between
tenant changes. In general, porcelain tiles are less likely to chip than
ceramic tiles. Therefore porcelain tiles cost more. Regardless which kind of
tile you use, you can easily replace a chipped or broken tile.