Should you upgrade your home's floors? Hardwood flooring makes a statement and comes with benefits galore for the homeowner, home buyer, and even for the home flipper. Whether you plan to live in your house for years or you bought the property to update and sell it, take a look at what you need to know about hardwoods.
How Long Will a Hardwood Floor Last?
Durability is an essential element of your flooring upgrade choice. A hardwood floor is an investment. If you plan to stay in your home, you need a floor that you won't have to replace in the next few years. The same goes for a home you plan to sell. Even though you're not the one responsible for replacing the flooring in your house flip, a subpar product won't help you to get top dollar. Like you, your would-be potential buyers, don't want to add on to their home improvement budget with a hasty floor replacement.
According to the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), all wood flooring can last for more than a century. In comparison, carpet has an average lifespan of eight to 10 years, engineered wood may last for fifty or more years, and linoleum has a 25-year lifespan. The long life expectancy of hardwoods and durability is a benefit you can't (or shouldn't) ignore.
Are Hardwoods Worth the Investment?
The lifespan a durable floor can have is a serious selling point—if you plan to list your house or flip your recent property purchase. But the years of use you (or a buyer) will get aren't the only reason to invest in this flooring option.
If you do plan to sell your home immediately, the flooring choice may equal a higher selling or purchase price. Hardwoods are often on the upper end of the flooring price spectrum. Even though a linoleum or carpeted product could save you significantly, you aren't as likely to recoup your initial investment.
Along with durability/lifespan, hardwoods have a standout aesthetic that is in demand. From natural contemporary styles to classic or traditional homes, this type of flooring can coordinate with almost any interior design. This, coupled with the high-quality look of the flooring, makes hardwood a product you should consider investing in.
If you do plan to sell your home immediately, the flooring choice may equal a higher selling or purchase price.
What Happens If You Don't Sell Your Home?
You've chosen to stay in your home. This means you won't immediately recoup your purchase and installation costs or make a profit on the floors. Should you skip hardwoods and choose a cheaper option?
While you could base your flooring choice on price alone, this isn't always the best strategy. Not only will you get years of wear from the flooring, but you may also eventually see a return on some of your costs if you sell your home in the future.
Contact a local flooring contractor to learn more about hardwood flooring.
Choosing flooring can be quite a challenge, mainly because you have so many options. On the lower end of the cost spectrum, you have things like sheet vinyl and vinyl tile. On the higher end of the cost spectrum, you have stone and ceramic tile. Then, there's carpet. It's installed over a subfloor, but most people do consider it to be a separate type of flooring. You can read more about flooring on this blog, equipping yourself to make a better decision about the flooring that's right for your home. You'll then have a better idea of what questions to ask and what factors to consider as you choose a floor.