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Sam Robbins
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Suggestions for help with flooring for rental

Sam Robbins
Posted Dec 3 2022, 18:12

Hi!


I recently purchased my first property in Nashville - living in it for now, fixing it up to rent - it needs some work, starting with the flooring in the first floor. I’m going to be ripping out the carpet and tile and replacing it with vinyl plank. This is the living room, kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room. I was planning on DIY-ing it, but I’m thinking it might be a little too much to take on myself. Home Depot and Lowe’s are quoting me $2500+ for just the labor to have people come in and do it. Any contractor suggestions that would come in and do it with me? I want to learn how to do flooring and I’ll certainly pay someone, but $2500+ just seems excessive. It’s about 500 sq feet. Any help is much appreciated, thank you!

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Luka Milicevic
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Nashville, TN
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Luka Milicevic
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Nashville, TN
Replied Dec 4 2022, 06:42

Your cost is almost entirely in the tear out-removing tile is very expensive. The flooring itself is not expensive and if you are getting quotes from Lowes/HD often times they have a flat fee or even completely free if you buy from them. 

If you want to reach out I'll send you my flooring guy. 

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Eliott Elias#3 BRRRR - Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat Contributor
  • Investor
  • Austin, TX
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Eliott Elias#3 BRRRR - Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat Contributor
  • Investor
  • Austin, TX
Replied Dec 4 2022, 10:05

Get a handyman to install for $1.5 a square foot. Rookies use home depot for labor 

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Bruce Woodruff
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  • West Valley Phoenix
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Bruce Woodruff
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Replied Dec 4 2022, 11:40
Quote from @Eliott Elias:

Get a handyman to install for $1.5 a square foot. Rookies use home depot for labor 


Yep. NEVER use HD for labor. They have to mark up the price form their subcontractor to make their cut, so you're paying twice. And they are not known for good quality or customer service, at least in my experiences...

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Kenny Smith
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Denver, CO
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Kenny Smith
  • Real Estate Agent
  • Denver, CO
Replied Dec 5 2022, 15:45

@Sam Robbins

If you want to save some money, you can also do the tear out yourself.  Carpet is super simple to tear out.  Tile can be difficult depending on what you're using.  You can rent a machine from Home Depot and rip it up that way, going to be most efficient.  Or the old fashioned way to take a crow bar and hammer and just hammer it up.  It can be a bit labor intensive, but if it's a small space, I'm sure you could do it in a weekend.  Good news is, its really not something you can mess up.

Once that is done, I'd go the handyman route and pay someone by the hour to install it.

Best of luck!

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Sam Robbins
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Sam Robbins
Replied Dec 5 2022, 15:51

Didn’t go with Home Depot and went with Luka’s recommendation - he came in the next day and got it all done in one go. Saved me 2K. Thanks Luka and BP! Woo!!!

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Anthony Phillips
  • Realtor
  • Lebanon Tennessee
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Anthony Phillips
  • Realtor
  • Lebanon Tennessee
Replied Dec 9 2022, 19:30
Looks really good!