Flooring may just be an afterthought in many people’s minds, especially if they are new to the wonderful world of property management. However, it is definitely an important factor to consider when renting out your home, especially for the long term. Flooring products have reached new levels in recent years, giving landlords countless options for their rental properties. When deciding on floors for these houses, it’s important to remember to choose what is best for the rental - not necessarily what the owner would want in their own personal home. We’ll be covering several important factors to consider when deciding on the flooring for your rental home, including affordability, maintenance, durability, and design. When making a decision, it’s also important to choose a type of floor that is appropriate for the room you’re working with. For example, carpet is not best suited for a kitchen or bathroom. Be sure to keep this in mind while weighing your choices. With that being said, let’s dive in!
Affordability
The total cost of flooring consists of three factors: the cost of material, the cost of routine maintenance, and the cost of installation (if not doing it yourself). Keep in mind that there may also be high-end versions of these types of floors. All things considered, the following were found to be the most reasonable types of flooring in terms of price:
- Vinyl tiles
- Vinyl sheets
- Tile
- Carpet
- Laminate
- Floating wood tiles
- Linoleum
Maintenance
Maintenance of flooring may be categorized by either how easy it is to clean or fix issues (without having to replace the entire thing), and if there is no special upkeep required to keep the floor in good shape (such as waxing, buffing, etc.). In this article, we’ll focus on floors that meet both criteria, which we’ve listed below:
- Linoleum
- Floating wood tiles
- Laminate
- Vinyl sheets
- Vinyl tile
Durability
Flooring is deemed durable if it proves to withstand the test of time, feet, and furniture. With families and their belongings moving in and out of your rental home, it’s important to have a floor that can really handle itself. Otherwise, you could possibly find yourself having to replace the flooring after every tenant or two. The following have made the cut with durability:
- Laminate
- Linoleum
- Vinyl sheets
- Vinyl tile
Design
Having flooring in your home that is in style and aesthetically pleasing can make it easier for your unit to rent. It’s best practice to have uniform flooring throughout the house, with the exception of bathrooms, where you’ll want to install a water-resistant floor type. The following flooring options offer many different beautiful styles to choose from:
- Hardwood
- Vinyl tiles
- Laminate
- Linoleum
If you want a floor that meets all of these criteria, we’ve got you covered. You’ll find that the vinyl tiles, laminate, and linoleum floor types are listed under all of the above categories. Vinyl sheets and floating wood tiles are a close runner up, and definitely deserving of an honorable mention. If you’re as considerate about other areas of your rental homes as you are your flooring, you may also want to look into having the best windows and appliances in your units as well!
