Refinish existing hardwood floors or install new bamboo floors?
Question:I'm about to buy an older home (88 years old). 3 rooms (totalling about 500 sq ft) have wood floors. 1 room has new hardwood. The other 2 have the original oak floors, but were stained differently by the seller, so all 3 rooms look different. Should I refinish all floors to match, or give in and replace everything with bamboo? There are some flaws in the floor right now that refinishing wouldn't repair. What kind of price tag would I be looking at with different options?
Answers:
our house is about 13 years newer than the one you are considering, we had them re done when we moved in 10 years ago. i love the way they look, both the "flaws", and the color. i think that you would be surprised how much a pro can do for any defects you might have. also, i think that brand new flooring would look out of place in an old home, no character to it, no charm, if you know what i mean. get some quotes before you decide, good luck, hope this helps.
I would repair and refinish [or have refinished] the hardwood floor if it's structurally sound. Ask the seller if he/she will allow for the refinishing in the sale price. Good luck.
I agree with both so far about asking for the price in seller's concession and the character of the floors. Simply rename your "flaws" in the floors to, "antiqued floors" and you just raised your value in dollars and perception.
To answer your question about price: refinishing will be 2/3 cheaper; plus or minus a little depending on your market. I recently had my home done with three different colors/textures: 1,000 sq ft of flooring and refinishing cost around $1400. To replace and redo would have run closer to $3000. Hope this helps.
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