LVT vs Carpet vs Vinyl (Rental Property Investing)

So you're building a rental property and you're trying to decide what finishes should be included. What will last the longest? What will save you money? What will increase rental income?

Watch the full episode, here: https://youtu.be/H0g2Lf81gG8

Let's say you're working with a diverse community. We've talked about some of those different layouts. What about finishes? How do we finish the inside of these units?

Sherida Zenger

It was up to me, I think everything would be LVT. More so because it's pet-friendly.

Steve Olson

What does LVT mean?

Sherida Zenger

LVT is "Luxury Vinyl Tile". It's a step up from vinyl flooring, a rolled-out cheap vinyl. It's a step up from that and will come in planks (sometimes it does still come in a roll). It's usually it's thicker. When you're pulling your chair across. It is kind of what I'm envisioning.

I remember having linoleum in a house when I was growing up snag, like chipping it right you believe was a thing? No, I can't believe when my parents bought their house they put linoleum in it again on purpose.

LVT so obviously it's not a wood floor but it's more like a wood floor than vinyl is Yeah. holds up a little bit better. But I think having pets that could be a huge thing. The problem that you come to is LVT on the floor on the stairs. I apologize. It can be done but it is really costly.

So that's one thing where you may just consider I'll just put carpet on stairs but I think that's a huge need, or at least in the common areas. I know we've been doing that a lot lately where we put it in family rooms.

You know it's obviously in kitchens and bathrooms, bedrooms, you may still want to stick with the carpet but I prefer it all the way through.

Chase Leavitt

I think the biggest thing is you really want to take a step back and put your if you're not at attendance some of us might be but if you're not attending or if you're not renting you have to Take your mind there, what is the tenant looking for. And when I used to rent back in back in the day when I was single or newly married, I was looking at cost, right?

Understanding what the costs are going to be to lease it up. And then putting yourself in the mind frame of the tenant, because me personally, I'm probably gonna want some nice things... the quartz, the granite, and sometimes that is gonna make sense. That's what the tenants gonna want, or the stainless Still, the appliances.

It's just a balancing act, I think. Understanding what the tenant wants, where your rents are going to be, in putting yourself in there, in their mind frame of what they're looking for. Does the crown molding really matter? No, that's why we've probably never done it. Some things aren't really going to matter. You're not going to see your money back for that.

Steve Olson

And to your point from a little earlier, when we talk about LVT, flooring, Sherida. I've talked to a couple of builders recently that say yeah, we can put it on the stairs.

But it's actually not as low maintenance as you think because there are so many cuts and pieces and tenants are tromping up and down those stairs that it's easier for it to come loose. And frankly to slip right on the stair. So what do you think is carpet on stairs and necessary evil?

Sherida Zenger

I think it is. I just completed some townhomes for my kids. And I did LVT everywhere in the units. But on the stairs, I did do carpet. Yeah, because I wanted it to be a softer,

Steve Olson

Softer, easier to deal with, change out, maintain. Yeah, but in that kitchen and in the bathrooms, you know where there's liquid, and there's more likely to be problems. LVT is a no-brainer. But what about bedrooms? For LVT versus carpet

Chase Leavitt

Depends on the location. We learned that down in Arizona, that it's pretty common to keep your shoes on right? The tenant keeps their shoes on. And so it might make a little more sense to have the LVT or the hard surface throughout versus the carpet. Yeah.

Sherida Zenger

And the hard surface stays cooler than a carpet I know that sounds weird, but it's a cooler, you're on the floor versus the carpet with the pad.