Most desired floor: carpet, tile, laminate?
 

I am thinking of buying a house in The Villages, and I have gotten conflicting opinions on what flooring is most often preferred, all other things being equal in a house. Someone said carpet is most desired, unless you have a dog, therefore such a house would sell for as much as one with tile or laminate. I am generally referring to living and dining rooms, as even most house with tile or laminate have carpeted bedrooms.

Any thoughts on how the flooring should affect house price?

:faint:I like tile in the bathrooms and kitchen and laminate in the rest of the house. This is to keep an eye out for bugs. Just me. I hate bugs and snakes.

I personally don't think the type of floor is going to affect the pricing of a home. Where does it stop? How about wallpaper or no? Color of the walls?

These are all things that can be changed to suit the new owner. Those with an eye toward looking past what is there that can be changed are no doubt going to get the "house" they want and then make it into what they want it to be.

Pretty rare to find one that 100% fills the bill.

Me? I would tile all the floors in the house....;whether the one I buy had it that way or not.

btk

The flooring is a personal preference thing. However, I doubt if it changes the price of a house very much unless it is dirty or worn.

I agree that the type of flooring is to each individual preference. I picked tiles/laminate floor for the high traffic areas, it's easier to clean and will maintain its original look longer.

Thanks everyone.

What about maintenance? Is keeping the grout in a tile floor clean a bigger problem and expense than carpet or laminate?

I agree with all on resale. people will look past that and the house is usually priced accordingly. you pay more for more expensive so you should get a little more.
The other option is wood. I have had all and have tile now in the main rooms. With a slab the tile is much colder and harder on your feet. The grout gets dirty faster. Laminate is easy to clean but is still hard. Some look pretty good. Although wood is more, I think is it the best choice. Warmer, softer, and easy maintenance.

I think any hard surface flooring is more preferred than carpet, love the look of wood and tile, but that's my preference. As said in previous posts, it's a personal preference but I do see on home sales that if tile or any hard surface is used it's listed as an upgrade many times. I have all tile and love it, used some area rugs and it's great.

Get what you like. If you buy a used home with some flooring you don't like, change it once you're in it.

I have been looking at a variety of floors for over a year. I very much dislike tile. Hard, cold, grout, sealing, etc. I've come to a decision FINALLY. Interlocking vinyl plank that looks like wood. No stopping and starting for kitchens and bathrooms. One uniform look. Wildwood Flooring was my choice. Father and sons operation. The vinyl plank has me not worry about any spills which I may not get to ie: the fridge leaking or an ice cube that fell on the floor or the dog having leaked because he couldn't hold it and also because the dog is getting older.

We have had all own through the years--real tongue-and-groove hardwood, all tile, and carpet. The wood was warm and gorgeous, but our first big dog's nails scratched the urethane coating, so that was a maintenance cost.

Then we went with all tile on the first floor of our MI condo (the complex is in sand dunes, so lots of sand dragged in), and that has been a dream. And I really like that look too. Stanley Steemer steamed the tile and grout after a few years, then sealed it, and we have no problem. Same thing here--all tile except for bedrooms, and grout sealed. I like the expansive look of all one kind of flooring in entry, kitchen, living ad dining room.

We don't walk around in our bare feet (don't have to, because there's no carpet to protect in main living areas), so we don't notice if it's cold or not. You might want to take that into consideration, how you live in the house.

nothing compares to real 3/4" t&g wood, (not laminates or engineered),

I think it may in fact add more value to a home than other types.
In a real estate listing the fact that there are hardwood floors would be emphasized, especially here in TV because not that many homes have it.

The reason is installation cost, it must be glued down, depending on wood choice I guess $15-$20 sq ft.
I did my own so can't give a real cost

It is warmer than tile for sure.

Second choice if the cost is a concern is engineered.

I agree with Jimbo, there is such a thing as a quality adjustment in an appraisal and HW flooring is certianly better quality than carpet or vinyl, therefore it does add value to a house. Does it add as much as the added cost for HW, no but it does look better, feel better and it can be redone to look new again unlike carpet or vinyl.

I agree. We've had it all in each of our homes. I would definitely go for the hardwood floors or laminate in the living room, dining room and bedrooms.......

Ditto, wood for the foyer since Floridians do not have to contend with mud season (like March in Vermont), snowy slushy season, etc.

