Carpet Choice in Rental Apartments

Buffalo, NY · Member since 2016 · 20 posts · 3 votes

On Monday I just accomplished my first closing on my first rental property. I am looking for rug recommendations. Currently there is bur-bur in place, and when looking into purchasing a new rug an associate mentioned that another carpet -StainMaster- would be better. (see pictures below- the first picture is why we're replacing the current carpet, and the second picture is two bur bur choices and the other two samples of the recommended StainMaster-). As per the information tabs at Lowes the bur bur said they last for about 5 years and the StainMaster lasts about 25 years. Would you recommend another type of carpet? Which of the two would be the preferred as a rental property owner?

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Roy N.Pro Member

Rental Property Investor · Fredericton, New Brunswick · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes

The best carpet is no carpet. Go with a hard surface ... if tenants want, they can throw down and area rug.

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Roy N.Pro Member
Rental Property Investor · Fredericton, New Brunswick · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
9y
The best carpet is no carpet. Go with a hard surface ... if tenants want, they can throw down and area rug.
8 Reply
Charlotte Edwards
Beloit, WI · Member since 2016 · 100 posts · 40 votes
9y
Congrats on your purchase! We had to redo the basement floor in our first rental...it had laminate tiles (I think) that were popping up; we thought we could replace the bad ones but they don't make them anymore. I looked at various carpets and wooden flooring options but just couldn't bear to add more money to the house. Then my sister (who is managing the repairs) suggested painting it. It looks great. Now...to find tenants!
1 Reply
Kim Meredith HamptonBusiness Member
Real Estate Broker · St Petersburg · Member since 2014 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
9y
@Tuesday Goodband if you aren't going to stay with the Berber choice, stay away from that, it snags very easily and can't be repaired. Go with an upgraded carpet with thicker pad, will last longer. I prefer to not do carpet all, I usually go with laminate or tile
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Thomas S.
Member since 2016 · 13k+ posts · 12k+ votes
9y
Never put carpet in rentals. Laminate, tile , vinyl, linoleum, paint, anything but carpet.
6 Reply
Kyle Nelson
Polson, MT · Member since 2017 · 115 posts · 105 votes
9y
Berber is an awful choice. If you want carpet, go with a super cheap frieze and get a good quality pad with a moisture barrier (8lb pad). The pad will outlive the carpet 2-3x and the carpet can be replaced cheaply. That being said, as a flooring professional, I wouldn't have carpet anywhere in a rental other than a bedroom and only if there's no pets or smoking.
4 Reply
Tuesday Goodband
OP
Buffalo, NY · Member since 2016 · 20 posts · 3 votes
9y
Roy N. Charlotte Edwards Kim Meredith Hampton Kyle Nelson I couldn't thank you more for your recommendations! Sorry for the slow response just have been busy getting ready to paint and fix up. What type of laminate or wood flooring would you recommend. I had contemplated not going with carpet before but didn't want to completely dismiss it due to Buffalo's cold winters causing cold floors, and a family member being adamant that nobody will want to rent a place with no carpet.
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Chris Sweeney
Real Estate Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2011 · 271 posts · 106 votes
9y
Check out vinyl plank. It's pretty cheap, looks nice, durable and doesn't have the water issues hardwood has.
3 Reply
Tuesday Goodband
OP
Buffalo, NY · Member since 2016 · 20 posts · 3 votes
9y
Chris Sweeney Thank you for the recommendations I will look into that. That (water) has been one of the main concerns with types of flooring due to seeing bathrooms where the flooring is peeling off the ground or the glue has been so moist that the glue for the tiles is no longer sticky at all -the back house to my apartments has this problem, but that is a smaller problem within a larger problem that I won't go into-
1 Reply
Claude S.
Investor · Savannah, GA · Member since 2016 · 79 posts · 62 votes
9y
Check out Coretec luxury vinyl planks.
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Kyle Nelson
Polson, MT · Member since 2017 · 115 posts · 105 votes
9y
coretec is nice, but too pricey for a rental unless it's a nice home with high rents. The actual wear layer on coretec is similar to much lower priced products. I would recommend staying away from vinyl planks with adhesive tabs, they are notoriously problematic and fall apart easily when any direct sunlight hits them.
1 Reply
Kyle Nelson
Polson, MT · Member since 2017 · 115 posts · 105 votes
9y
there are many great floating or glue down planks in the $1.75-3.00 range
1 Reply
Anthony Costa
Investor · Shelton, CT · Member since 2017 · 3 posts · 1 vote
9y
I have a multi family and need to replace the carpet on the 2nd floor.
I would prefer not to replace the carpet with new carpet, instead I would like to do a laminate floor. The tenant on the first floor already complains that she could here every conversation that is taking place upstairs. I'm I stuck with having to stick with carpet and use a thicker pad?
1 Reply
Roy N.Pro Member
Rental Property Investor · Fredericton, New Brunswick · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
9y
Originally posted by @Tuesday Goodband:
Roy N. Charlotte Edwards Kim Meredith Hampton Kyle Nelson
I couldn't thank you more for your recommendations! Sorry for the slow response just have been busy getting ready to paint and fix up.
What type of laminate or wood flooring would you recommend. I had contemplated not going with carpet before but didn't want to completely dismiss it due to Buffalo's cold winters causing cold floors, and a family member being adamant that nobody will want to rent a place with no carpet.
Your winters are no colder than ours and hard surfaces are fine - if floors are cold, the problem is generally the building envelope and not the finish floors themselves. We do avoid large expanses of tile (using them in bathrooms, laundry areas and kitchens only) unless there is in-floor heat.
I encourage folks to invest in a pair of slippers and, if they want, an area rug in their bedroom.
1 Reply
Roy N.Pro Member
Rental Property Investor · Fredericton, New Brunswick · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
9y
Originally posted by @Anthony Costa:

