# Need advice on fixing up rental house- first: replace flooring **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 13, 2016, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026 "2016-02-13T16:41:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/61 "2016-02-15T19:27:01Z")
Are you considering replacing the windows? Energy efficiency would probably be a billion times better since 30 years ago. Even my “frugal” landlords sprang for new windows for my apartment when they were doing their house. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/62 "2016-02-15T19:44:48Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Are you considering replacing the windows? Energy efficiency would probably be a billion times better since 30 years ago. Even my “frugal” landlords sprang for new windows for my apartment when they were doing their house. I should do that. I’ll have to figure out how to pay for it. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/63 "2016-02-15T20:17:21Z")
Actually when I had the power company do an energy audit they told me that replacing windows is super expensive (which I knew) but doesn’t really do much for the energy demands of the house if you haven’t done, say, attic re-insulation. That’s what they recommended for maximum value for money. I did it and I can tell the difference just in comfort. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/64 "2016-02-15T22:19:28Z")
A free energy audit is the way to go. They’ll even do a IR scan of your walls to see if the insulation is still doing its job. If it wasn’t installed properly, or if it’s gotten wet, it will be sagging inside the walls and providing zero insulation. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/65 "2016-02-15T22:53:35Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Actually when I had the power company do an energy audit they told me that replacing windows is super expensive (which I knew) but doesn’t really do much for the energy demands of the house if you haven’t done, say, attic re-insulation. That’s what they recommended for maximum value for money. I did it and I can tell the difference just in comfort. This is good news. > [@Chefguy](#): > > A free energy audit is the way to go. They’ll even do a IR scan of your walls to see if the insulation is still doing its job. If it wasn’t installed properly, or if it’s gotten wet, it will be sagging inside the walls and providing zero insulation. More good news. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2016, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/66 "2016-02-15T23:24:50Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I’m thinking formica counters–surely synthetic stone would be more expensive, right? The formica options I’m seeing onlline are gorgeous. The linoleum discussion was about the flooring. D’oh! I meant Formica.:o ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/67 "2016-02-16T00:13:26Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Actually when I had the power company do an energy audit they told me that replacing windows is super expensive (which I knew) but doesn’t really do much for the energy demands of the house if you haven’t done, say, attic re-insulation. That’s what they recommended for maximum value for money. I did it and I can tell the difference just in comfort. In an ideal world, if money were no object, I would replace all the windows. However, this is the real world, and I’m wondering if [insulated interior blinds](http://www.blinds.com/control/infopage?page=insulating_learn.html)(instead of miniblinds) would be a good halfway measure. These are the honeycomb blinds. Bear in mind that in the summer here, it can be over 100 degrees in the afternoon for a month at a time. But in the winter it rarely goes below 40 and if it hits 30 that would just be for an hour or so in the middle of the night. The front door of the house and one living room window face west. The other two L.R. windows face south (which is what you want here-- no sun in the summer, but plenty of sun in the winter). Two bedrooms face south, the other one faces east and north. The kitchen is on the north side, but its window opens into a carport. I’m not sure what kind of attic the house has, probably just a minimal crawl space, but insulation there would be a very good idea. I just replaced the roof about two months ago due to wind damage. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/68 "2016-02-16T01:26:16Z")
Have you ever watched Rehab Addict, **ThelmaLou**? Nicole restores houses like this and gives lots of tips about how to clean the old fixtures and stuff. I don’t know how much of what she says is wishful thinking, but she retains old materials whenever possible and chooses stuff in keeping with the time when she has to put in new. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/69 "2016-02-16T01:32:24Z")
Btw I should have mentioned about my energy audit that I’m in SC so we’re in similar temp straits. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/70 "2016-02-16T01:55:52Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > Have you ever watched Rehab Addict, **ThelmaLou**? Nicole restores houses like this and gives lots of tips about how to clean the old fixtures and stuff. I don’t know how much of what she says is wishful thinking, but she retains old materials whenever possible and chooses stuff in keeping with the time when she has to put in new. No, I haven’t. I don’t have cable anymore, just a Roku. I’ll see if I can find it on a streaming channel. I’ve watched lots of other decorating programs over the last 30 or so years. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/71 "2016-02-16T14:02:25Z")
Also, anecdotally, honeycomb blinds did help a lot in our bedroom. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/72 "2016-02-16T14:30:25Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > Also, anecdotally, honeycomb blinds did help a lot in our bedroom. Glad to hear that. Even at $100 apiece, that’s less than $400 each for new windows. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/73 "2016-02-16T14:50:23Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Glad to hear that. Even at $100 apiece, that’s less than $400 each for new windows. I personally wouldn’t spend that kind of money on a rental. Blinds seem to be one of the things tenants wreck first. And I’m not saying all tenants, but blinds typically are somewhat fragile and tenants, and sorry all good SDMB tenants, are careless. After too many crappy experiences, my units get Walmart or Home Depot mini-blinds and that’s it. There are brackets for curtain rods above the windows if they want to put something else up. For god’s sake don’t let them hang their own rods. The wall damage will kill you. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/74 "2016-02-16T15:00:37Z")