Carpeting is softer on your feet and easier on your knees and legs than tile but tile is definitely cooler in a hot climate. It's an individual preference.

However, tile is a chore to wash and keep clean, unless one has a maid.
Large expanses of tile would be awfully hard to keep clean.......I know just in our kitchen, drips from putting things in the dishwasher......etc.

Tile in the bathrooms.....a big YES.

I believe you will find that most (not all) go with carpet in the bedrooms. Probably split between wood and tile in living room. Tile in kitchen and baths. More important, for resale, is location, location, location which cannot be fixed.

:agree: This would be my preferences too.

As a former realtor, it was the general belief that purchasers would pay more for real hardwood than for laminate, tile or good carpet.

I DO consider the flooring as a significant factor in purchase. I hate carpet. If one spot gets on it, you're on your knees. If it won't come out, you have to replace the whole darn room. It wears faster than anything else and takes most maintenance. Wood has can be damaged by water spills, mold, etc, and takes a delicate touch to clean, but it's the only surface worth dancing on and some types absorb shock and ease joint pain.

Plastic flooring looks ok, but it mimics wood, so it really IS artificial and lacks the quietness of walking on wood. How proud can you be saying "my flooring looks like wood, but it's plastic"? I am just going on and on.

Tile can be cold and hard but cleaning the grout is so seldom needed, I don't care. You can have the grout set at 1/8 inch if cleaning it scares you. Tile is not absorptive for shock. If you have back trouble or joint pain, stick with a brand of wood (perhaps an adhesive back) that is not as solid and probably less expensive, and you will get shock absorption instead of transmitting it to joints. I know this because of dancing on different surfaces.
For me, tile is as near permanent as I can get. Then I decorate with beautiful rugs for softness and doggie traction. Beside the beds and in bathrooms, put a cushy sweet little rug for soothing your bare feeties.
don't ask me for any more opinions, I'm all done.

Jimbo, you are the house with the dance floor. yay!

Having always had hard wood, and had to refinish repeatedly because of dog issues, we struggled with this question but opted for a very high end laminate throughout the house other than the tiled laundry room and baths. Brazilian cherry floors? ...Hasta luego. Hello laminate :)

All it takes is the right floor finish to avoid scratches from dogs.

It is availible

Carpeting in the bedrooms create a nice wam environment. The off white carpeting used in the living rooms is a real pain-in-the-.......! Impossible to keep clean, and now there is a bump in the middle of the room. (the carpet need restretching). The goal is to replace it with some sort of hard surface...tile/laminate/wood? Then maybe put an accent rug in front of the couch.

and the envelop please?

(...............drum roll...............)

Bill :wave:

Laminate! Absolutely the BEST investment on resales now! And, the best flooring for those with, leg,feet,hip issues and/or comfort. Also, the best for ease of cleaning and over-all long lasting beauty.:thumbup:

Thanks for all the suggestions. I am having a quick closing on a house on 4/15. I picked it mainly on location, size, and price. It has all carpet. House and carpet are 9 years old. Carpet is pretty good, but I am leaning toward replacing it with a hard surface right after closing, before moving anything into house. Everyone's reasons for choice of flooring were so good that I am still undecided! I won't have a pet, so I am thinking maybe laminate or engineered wood rather than tile. I was originally thinking tile because I like it in a friend's house. I expect to rent it out a few months a year, for however that might affect what I should pick.

I'm a carpet girl. Being on a concrete slab is cold in the winter. I hate area rugs.
I also don't love washing tile floors.
We have a Hoover carpet machine and have never had a problem keeping our
carpets clean. However, we do not have any pets.
To each their own I guess.
Get what YOU like and don't worry about resale.

:BigApplause:

I think it's simply a matter of personal taste. We bought our home with carpeting, and although very nice I preferred wood flooring,so we changed it. Kept the carpeting in the bedrooms. Buy what you love and you won"t be sorry.No matter what you buy, it might not appeal to a new owner so I don't think it would make a difference in pricing your home for resale.

it's really a personal preference. Tile I find to be cold on feet and hard on knees as you age. Laminate is beautiful but can easily scratch or if you drop something cause damage. Carpet is nice but the dangerous outgasing is a concern for me but then again so are new cabinets and the odor they give off. I would not get carpet for pets but laminate may hold up better. Sort of like choosing your countertops, just what you prefer. Take whatever they give you and you can always change your mind down the road.