Flipper/Rehabber · Chicago, IL · Member since 2016 · 123 posts · 38 votes
I'm already set on Luxury Vinyl Plank, just a matter of floating or glued-down and if anyone has any specific suggestions. Preferably available at Home Depot and under 2.5/sf.
Real Estate Broker · 3412 S. Harlem Avenue Riverside, IL 60546 · Member since 2015 · 6k+ posts · 5k+ votes
6y
@Francis Rusnak I have done almost 20 apartments in Berwyn and Cicero using the vinyl allure stuff in Khacki Oak from home depot. I put this stuff down, paint the walls revere pewter from Benjamin Moore (I use Behr paint from HD), and paint the trim white. This is essentially the formula everyone is using now in the apartment space, and I think for your B and C class rentals this is perfect.
Insufficient information. If this is a property that might be sold later on, then go with the real sub-floor, as that will be a plus to an owner. Owners will not want the expense of building a real subfloor, even if just laminate.
Real Estate Broker · 3412 S. Harlem Avenue Riverside, IL 60546 · Member since 2015 · 6k+ posts · 5k+ votes
6y
@Francis Rusnak I have done almost 20 apartments in Berwyn and Cicero using the vinyl allure stuff in Khacki Oak from home depot. I put this stuff down, paint the walls revere pewter from Benjamin Moore (I use Behr paint from HD), and paint the trim white. This is essentially the formula everyone is using now in the apartment space, and I think for your B and C class rentals this is perfect.
@Francis Rusnak I have done almost 20 apartments in Berwyn and Cicero using the vinyl allure stuff in Khacki Oak from home depot. I put this stuff down, paint the walls revere pewter from Benjamin Moore (I use Behr paint from HD), and paint the trim white. This is essentially the formula everyone is using now in the apartment space, and I think for your B and C class rentals this is perfect.
Investor · New York City, NY · Member since 2012 · 332 posts · 385 votes
6y
@Francis Rusnak - I have just completed a couple of rehabs in the Chicago Suburbs (Glenwood and South holland) so if you want any contractor recommendations please just DM me
Specialist · Chicago, IL · Member since 2015 · 870 posts · 345 votes
6y
The "best" floor is to use the original hardwood floors and refinish them. You can sand it or go "passive/chemical. Then, use heavy duty finish or synteko.
That is the exact flooring I get. The grip strip makes it much easier to change out piece by piece and while it might be slightly more expensive than other brands or with sales, you can count on that model to be there if you ever need to do a large repair.
Real Estate Agent · Chicagoland · Member since 2018 · 314 posts · 199 votes
6y
My go to is gunstock lvp from home depot, walls Accessible Beige from Sherwin Williams, white trim and baseboard. $1.53 per square foot. I prefer floating to glued down.
The "best" floor is to use the original hardwood floors and refinish them. You can sand it or go "passive/chemical. Then, use heavy duty finish or synteko.
It all depends what you want.
Synteko is great stuff but the smell will make you pass out.
Rental Property Investor · Seattle, WA · Member since 2019 · 7 posts · 2 votes
6y
@Francis Rusnak hi! I’m a new Pro member. My husband and I will be in Chicago from 12/21-12/25. We are looking at some very distressed properties. We are trying to link up with some local investors to get some insights about the area. We will buy dinner.
We want to apply the BRRRR method. Let me know if you want to network. Thanks!
Rental Property Investor · Seattle, WA · Member since 2019 · 7 posts · 2 votes
6y
@Connor O'Brien hi! I'm a new pro member. My husband and I will be in Chicago from 12/21-12/25. We want to meet some locals to get insights on the area. We will be looking at some distressed properties and want to apply the BRRRR method. We would love to buy you dinner if your free. Thanks!
I just did my whole basement in Sam's flooring and im very pleased.
14mm thick! Includes foam backing. 30yr warranty. Made in germany.
I soaked a piece in water over night with no issues. It was only $1.79 a foot!
Im installing it in my next rehab for sure.
Do you have a link?
We ended up going with Coastal Oak LVP on this one. 1.99/sf, lifetime warranty, waterproof, scratch resistant and interlocking. Contractor said if they don't do it perfect with the glue strips it doesn't come out right. Will post photos when done.
Flipper/Rehabber · Chicago, IL · Member since 2016 · 123 posts · 38 votes
6y
Thanks for the link. Looks super sharp. I'd just be concerned because it says moisture resistant but not waterproof -- hard to argue against your soaking experiment though.
Flooring recommended above by @John Warren also water resistant so maybe it's not a big deal, but I'd think for rental waterproof would be a necessity. (or, in your case, a basement)
Rental Property Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2018 · 35 posts · 7 votes
6y
@Francis Rusnak - I recently used https://www.lowes.com/pd/ProCore-16-Piece-5-75-in-x-35-75-in-Heirloom-Oak-Luxury-Locking-Vinyl-Plank-Flooring/1000389559
Priced well - looks great. This was my first time usually vinyl- obviously doesn’t feel the same as a hard wood surface- but shows very well and is great for a rental.
The "best" floor is to use the original hardwood floors and refinish them. You can sand it or go "passive/chemical. Then, use heavy duty finish or synteko.
It all depends what you want.
Synteko is great stuff but the smell will make you pass out.
This is very true. Proper ventilation and respirators are required. It dries fast, walk able within 24 hours.
Investor · Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
6y
I compared vinyl from Menards and Home Depot last year, and ended up selecting Lifeproof from Home Depot. I think it was $3 sf, but required zero additional underlay. I liked it because it had a nice cushion layer on the bottom, was thick, and flexible. It also came in a color I liked. It claims to be 100% waterproof and considering the click-lock mechanism, I think it likely is, with exception to the edges of course.
One downside is it can be scratched a bit easier than other vinyls, but really only when people are abusing it, like any other flooring. This is because the top surface layer is actually quite stiff, while the top layer of traditional sheet vinyl for instance is very soft.
The upside is it is really soft and cushiony (lol that's not a word is it?) to walk on, despite the stiff top layer. Crazy easy to keep clean. Much easier to clean than the softer vinyls.
It installs as easy as any other floating system (easier than some others I have used), and I was able to lock the pieces that I had to put in backwards pretty easy. The best part is the floor underneath did not need to be even close to perfectly flat. I went over hardwood that had large portions with old vinyl still stuck to it, the new floor laid over all that like a dream. I hardly think a thinner product would have laid over that as nice and I would have been dealing with removing glued-on vinyl, wasting time trying to save $1 per ft.
Is it the best??? I dunno. Ask me in 20 years. It does seem the type that will likely last 20 years or maybe 100. Many of the styles out there seem to not last very long, especially the kind that tape together at the edges. I am going to use it on my next project coming up.