Yeah ours were the dirt cheap kind, and that’s for OUR house. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/75 "2016-02-16T15:52:50Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > That’s why you buy cabs with solid wood fronts. The box really doesn’t matter all that much. You mean the face frames? Yeah, but the boxes still need to be secured to the walls, and especially the uppers are going to be much, much better if made of plywood. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/76 "2016-02-16T16:04:02Z")
> [@DummyGladHands](#): > > I personally wouldn’t spend that kind of money on a rental. Blinds seem to be one of the things tenants wreck first. And I’m not saying all tenants, but blinds typically are somewhat fragile and tenants, and sorry all good SDMB tenants, are careless. After too many crappy experiences, my units get Walmart or Home Depot mini-blinds and that’s it. There are brackets for curtain rods above the windows if they want to put something else up. For god’s sake don’t let them hang their own rods. The wall damage will kill you. I hear ya. I’m just trying to think of ways to minimize draftiness in the winter and overheating in the summer. I’m not prepared to replace the windows. I plan to be very, very picky about whoever I rent to. I’ve rented many times in the past, and I’ve always left the property in better shape than I found it. I’m a renter now, and I treat this house as if it were my own. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2016, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/77 "2016-02-16T16:21:06Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You mean the face frames? Yeah, but the boxes still need to be secured to the walls, and especially the uppers are going to be much, much better if made of plywood. Ah, I see. I thought you were talking about attaching the hardware. ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2016, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/78 "2016-02-17T23:06:15Z")
Fasteners have to be matched to the material. Blum, Salice, Ferrari, hinges all supply particle board screws designed for standard 5mm cabinet milling, or push in plastic inserts for use with their jigs. Installed properly they hold very well. I install and repair cabinets regularly, failure due to screws pulling out of particle board really isn’t something I see much, and the same can happen with plywood if installed poorly or abused. Same goes for the screws anchoring the cabinets to the walls. There are specific cabinet screws for the purpose. You are not going to be able to pull any cabinet I installed off the wall any easier if it is plywood or melamine/particle board. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/79 "2016-02-18T14:19:02Z")
The IKEA cabinets actually go onto a rail, which to my inexpert eyes seems like a far superior system - you get the rail well secured where the studs are and you don’t have to worry about the studs when you attach the cabinets. They’re quite nice, by the way - I’ve been so happy with mine, put them together myself and had somebody else hang them. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2016, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026/80 "2016-02-18T16:13:33Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > [Living room.](http://tinyurl.com/gs57j82)The people had plastic over all the windows in the house, then cardboard, then curtains, then heavier curtains over those… thumbtacked along the side of the windows. What were they doing in there? I’d guess there was a lot of heat, light, and/or sound coming through the windows. That they put up curtains, but that wasn’t enough, then heavier curtains and it still wasn’t enough, then might as well put up plastic and cardboard since the place doesn’t look super fancy anyway. Is the house in a noisy neighborhood? > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I guess what I mean is I want to decorate in a style that is in harmony with the era and style of the house. > > Here’s a couple of examples of what I mean. I live in a house that was built in 1936. [The kitchen looks like 1936](http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab72/EveOz/kitchen.jpg), and I absolutely love it. The architects who owned it and used to live here-- when they bought it, they restored and decorated in a style that was in keeping with the house. The counters and cabinets are original. They installed the checkerboard kitchen floor, but it is congruent with the era. This is the [bathroom](http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab72/EveOz/bathroomVanity.jpg)(when I looked at it before renting-- with all the previous tenants’ crap around)-- it has a built-in vanity and the original tile floor. My landlords searched high and low to replace the black glass drawer pulls when they could have replaced them with something “modern.” The house has design integrity in every room. That matters a lot to me. > > Across the street is another house (obviously) from this era. When the young couple bought it remodeled it, they put in dark, very modern kitchen cabinets with stainless steel accents and the ubiquitous granite countertops. They remodeled the bathroom in a sort of Santa Fe B&B style with wood paneling and bright colors. There was a lovely inner sunroom upstairs on the south side of the house (the prevailing winds here are from the south and many of the old homes have sleeping porches on the south side upstairs), and they walled up one of the doors into this charming room (thus cutting off air circulation) in order to expand the closet in the master bedroom. > > Another house in the neighborhood had granite countertops installed in the kitchen and they look absolutely ridiculous, as they are not in keeping with the rest of the house. > > Does that answer your question? There are some people who are thrilled to have all period appropriate fixtures and design. And there are some people who think more like \*\*even sven \*\*mentioned earlier, that a few pieces are charming but everything vintage is too much. And there are some people who don’t care that much on what’s period or design appropriate or not and just like granite or whatever else cool. I don’t have anything to back this up, but I’d guess that the second and third groups are bigger than the first group. If there’s a big rental market and you won’t have any trouble finding a good renter, then I’d say go ahead with what you want and make a really cool period appropriate place. But if you think you might have trouble finding a good renter, I’d worry that you might scare off some potential good ones if it really feels like you walk back in time walking through the door. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-advice-on-fixing-up-rental-house-first-replace-flooring/746026.md?page=5)