Few rental property owners enjoy the necessary expense of regularly changing their Manhattan Beach rental homes’ carpet every few years. Have you considered letting go of the carpet in your rental for good? Nowadays, more rental property owners are choosing hard-surface flooring instead of wall-to-wall carpeting for their properties. This might be a bit extreme for some but there are some good points about getting rid of carpet that make many Manhattan Beach rental property owners and tenants seriously consider this option.
Reason #1: Cleanliness
One of the downsides of having a carpet in a rental home is the difficulty of keeping it clean. While you may have the carpets professionally cleaned between each tenant, the tenants may not do it themselves. Long-term tenants may also mean those carpets have a long-term accumulation of dirt and grime. Bad smells easily cling to carpet fibers especially when the carpet doesn’t get a regular and proper cleaning. Your tenants may have the carpet cleaned but it is likely that they do not enjoy the expense of getting someone to do it or the time they have to spend doing it themselves.
Hard-surface flooring, like laminate or tile, in comparison, is easier to maintain. These kinds of flooring can be scrubbed clean in a short time and as often as the tenant desires to ensure that there are no stains or bad 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
Water leaks and floods are the banes of carpets. The hassle of cleaning up soaked carpets can be a good enough reason to get rid of it altogether. Even a simple plumbing issue can turn into major flooding inside a rental house, and once carpets are wet, they become a big problem. Mold can grow under soaked carpets so these, as well as the sub-flooring, pad, and carpeting, have to be pulled out immediately and dried thoroughly. If drying the carpet isn’t possible, it will need to be replaced. If a flooding situation isn’t dealt with promptly and effectively, you could endanger your residents’ health and set yourself up for serious liability.
Most hard-surface flooring– with the exception of hardwood– are often easier to deal with in flooding situations. Properly installed laminate and vinyl are very water-resistant and easily dry out. This means you no longer have to spend on expensive restoration or flooring replacement.
Reason #3: Longevity
Carpets usually have a five-year life span before they need to be replaced. Some landlords extend that to seven years only to be met with unpleasant consequences. Residents do not like living on top of thin, stained carpets and tend to leave a rental if the carpet isn’t replaced in a timely manner. The old carpeting is unsightly and dangerous at the same time. As carpet ages, carpet tack emerges from underneath and can cause injury. Cheap carpets don’t last long under rental property conditions.
Hard-surface flooring has more longevity. While a tenant can potentially damage a hard-surface floor, most tile or laminate flooring should be good for at least ten to twenty years and even more. Costing roughly the same as carpet, laminate flooring does not need to be replaced as often, thus making it a better option for rental properties.
Reason #4: Modern Look
Finally, wall-to-wall carpeting can sometimes make a rental property’s interior look outdated. Most modern homes keep carpet to a minimum, usually just a small one in the bedroom, or none at all. Using attractive laminate flooring instead of carpet in the main living areas can give your rental a more modern look. Unlike carpet, which a tenant can’t change, hard-surface flooring lets tenants add rugs or decor items without compromising cleanliness or longevity. Modern laminate tiles have a variety of sizes, colors, and patterns, including wood-look tiles that instantly upgrade your rental minus the hassle and cost of using real hardwood.
Given all the benefits of hard-surface flooring, it is no wonder why some rental property owners are opting for it instead of carpet! 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 California Coast a call at 310-535-2150. Our team of Manhattan Beach 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.
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