I have a multi family and need to replace the carpet on the 2nd floor.
I would prefer not to replace the carpet with new carpet, instead I would like to do a laminate floor. The tenant on the first floor already complains that she could here every conversation that is taking place upstairs. I'm I stuck with having to stick with carpet and use a thicker pad?
Laminate can be an issue on upper floors unless the floor/ceiling assemble below is sound rated and a sound deadening underlay is used under the laminate.
We looked at a 25-unit building last year which was built in the 1970s and whose floors were twinned 2x6 joists versus 2x8 or 2x10. Even after fire rating the ceiling/floor assembly, high heels on laminate in the apartment above were still audible below (more could have been done for sound deadening during the renovation, but the owner was unaware ... and probably would not have spent the extra money anyway).
1 Reply
Tuesday Goodband
OP
Buffalo, NY · Member since 2016 · 20 posts · 3 votes
9y
I will definitely keep that in mind for the tile in the kitchens and bathrooms. It is good to hear that it wouldn't affect people coming in. I didn't think it would affect renters wanting to come in and my dad said it would actually attract him to the property a little more If done attractively. Although, it was my stepmom who was all about the carpet. Due to this being a deal with my Dad it's convincing that has to be done - even though he was convinced from the beginning that anything but carpet would be better- and when it is backed up by someone on BiggerPockets it's enough to convince that it's really is the right thing to do. Keep warm! 😊
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Tuesday Goodband
OP
Buffalo, NY · Member since 2016 · 20 posts · 3 votes
9y
Really great question!
0 Reply
Kyle Nelson
Polson, MT · Member since 2017 · 115 posts · 105 votes
9y
Originally posted by @Anthony Costa:

