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Just curious, why do rentals so often have carpet? Especially light beige/cream colored carpet? It seems so much more prone to wear. Personally, I prefer to rent & I really hate carpet. I know that you can't expect the average tenant to care for wood floors properly. I saw that living in Chicago with so many old buildings with (once) beautiful wood floors. When I moved into my first apt & was researching best care for the floors a coworker said I was wasting my time since I was renting I've never not gotten a deposit back; I take care of things.
Anyway, the house we are renting has beige carpet & I have old cats. I'm keeping the carpets stain free, but it's work! I wonder why they didn't just leave the tile floors that were here previously (we saw the sale photos). Tile floors seem like a good idea in this climate.
Another 'just curious' question. If you had a good proven tenant who had intentions of staying for at least several years, would you agree to switching out the flooring if the tenant paid half or all of the cost?
I replaced worn beige carpet in one of my rentals with laminate (admittedly not the highest quality) and in my second showing the couple complained about how cold the floor must get in winter! Beige carpet works because get a good cleaner in there and you can make aging carpet look acceptable. Still I'm happier with the laminate, but it did take a bigger upfront investment.
The carpets are usually "what comes with the house."
It's also cheap to replace -- tenants here usually sign the lease as a couple. But when they leave, it's grandparents, cousins, a soccer team's worth of children and enough dogs to open a kennel.
Doesn't make much sense to lay tile or laminate when it's likely going to be ripped up every year or two. Carpet can be ripped out and reinstalled in a day. Time it right, and you can have the painters in one day, and the carpet guys in the next, and new tenants in the following weekend.
ScoopLV
EDIT -- PS, if you wanted to pay the half the cost, I'd let you tile the house, sure!
Last edited by scirocco22; 07-18-2011 at 06:14 PM..
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Another 'just curious' question. If you had a good proven tenant who had intentions of staying for at least several years, would you agree to switching out the flooring if the tenant paid half or all of the cost?
If your tenant offered to cover half the cost of a variable speed pool pump to replace the energy hogging (but fully functional) single speed, would you be apt to go for it? It's definitely an improvement to the property and will (should) boost resale value a bit. And, of course, "green" is in...
We're thinking about approaching our landlord about this, as we intend to stay in this house for a long time, and we'd save money in the long run.
Thanks for all the replies! We figured it was a 'cheapest option' sort of thing. Just couldn't understand why they would rip up the tile that was in here when they bought the house. Could have been the 'cold' factor (that's what area rugs are for IMO), or perhaps it was damaged. Or maybe it's still under there?! (I've seen stranger things in my very old house in Chicago). For the record, this is definitely not the kind of carpet that's going to last. There are constantly fibers coming up that my infant son thinks make a great snack for some reason!
Called Realtor beige. It is the one color almost no one objects to...
Inexpensive and wears like iron if you buy the right stuff.
What "stuff" do you get?
The place I'm in now (4 years as a tenant) has builders grade (a buck per a square foot), which I believe has a realistic wear of 5-7 years depending on usage. Its the same stuff I had in my new construction condo and that needed replacing after 5 years. My landlord didn't install this, mind you, I was his first tenant after he purchased the property and it was installed by the seller, so of course its builders grade.
But just curious what you like to install? My LL may be needing to replace this soon. Though I'm probably going to try to live with it a while longer. He's had to do almost all of the appliances in the last 4 years.
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I've never not gotten a deposit back; I take care of things.
