BiggerPockets

These are two products you are talking about. Could be three. There is the peal and stick stuff that you should do youself. If the floor is not level use a self-leveler. Also use a tile primer to help it stick.

If you are going to go vinyl, have a pro put down sheet vinyl. They will level the floor. This is a better way to go. It last longer and the edges will not peal up. Most of the tiles have bad adhisive.

Ceramic is real tile. You need a breaker or saw and other tools for this. i use this in all of my units unless I am in a huge rush. You can level the floor by putting more thinset under the backer board in the areas you need to level. I use versabond with 1/4in Hardibacker. If you want to save time on laying the backerboard you can use a roofing nailgun and dont need the screws.

thanks guys.

Jeffrey, when you use ceramic tile in your rentals, do you ever have a problem with the tenants messing it up? I was told at the tile shop that through-body porcelain is the only kind of tile that's virtually impossible for tenants to ruin. But I'm wondering if a cheaper ceramic would be an option as well?

I've been able to get porcelain for about $1.20 a foot or so. The key is to not be picky about colors.

I use a wet saw I bought on Craigslist to cut tiles. Really, I use a tile guy for bigger projects. He charged me $3.50 a foot on the last project, for all the work. But it probably chopped two weeks off the project, so that's two more weeks of rent and a bunch of work I didn't have to do.

Once you figure in the cost of morter, grout, and backer board, an extra 75 cents a foot isn't a big increment, IMHO.

With my two left hands, almost nothing is DIY project, however, if you have two right ones, every job can be DIY... :lol:

If you are gpoing to pay someone to install flooring, use something better than peel and stick.

From experience, a peel and stick floor won't last long with tenants. If you choose a good pattern, they seem to be OK for a fix and flip. They won't stop a buyer from buying.

The vinyl plank that is laminated (Allure) is also a do-it-yourself. So far (touch wood) it's holding up to tenants. Just don't believe the bull that it's easy to cut with a linoleum knife. Next time I install it, we'll be using a fine blade on a chop saw. That stuff is tough. A 600 pound gorilla would struggle to cut it with any sort of knife.

The vinyl composite tiles might be a job for a professional if you aren't a handy man. But be aware, those are tough but have the downside that they must be waxed.

If I'm going to pay for labor, I'll use tile.

You can buy the adhesive pre-mixed for vinyl tiles its super easy to install. Just make sure you have a clean level surface.

Brian Haskins

Hey I use Allure Resilient floor from Home Depot. Seriously I'm not advertising for them but I love this stuff. Eveytime I have to replace vinyl tile it is a nightmare. I have seen Allure used in grocery store chains so it is definitely durable. I like it because the pieces interlock and dont require messy adhesive. Seriously tools needed are a measuring tape, straight edge, and utility knife. Oh yeah last tip is "replace the base."