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A Home Improvement Thread (Sans Tim Allen)

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by Pete Incaviglia, Feb 2, 2009.

  1. Pete Incaviglia

    Pete Incaviglia Active Member

    Since I'm now a home owner (although, I don't take possession until next month) I thought a home improvement thread would be handy.

    InkyWretch and I were considering the value of such thread — for people who own and rent.

    Just a place to ask questions, ask advice, share tips, etc.

    I'll begin. The place we bought needs new flooring. I have a little one — with more on the way hopefully — and I have some money saved up for renovations (it was all part of the plan).

    So, do I get hardwood or laminate? Carpet is out — except for the stair case, second-floor hallway and master bedroom. Everything else will be some sort of easy-to-maintain, not-easy-to-stain surface.

    Any advice or opinions would be welcome.
     
  2. mike311gd

    mike311gd Active Member

    That's low, dude.
     
  3. Pete Incaviglia

    Pete Incaviglia Active Member

    Sorry Mikey. Didn't mean to get your hopes up.
     
  4. mike311gd

    mike311gd Active Member

    It's quite OK.

    My parents redid their house a few years ago, Pete, and they put down hardwood floors in their bedroom and the basement, and those rooms look amazing. I'm not sure of the cost between the two -- I know the hardwood was pricey -- but the look you'll get from the 'wood should be worth the extra cash.
     
  5. Armchair_QB

    Armchair_QB Well-Known Member

    Go with laminate. It looks just as nice as the real thing and it's easier to install if you're doing it yourself.

    I say this despite not having it in our current home. We built and since we don't have basements down here we decided to stain the concrete in the common areas of the house (living room, dining room, kitchen, etc.). I'd highly recommend that as an option to anyone who is building in a non-basement part of the country.
     
  6. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    Mikey was hoping for Jonathan Taylor Thomas photos.
     
  7. mike311gd

    mike311gd Active Member

    It's all right. That's why Jesus invented Google.
     
  8. Barsuk

    Barsuk Active Member

    The floors depend on your price point and neighborhood, Pete. If your house is heavy on the upgrades, and the comparable houses in the neighborhood are, too, then you should probably go with hardwood. But if you're going to be on the lower end when it comes time to sell, then you probably should stick the laminate, or you won't get all your investment back.
     
  9. Dirk Legume

    Dirk Legume Active Member

    If you are thinking of hardwood (and I don't recommend it, laminate looks great), be sure what kind of wood you are buying. We decided to go hardwood 3 years ago and the contractor suggested Brazilian cherry. It looked fabulous and boy were we smug about our decorating prowess. Until, we started putting the furniture back in. Turns out, it's a very soft wood. Anything marks it...anything. Not just the heavy furniture, but women walking in heels can mark this crap.

    Make sure it's a good hardwood.
     
  10. Pete Incaviglia

    Pete Incaviglia Active Member

    I'm leaning toward laminate right now.

    For those thinking hardwood, Consumer Reports recommends Bamboo. I can give you the exact make and model number since I subscribe to it.
     
  11. andrews_mom

    andrews_mom New Member

    We have both hardwood and laminate flooring. Definitely the hardwood looks more "professional". But the laminate looks pretty decent too. The laminate was fairly easy to install (for my hubby, not me!), the ends being the most difficult. If you're going to do hardwood, go for oak, considered fairly durable. I had maple once, and that was pretty soft, lots of scuff marks and dents pretty easily. Either way, VERY easy to clean! And i have a 2.5 year old! I would only suggest getting a rug during the winter time, pretty chilly on the tootsies...

    Just a side not, consider porcelain tiles for a smaller room, like the kitchen. Looks great and very easy to install yourself!
     
  12. lisa_simpson

    lisa_simpson Active Member

    Take it from someone who learned the hard way (and is still trying to get shit fixed, nearly five months later) - if you have a contractor do any work, meet his crew and get EVERYTHING IN WRITING before the work starts.
    :mad:
     
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