Carpeting and flooring in your buy to let

Carpeting and flooring in your buy to let

9:55 AM, 20th July 2011, About 13 years ago 5

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It’s all too easy to put down the cheapest flooring possible when furnishing a rental property. But unless you want to be continually replacing it between short lets, it is worth spending a bit of money ensuring it will look good and last.

It used to be the case that landlords would fit lightly coloured carpets to make properties seem larger, or cheap laminate flooring downstairs. Thankfully, darker, brown coloured carpets are the new beige. A heavy duty wood effect vinyl will look better than a laminate with awful beading around the edges too. One of the major disadvantages of laminate is that if it gets wet, it can lift.  Many landlords are also unaware that they will require a different underlay for a laminate if it is being fitted on the first floor to absorb noise.  If you have gravel outside the front door you may even find that the laminate becomes “pock marked”- the same thing happens with killer stilettos! In fact, even a real wood floor can be ruined by heels.

A good tight twist pile carpet, preferably wool, will keep its appearance well and generally any imprints from heavy furniture will reduce, letting the pile bounce back. Try going for a 40 oz 1/10th gauge wool carpet. If you are doing the whole property in the same quality and colour then many retailers, including myself, would usually offer a discount. There is a tendency to look at wool loop carpets, but unless you tell your tenants not to use the beater brush on their vacuum cleaner you may find that its appearance becomes quite matted over time. Foam-back carpets are popular- and a good European made product will have a decent backing and stick down quite well.

Keep carpet away from bathrooms as it just isn’t worth it. Vinyl is a far better option to be stuck down all over.  The same goes for kitchens- a leaky washing machine or dishwasher will ruin a carpet or wood floor kitchen.

Also be aware of any under-floor heating and the type and don’t forget tog values are important to ensure the heat comes through and also that the electrics do not overheat. All carpet suppliers will be able to offer you the tog values of their products plus an alternative underlay which is suitable for under-floor heating.


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Comments

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

10:06 AM, 20th July 2011, About 13 years ago

Hi Ally

I agree with everything you've said apart from the Wool carpets thing. I use felt backed, bleach cleanable polypropylene in a colour called cappucino. It look good and lasts for ages. I've yet to come across a stain we can't get out and they also wear very well. They're also half the price of wool.

My brother does all of my refurbs for me. Take a look at the Before and After pictures on this property - http://www.themodernizer.com/before-and-after

Great article though, thanks for contributing.

Regards

Mark

6:58 AM, 30th July 2011, About 13 years ago

Hello Mark

I like the look of your "bleach cleanable polypropylene" flooring - could we have some more details please ?

Thanks

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

22:03 PM, 30th July 2011, About 13 years ago

Hi Richard

Most decent carpet retailers sell it. The colour in the pictures is called Cappucino, quite dark brown with a creamy fleck. It's incredibly hard wearing and does what it's name suggests. In other words, you really can clean it with bleach and it won't stain so animal mess, muddy boots, food, red wine etc. are not a problem.

I swear by it. Also, I haven't found another colour that clashes with it.

Regards

Mark

Paul Fenton

10:32 AM, 2nd January 2012, About 12 years ago

Great advice , another disadvantage of using laminate on suspended floors is if you ever get a leak or need an electric rewire it is a lot easier to take up carpet or lino , as I recently found when a leak occured on central heating under the ground floor which was hard enough to find pulling up carpets and floorboards , laminate flooring would have been much more problematic 

micky alderson

17:08 PM, 5th January 2012, About 12 years ago

Well me and Muvva are great fans of Lord Phil's (Carpetright) cheapo foamback last year using a voucher from the paper and a bit of good 'ol sarf London chat we did the whole ground floor of one of our houses for £98-00 at this price its not even worth cleaning we just replace or re-cycle, it can also be used as underlay for Laminate and has great sound proofing qualities.

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