Renovations

[Brianrpaul98]

Hi,

I am renovating some apartment suites that are one`s, two`s and bachelors. When deciding on a strategy for the floors I am wondering what I should do materials wise. Just wondering if anyone has a set model that they have found makes the most sense?

For example, my renovater had a question for me this morning when he thought running the laminate right into the kitchen would look great, which we have to weigh against durability. He suggested definitely lino or tile for the entry however.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

Best reg,
Brian

 

[realfortin]

Personally I wouldn`t put laminate in the kitchen. If a spill is left unchecked then it seeps into the cracks and bubbles it up. I wouldn`t put it in my own house in the kitchen let alone in a tenant`s that doesn`t care(as much).

I think either tile or lino in the kitchen. Tile if it is upscale, lino if it is not. You can get decent looking lino these days. The stuff that looks like tile can look nice in some places


Real

 

[DonCampbell]

We are using a lot of laminate in our rental apartments. We usually don`t put it in the bathrooms, bedrooms or kitchen. Bathroom and kitchen because of water issues (we use lino), bedrooms because it doesn`t get that much wear and tear in there anyway.

 

[Brianrpaul98]

Don, what do you use in the bedrooms?

Thanks,
/Brian

QUOTE (DonCampbell @ Aug 15 2008, 03:21 PM) We are using a lot of laminate in our rental apartments. We usually don`t put it in the bathrooms, bedrooms or kitchen. Bathroom and kitchen because of water issues (we use lino), bedrooms because it doesn`t get that much wear and tear in there anyway.

 

[DonCampbell]

QUOTE (Brianrpaul98 @ Aug 15 2008, 01:58 PM) Don, what do you use in the bedrooms?

Thanks,
/Brian

We use low pile carpet, long wear.

 

[tbarcier]

I`ll tell you, In my place I just got, I thought I had tile in the kitchen, turns out its lino, you cant really tell unless you get close. there is some quality stuff out there theses days

 

[Ready4Rent]

Brian,

If you can afford the initial outlay, you should check out www.Karndean.com , it will save you in the long run.

John

 

[Thomas Beyer]

QUOTE (Brianrpaul98 @ Aug 15 2008, 11:27 AM) Hi,

I am renovating some apartment suites that are one`s, two`s and bachelors. When deciding on a strategy for the floors I am wondering what I should do materials wise. Just wondering if anyone has a set model that they have found makes the most sense?

For example, my renovater had a question for me this morning when he thought running the laminate right into the kitchen would look great, which we have to weigh against durability. He suggested definitely lino or tile for the entry however.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

Best reg,
Brian
we do laminate throughout in ALL of our apartments now .. wears longer, looks more upscale .. and costs the same as carpet ..

lino in kitchen and bathrooms ..

 

[realfortin]

QUOTE (thomasbeyer2000 @ Aug 15 2008, 05:26 PM) we do laminate throughout in ALL of our apartments now .. wears longer, looks more upscale .. and costs the same as carpet ..

lino in kitchen and area ..

Thomas, I know you do a lot of work in Ontario. Do you use the same stuff all the time and same supplier?

Real

 

[Thomas Beyer]

QUOTE (realfortin @ Aug 15 2008, 07:03 PM) Thomas, I know you do a lot of work in Ontario. Do you use the same stuff all the time and same supplier?

Real
Rona or Home Depot .. with contractor or REIN discount .. occasionally local specials .. buy in bulk if cheap and estimate reno work a year or 6 month out ..

 

[RobertDiMatteo]

I have had to repalce the laminate twice in one apartment and I have made up my mind to never use the product again. Any moisture or water spills that are not immediattly addressed essentially destroys the floor.

 

[RanjitPlaha]

As a flooring supplier, I like to use inexpensive berber carpet (level loop for students) in the bedrooms, hallways and ceramic tile or vinyl in the entry, kitchen, washroom areas. If the hallway leads from the kitchen, entry, washroom area and into the bedrooms I`ll run vinyl or tile there too.
The problem with the cheap laminate is that if the tenants leave water on it and it goes down the seams it will make the product swell and it doesn`t look nice or will chip off there. I hate using it in the kitchen and washroom, especially. I agree with most of the posts that laminate makes it look more upscale, if it were me I would use a better product like Quik-Steps in the units that you get those upscale clients in.
Ranjit

 

[retiredby50]

I do renovations, and I have probably installed most of the options. As well I have a few rental properties.

Living rooms, hallways, bedrooms- a decent quality of laminate. It is true that if a water issue goes unadressed it can cause a problem, but if you tell your tenants that they need to keep water off the floor to get their DD back, they will get it. You have to make that connection between your floor, and their pocket book.

Also, it is possible, I`m told, to cut out the few offending pieces and replace them, since you BOUGHT LOTS OF EXTRA(hint hint) when you originally installed it.(I have not had to do this myself)

Kitchens, baths, entries-Lino all the way. Best to have a product that has no cracks/joints in it. Then you`re covered regarding water. As I think was mentioned, some of them are looking great these days. More and more the norm is that new style of lyno, which does not glue down. It`s fantastic! You pretty much cut it, flop it in the general direction of the floor, it lays flat, and you look like a genius in about an hour.

I personally don`t like carpet, just because eventually it gets gross and needs to be cleaned and de-smelled, and de-cat-peed, and de-beered...you get the picture.

My first property, I, being completely ignorant, put real live 3/4" finish in place maple hardwood throughout, (even closets, bedrooms AND stairs) and tile in the entry, and baths. It wasn`t cheap, even tho I did all the work myself, but I just did an inspection, now 5 years after the fact, and it looks fantastic! No signs of wear at all. I`m NOT saying I advocate such expensive and time consuming crazyness, but I certainly don`t regret it.

One tip, if you`re putting hardwood whatever down, buy a whole bunch of those felt kits, give them to the tenant, and tell them they need to put the felt on the bottom of EVERYTHING, and again, it will affect their DD if there are scratches in the floor.

Taa
Keith

 

[terri]

QUOTE One tip, if you`re putting hardwood whatever down, buy a whole bunch of those felt kits, give them to the tenant, and tell them they need to put the felt on the bottom of EVERYTHING, and again, it will affect their DD if there are scratches in the floor.

good tip!!!

 

[Brianrpaul98]

I was just wondering for a multi-unit building where a suite has been renovated with the 8 or 9,000 dollar makeover, what are others doing regarding a pet policy.

I have some nice renovated suites now and wondering whether to consider all the prospective tenants applying with pets. Generally our buildings have some inherited pets but we are trying not to take in more due to noise etc.

I am really interested to know what policies and strategy other MUR owners are having in regards to this subject in general.

Thanks,