I have a multi family and need to replace the carpet on the 2nd floor.
I would prefer not to replace the carpet with new carpet, instead I would like to do a laminate floor. The tenant on the first floor already complains that she could here every conversation that is taking place upstairs. I'm I stuck with having to stick with carpet and use a thicker pad?
Synthetic fiber pad is (felt) is what you need
0 Reply
Stanley Parsley
Investor · Chandler, AZ · Member since 2015 · 409 posts · 214 votes
9y
tile
you can put it in and it lasts and lasts
never worry about stains, water damage, or some vinyl crap that is not quality- under 5 a foot-
they are renting space- if they want floor coverings then let them buy throw rugs- if your worried on getting it rented with no floor coverings then go stage it with some throw rugs, let the tenant know that your rugs are your rugs
enjoy
1 Reply
Charlotte Edwards
Beloit, WI · Member since 2016 · 100 posts · 40 votes
9y
@Tuesday Goodband I currently live in China where carpet is virtually nonexistent. I've lived in five houses; only one had a thin carpet that was only installed--a decade earlier--for the foreign teachers. I don't feel any different than I did growing up in Wisconsin where our whole house was carpeted. And we wear slippers here. Always. But in winter you can get super warm ones. If it bothers you, perhaps you could gift your tenants with new slippers come next winter. :)
1 Reply
Roy N.Pro Member
Rental Property Investor · Fredericton, New Brunswick · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
9y
Originally posted by @Stanley Parsley:

tile
you can put it in and it lasts and lasts
never worry about stains, water damage, or some vinyl crap that is not quality- under 5 a foot-
they are renting space- if they want floor coverings then let them buy throw rugs- if your worried on getting it rented with no floor coverings then go stage it with some throw rugs, let the tenant know that your rugs are your rugs
enjoy
Stanley:
Vast expanses of tile, unless accompanied by in-floor heating, are generally not well received where there is real and prolonged winter.
0 Reply
Tyler Brown
New York City, NY · Member since 2015 · 125 posts · 48 votes
9y
Originally posted by @Tuesday Goodband:

What type of laminate or wood flooring would you recommend.
I use the Traffic Master brand from Home Depot. It was something like 68 cents a square foot. It's pretty easy to install, and if you don't want to do it yourself, any handyman should be able to do it for you. I paid a little over $500 for all the materials + a guy to do all the work replace the carpet in three bedrooms with laminate. It'll last a long time and is easy to clean up spills.
The only issue would be if it's an upstairs unit - the downstairs neighbors will hear more sounds than they would if it was carpet.
1 Reply
Scott Schultz
Rental Property Investor · West Bend, WI · Member since 2015 · 931 posts · 598 votes
9y
Im in Northern WI and we never install carpet, Luxury Vinyl Plank, and Tile. it doesnt get trashed like carpet, and is pet friendly. tenants love it too! we use Traffic Master Allure from Home Depot, and Easy Click from Menards
1 Reply
Account Closed
New Albany, OH · Member since 2015 · 12 posts · 4 votes
9y
What if your strategy is to hold each property in the 5-10 year range before Cap Ex? Laminate, tile, etc., still more cost effective?
0 Reply
Julie Thevenow
Investor · Madison, IN · Member since 2016 · 110 posts · 89 votes
9y
I agree with the no carpet. Have you ever had to rip up carpet wet from animal urine on a hot humid Midwest summer day? It smells horrid. I either refinish the hardwood, tile or put in the vinyl plank floor. It gets cold here too. They can buy throw rugs and slippers. I've never had anyone complain that there wasn't carpeting. Carpet is nasty after a few renters. Even when cleaned, not everything comes out.
2 Reply
Andrew Johnson
Real Estate Investor · Encinitas, CA · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
9y
Tuesday Goodband I'm with the others here that would say "go for tile"! Maybe make an argument for laminate in the bedroom but tile is just so much easier to clean. And the biggest thing is that you don't get a wear pattern. Carpet is a pain because it wears out in spots (food stains around furniture) and the walking path from entry to ______. Bottom line, you pay to replace 100% of the carpet after 5% wears out.
1 Reply

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