Tile,Laminate,Carpet What to choose?

Question

It is flooring time again in a duplex I own I was quoted $1750 for a 114 sq yds of commercial grade carpet. I can buy 8 mm laminate for about 99c a foot or porcelain tile for about the same which would work out to about 1000 sq ft .I am estimating about a buck a sq for laminate install or 2 bucks a sq for tile What is the best solution?The areas would be living room and bedrooms

Zana Blue · Answer

Tile all the way for rentals and lots of  home buyers like tile too !

Jassem A. · Answer

I usually do laminate for rentals because it holds up better to tenant abuse. Can find it for 0.29 to 0.59/sqft where I'm at and that size house would be a 2-3 day job for one person.

Gabe G. · Answer

I have been going back and forth on this.

I know for one thing. Carpet is not the way to go. Tenants destroy that in a 1-3 years.

I am trying laminate(cheap) in a rental right now, though its' dark in color(didnt really think) and I am sure it will start chipping and be more noticeable. I have real hardwood in another, which I think is the best choice, if it's already in the home. And I installed ceramic tile in the kitchen/bath of another.

I think the best combo, for me, will be a light laminate in living areas and bedrooms

And ceramic tile in kitchen and bath.

Tile and laminate, I think you are going to get the most years out of.

Anh Truong · Answer

Trevor gave a great advice, vinyl can last a long time and it's easy to replace. You can simply pull it off, if you decide to replace with laminate, tile or carpet. They can withstand renter abuse and give a modern feel. Very cheap

I was going to purchase this property- it was a rental property as u can tell from tile cieling, bland wall painting, and tile floor. Some of the tiles were uneven, and it's 10x harder to replace. you would need a jack hammer if you decide to raplce. It was  like waking up from a hospital nightmare and i have dealt with many houses that has been condemn by the government. I decided not to purchase this property, instead bought a house that already has rough hardwood floors (sand, stain, and seal) I do have tiles in two of my other rental homes though, one is marble and looks outdated. The other is a huge black and white tile checker board and it looks like a million bucks.

JD Martin · Answer

Personally, I would go with the laminate if it is a light color. Tile looks expensive and holds up well to traffic and liquid but breaks much easier than you think. Even when you think you are being careful, things will get dropped, and those things will break or chip the tile. A good laminate that is light in color will look good for a long time.

Like my company commander said when I was in boot camp about the carpet, "Not only no, but hell no" , except he didn't say hell :D  .

Anh Truong · Answer

I agree tile can be less maintenance for rental homes, it can withstand renter abuse. However, one day if you decide to sell the property, it will be much more harder. It's unpopular to home buyers and very cold feet in the winter. Tile isn't easy to uninstall. They're much more suited for kitchens and bathroom floors. I would go with laminate, or engineer hardwood floors. There are some engineer hardwood floors for cheap at lumber liquidaters or floor decor. It's easier to install by yourself.

Account Closed · Answer

Central Texas - As I type, tile is being placed in my 1200 square foot rental house, 100% tile in the home. Tenants, over time, have destroyed everything else that has been in there: wood, carpet, vinyl, laminate...everything. Got 12" x 12" tile from Home Depot (commercial grade) for $0.57 a square foot! And, it's actually attractive. Scoured craigslist and spoke with 22 contractors plus local tile installing companies (and Home Depot) and found a guy who is doing the entire, straight lay (simple pattern) for the house for $2,300.00, around $1.92 per square foot installed. I took 2 full weeks to find a tile installer...Good luck!

Tile,Laminate,Carpet What to choose?

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