Err...flooring advice needed!

FreddieVanHalen

So, I have a (relatively) new build flat that and we're selling it to move. Been here a few years, so the carpets that are down currently are knackered and need replacing.

Should I replace with LVT wood effect flooring or carpets? What would you want if you were buying a modern flat?

I know it seems odd to ask here but I have no idea where else I would ask!

WiresDreamDisasters

@Emp_Fab will know!

Brize

Wouldn't impact sounds on wood flooring disturb your neighbours?

FreddieVanHalen

WiresDreamDisasters said:

@Emp_Fab will know!

I was afraid of this lol

Despite having been around for a while, I have no idea what thread you lot are talking about, genuinely haven't seen what started this :-)

FreddieVanHalen

Brize said:

Wouldn't impact sounds on wood flooring disturb your neighbours?

No, we're on the ground floor

Fuengi

Carpets in the bedrooms, timber / laminate elsewhere. 

WiresDreamDisasters

FreddieVanHalen said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

@Emp_Fab will know!

I was afraid of this lol

Despite having been around for a while, I have no idea what thread you lot are talking about, genuinely haven't seen what started this :-)

Basically you know Emp's "buying a car" thread?? Imagine that, but about laminate flooring. He laid his first piece about 5 years ago. Still don't think he's finished.

strtdv

LVT is nice but I wouldn't do a whole house in it, partly as it's a pain to lay (tiling is easier) and it's expensive per M2 and slow to lay. You need to get the rows absolutely perfect as there's no grout to fill in any gaps.
On concrete floors you'll need to smooth them too as any rough patches come through in the tiles.

(Source: I did my parents bathroom in Amtico. It looks really good and is nice under foot but doing their small bathroom took as long as the 14m² of tiling in our kitchen)


If you do decide you need to level the floor I'd highly recommend Mapei Renovation Screed. It's easy to use and got the kitchen level to within about 2mm over 4 metres, and I'm just a DIYer

FreddieVanHalen

WiresDreamDisasters said:

FreddieVanHalen said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

@Emp_Fab will know!

I was afraid of this lol

Despite having been around for a while, I have no idea what thread you lot are talking about, genuinely haven't seen what started this :-)

Basically you know Emp's "buying a car" thread?? Imagine that, but about laminate flooring. He laid his first piece about 5 years ago. Still don't think he's finished.

Ha! That would probably be me, but doing a good job of flooring is beyond my DIY limits, will definitely be paying someone else to do this or I will never move.

@fuengi @strtdv it's a duplex place so my original plan was carpet on the stairs and upstairs, LTV for the open plan downstairs.

Carpet stairs / LVT downstairs might look like a bit of a weird transition though, but I guess it has to happen somewhere...

The flooring people are saying that if you're going to sell the place anyway then just carpet the whole place, but I'm worried that carpet might be seen as so out of fashion these days that it would actually put someone off buying the place if the living/dining was carpet.

Plus I'm hoping for some extra natural reverb for a few weeks before I move out ;-)

skunkwerx

I wouldnt bother if it was me. Just sell as is and the new owner can do what they want. 

Buy a bunch of cheapo rugs and lay down for the visits lol.. 

strtdv

LVT is £££ by the time you pay a fitter, you'd need to be certain you would get the money back before you did it. Personally I'd get a neutral carpet and put it throughout the house. Cheap to buy, cheap to lay and will still look smart enough

Nitefly

skunkwerx said:

I wouldnt bother if it was me. Just sell as is and the new owner can do what they want. 

Buy a bunch of cheapo rugs and lay down for the visits lol.. 

^
This is the correct answer. 

The next owner is going to do what they want, it's pointless trying to second-guess that.  Let them know that you've already dropped your price by £x to account for the fact that the current carpets are shitty.

FreddieVanHalen

OK, sounds like folks shouldn't be put off by the fact it's neutral carpet.

There is another place for sale in our block that has had a lot of work done on it, wood floors, great lights, new kitchen. I guess I'll just have to go slightly cheaper with mine and know that I'm targeting a slightly different kind of buyer...one that wants to do work themselves to their own taste rather than buy the other one "off the peg" so to speak.

Thanks for the thoughts, interesting to hear peoples' opinions on this.

underdog

Get a decent laminate, B&Q do a good range 12mm thick and extra wide planks, so feels very solid under foot and is very quick to put down.

ICBM

Don’t spend any money on it. Whatever you do will put off at least one potential buyer. No-one wants to think they’re paying for something they’re just going to rip out.

If you absolutely must, then carpets in the bedrooms - pale neutral single colour - and laminate elsewhere is probably closest to the current fashion.

Roland

ICBM said:

Don’t spend any money on it. 

This. If it doesn’t sell then you might about putting some money into decor. Otherwise sell it as it is, and let the new owner decorate to their likes and tastes

BigMonka

I generally agree with the don’t spend on it comments, but it depends how knackered it is. If it’s just a bit tired then that’s fine, but if it’s so bad that it looks like you’ve been the kind of owners who don’t care about the property (and it’s maintenance) then I’d say it’s worth changing.

LuttiS

I think generally making sure it's all in good condition and clean is more important.. a good canvas for someone to it their own stamp on it. Lick of paint.. fill and holes etc..

westford

I wouldn’t bother, whatever you do will probably be changed by the new owner anyway.

When we moved into our first house, the carpets were infested with fleas and smelt of cat pee. A bit worn down/threadbare in places is nothing!

FreddieVanHalen

BigMonka said:

I generally agree with the don’t spend on it comments, but it depends how knackered it is. If it’s just a bit tired then that’s fine, but if it’s so bad that it looks like you’ve been the kind of owners who don’t care about the property (and it’s maintenance) then I’d say it’s worth changing.

The existing downstairs carpet is very very, very knackered in the entrance hall and doorway. It's better through the rest of the space, but being semi open plan it would be difficult to just change that bit.

I appreciate the view about not spending too much money, but as that knackered carpet is the first thing that people will experience when they walk into the place I'm thinking it might be worth doing something to spruce that up without going overboard.

Does anyone have experience of wood effect vinyl sheet? I wondered if that would be a reasonable compromise between price and a fresh/modern appearance to help get the place sold?

Philly_Q

I've never sold a house, although we will be selling my late father's house in the coming months, but I agree with the "leave it as it is" comments.  You won't get back the money you spend now, although it might just help sell the place a bit quicker.

If I ever sell my flat it'll be like Homes Under The Hammer - "rip out this avocado bathroom, rip out the kitchen, fit double-glazing, get shot of this woodchip wallpaper".  That's up to them, I'm not going to try to anticipate what they'll want to do with it.