Reason #1: Cleanliness
One of the more challenging aspects of having a carpet in a rental home is keeping it clean. You may be able to have the carpets professionally cleaned between tenants, but the tenants themselves may not be up to the task. If your tenants stay for several years, your carpets may also be collecting dirt and grime for years. Carpet fibers are very good at absorbing bad smells especially when the carpet does not get cleaned properly and regularly.Your tenant may not also enjoy having to spend for someone to clean it or they may not have the time to do it themselves.
Laminate, tile, and other hard flooring surfaces are easy to clean. Flooring like these only takes a few minutes to be scrubbed clean and tenants can easily ensure that there are no unpleasant stains or smells. Unlike carpet, hard-surface flooring is also far more sanitary for young children and individuals with respiratory or other health issues.
Reason #2: Flooding
Another practical reason to give up carpet is the hassle of cleaning up carpets that have been soaked due to water leaks and floods. A simple plumbing issue can end up causing major flooding in a rental house, and wet carpets can become a serious problem. To avoid mold growth underneath, you must pull up soaked carpets and thoroughly dry out the sub-flooring, pad, and carpeting. If drying the carpet isn’t possible, it will need to be replaced. Not dealing with a flooding situation promptly and correctly could jeopardize your residents’ health as well as open yourself up to serious liabilities.
Most hard-surface flooring (other than hardwood) is easier to deal with in case of flooding. Most laminates and vinyl are very water-resistant when properly installed and can be efficiently dried out. This means no more costly restoration services or flooring replacement.
Reason #3: Longevity
Carpets are usually replaced every five years. But some landlords try to save and stretch that out to seven years or longer not realizing this can be disadvantageous. Residents rarely like living on top of threadbare carpets and will often leave a rental if the carpet shows signs of poor upkeep. The old carpeting is often dangerous as well. As the carpet ages, the carpet tack starts to emerge and can cause possible injury. Cheap carpet also doesn’t last more than a few years in most rental properties.
Hard-surface flooring tends to have better longevity. Even with all the possible ways a tenant could damage a hard-surface flooring, most tile or laminate flooring lasts around ten to twenty years or even more. Laminate flooring costs about the same as carpet, but you do not need to replace it as often, making it a better choice for rental properties.
Reason #4: Modern Look
Finally, wall-to-wall carpeting can sometimes make a rental property’s interior look outdated. Newer homes usually have carpets only in the bedrooms or not at all. Laminate flooring, instead of carpet, in the main living areas, gives your rental a more modern look. Hard-surface flooring also gives your tenant the option to add rugs or customized decor without having to worry about damaging the carpet. Modern laminate tile comes in a wide array of sizes, colors, and patterns, including wood-look tiles that can upgrade the feel of your rental without the price tag of real hardwood.
All these benefits of hard-surface flooring make more rental property owners leave carpet behind for good! Would you like more information about how to design beautiful, durable rental home interiors that tenants will love while saving you money? Give Real Property Management Investment Solutions a call at 616-419-4578. Our team of Grandville property managers works with rental property owners like you to lower your maintenance and repairs costs without making your rental any less appealing for tenants.