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I have hardwood flooring underneath my carpet. Should I refinish the hardwood or recarpet?

Reblogger Coral Gundlach
Real Estate Agent with Compass

Fantastic post from a flooring expert, Debbie Gartner of Floor Coverings International.  I have had a few sellers with wall to wall carpeting over hardwoods, and always insist they remove them.   They've sold quickly every time too.    Every time, the hardwoods underneath have been in great shape and not even required refinishing.  Nothing says 1970 more than wall to wall carpeting...well maybe except for those avocado appliances.

Original content by Debbie Gartner

If you have hardwood floors underneath your carpet, is it better to refinish the hardwood or to recarpet? Which is less expensive?  I get this question often from my customers and it is such a lucky find when you have hardwood flooring underneath the carpet.

Westchester NY hardwood flooring white plainsMost customers prefer hardwood flooring - it looks nicer, it improves your home's value and it's easier to clean.  And, any realtor will tell you that homes with hardwood floors will sell faster and at a higher price.

What seems to be a pleasant surprise to a lot of people is that it usually costs less to refinish your hardwood floors than to recarpet them.  Refinishing hardwood is often less expensive than most people think and also, you are working with an asset you already have  - hardwood floors.  Contrast that to buying new carpet...where you need to purchase the materials + take care of the labor.  Pending on the quality of the carpet, that price can often be a lot higher, especially with gas prices increasing (carpet is petroleum based).

Hardwood flooring  is usually easier to maintain and less expensive to maintain.  Hardwood can really last for hundreds of years (in fact, I've refinished floors that were made in th 18th and 19th century.  Carpeting is, on average, replaced every 5-7 yrs.  Usually, it's replaced far before the warranty technically runs out...due to all the stains.  Cleaning your carpets annually (professionally) will definitely improve their appearance and help prolong their life.  But, this is an additional expense you don't have with hardwood floors.

In the short-term, adding hardwood floors will cost more than carpet, but in the long term will cost less.  And, if you already have hardwood flooring, it is clearly less expensive to refinish it rather than to replace the carpet.

 

If you are in Westchester NY/Stamford CT area and would like more advice on hardwood vs. carpet or, if you are interested in a FREE estimate, feel free to give us a call at 914-937-2950.

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Floor Coverings International Westchester and StamfordDebbie Gartner, President and OwnerDebbie Gartner - Westchester Hardwood Flooring

Floor Coverings International in Westchester NY/ Stamford CT

You can download our free flooring guide.  Or, visit our flooring selector - almost 2,000 options for hardwood flooring, carpet, tile and more. Call us for a free estimate 914-937-2950. 

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Show All Comments Sort:
Debbie Gartner
The Flooring Girl - White Plains, NY
The Flooring Girl & Blog Stylist -Dynamo Marketers

Coral.  Thanks so much for reblogging.  I really appreciate it.  Yes, ripping up those carpets will definitely help the home sell faster. LOL on the avocado appliances.

Jan 26, 2011 10:44 AM
Toula Rosebrock
Diane Turton, Realtors, Forked River, NJ - Lacey Township, NJ
Broker/Sales Associate, Realtor, Lacey Township,

Hi Coral:

I've always recommended the same.

Buyers love hardwood floors. 

Jan 26, 2011 10:45 AM
Bob Jakowinicz
National Realty Centers Livonia--Bob Jakowinicz - Livonia, MI
Michigan Real Estate Agent-- MI Real Adventures

It's hardwood floors in our area that's for sure.  There was a time when everyone was carpeting over them but that time is long past.

Jan 26, 2011 10:46 AM
Jay Markanich
Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA
Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

Debbie is my go-to guy, um, flooring guru when I have questions.  Her posts are very informative too.

Jan 26, 2011 12:23 PM