Carpet or Hardwood
Carpet or hardwood? “It definitely depends on where you’re at in Omaha, the price and size of the house you’re in,” said Tim McElligott, owner of Rockbrook Floors.
There’s no single right answer for all homeowners. Local real estate agents, flooring retailers and homeowners who have replaced living- or family-room flooring say you must consider several factors when determining what will be the best choice for resale value and salability.
These include the timing of the replacement; the material relative to your family size, lifestyle and pets; and what is appropriate for your neighborhood, your home’s price point and your personal budget.
One point to consider carpet is cheaper. Installing hardwood flooring can cost between $9 and $12 per square foot, compared with about $3 to $12 per square foot for carpet—so some homeowners opt to install hardwood only in some rooms rather than throughout their home. However, carpet typically needs to be replaced if it becomes stained or worn out.
Carpet or Hardwood
Hardwood seems to dominate home design shows and magazines, but don’t assume that carpeting is not current. Many real estate agents report that carpeting is still the top choice in many Omaha homes’ living rooms.
To keep it current, avoid extremely dark or light colors, opting instead for today’s popular gray and brown shades. Today’s carpeting can be extremely durable, pet- and stain-resistant. These carpets will probably be replaced by the owners by choice, not out of necessity.
Hardwood or Carpet
Hardwoods come in the traditional solid wood and in engineered wood, a composite made of recycled or scrap wood and fibers bonded together and covered with a thin veneer of solid wood on the surface.
Engineered wood flooring has opened the door to a multitude of great wood flooring choices. Some of these choices, because of availability, have become very competitively priced. However, depending on the wood chosen, the flooring can also be quite expensive. (Add $5 to $12 a square foot for installation.)
All agents said wood floors are the No. 1 choice for living areas in some neighborhoods, such as Dundee, where buyers expect character and charm.
Carpet or Hardwood for Rentals
- If you have rentals, carpet offers comfort. It is immediately warm and comfortable. You can imagine sitting, or lying down on carpet. Hardwood floors and tiled floors are cold. With hardwood, you take your shoes off and the floor feels cold.
- Cost: The cost to install and replace tiled or hardwood floors is far more than carpet
- Cost and Efficiency: Carpets are easy to clean and replace. They are also very cheap per square foot compared to installing hardwood or tiled flooring.
- Durability:Carpets can withstand a lot of wear and tear. Tiles can crack or break if you drop something hard or heavy enough. If you spill something on hardwood floors it has to be cleaned up immediately once the water or liquid gets into the wood it starts to warp. Hardwood floors can easily be scratched.
- Décor: It is easy to swap one color carpet for another. A room can be re-carpeted in a few hours.
For my home, between Carpet or hardwood, I prefer hardwood with rugs to bring a softness and warmth a room. For a rental, I prefer carpet for its comfort and warmth and cost.
Styl Properties, Inc. is part of a nationwide group of thousands of investors who are helping tens of thousands of homeowners every year. We may not be the “traditional” route, but we CAN help and we can do it quickly.
Give us a call today at 402.999.0577 to let us know what YOU need help with!