Kitchen flooring for Inner West rentals. Smart and green

Aside from the walls and ceilings, flooring is the largest surface in a home ? and the one that is subjected to the most wear and tear. And while choosing new flooring for your own home is usually about look, feel, practicality and personal preference, it’s quite different when you need to purchase flooring for an investment property.

Flooring for your rental property needs to be cost effective, durable, long lasting and low maintenance, but also, it needs to look good so that you can attract the right kind of tenant for your rental.

So we’ve got you (and your property’s floor) covered with your main cost-effective options, how to make the right choice, and where to buy in Sydney’s Inner West.

Types of flooring for your investment property

• Vinyl plank: Gives you the look of wood flooring without the cost. Easy to clean and is durable.
• Vinyl tile: Can give you the look of marble, is much easier to care for and has the benefit of being budget-friendly.
• Laminate: All the comfort of wood and suitable for concrete floors as laminate floors generally are installed as floating floors. Not as durable as vinyl plank but more luxurious.
• Lino: No longer seen only in Depression-era and post-War homes, lino comes in a range of beautiful styles and is sustainable and biodegradable, being made from natural materials including jute and linseed oil. Cleaning used to involve kerosene to give it a shine but you can achieve the same look with a vinegar and water rinse . Once easily available, now it’s more of a specialty product and available at a select group of outlets including Forbo .
• Tiles: Can be a good option for more of a luxurious look and are also hardwearing, but tiles can crack (and can be difficult to repair). Also, grout can discolour so if you’re choosing this option, pay attention to the grout colour you choose.
• Cork: Sustainable, soft underfoot and easy to care for, cork is a great choice for rental properties. Like lino, cork is a bit of a specialist product but is available from Portugal Cork Co. (Note: They are wholesalers only, so only tradies can purchase from them.)
• Eco-friendly carpet: Wool carpet is an amazing insulator (for both warm and cool weather) and is extremely sustainable. If wool is too expensive, you could choose regenerated nylon carpet that is made from 100% recycled yarn .

How to choose the right flooring for your rental

Selecting a floor for your Sydney rental property needs to be about balancing price with durability while still ensuring its aesthetic is right for the interior of the house.

If your investment property is modern, you may like a vinyl plank that gives you the fresh look of wood flooring but without the expense. It’s often a better choice over carpet as you can still add warmth to the home with rugs, which are easier to replace if there are spills/stains (and it keeps the flooring protected underneath).

But if the house is vintage, an era-appropriate lino flooring could be an ideal option. Lino is a great eco-friendly choice and, as mentioned above, you can find some incredible designs and patterns.

What’s key is understanding what would be the easiest type of flooring to install in the property. Some options may require extra prep work, which translates into higher costs. So as with most things, putting together a shortlist of recommended professionals to do a measure and quote is the best place to start. Then you can know the price range you’re looking at, and what’s going to work within your budget.

Where to buy flooring in the Inner West

While you can buy flooring online, it’s something you’ll probably want to check out in person. So here are a few local places you can stop by this weekend:

• A Flooring Xtra showroom is located in Dulwich Hill, so it’s not too far to travel on a Saturday morning to check out your options. As well as all the common types of flooring ? like carpet, laminate, timber and vinyl ? you’ll also find bamboo flooring, and a new product called hybrid flooring .
• Solomons is in Petersham, and also has an extensive range of flooring, including the hybrid flooring (which is a combination of laminate and vinyl planking).
• Bunnings is always a great place to check out cost-effective flooring options, with a selection that covers carpet, tiles, vinyl and timber.
• Portugal Cork , located in Padstow (right next to a Bunnings), is your go-to for everything you need to know about cork flooring. As mentioned above, they are wholesalers only, but you can always contact them to ask any questions you have about the product.
• Todays Flooring is located in Strathfield, supplying and installing an extensive range of hardwood, engineered timber, bamboo, waterproof laminate, vinyl, carpet and tile.

Can we help with your Inner West home?

Whether you’re ready to sell or need help to rent your investment property, we have the experience and local knowledge to make your property journey easier.

Looking for help selling your home or renting your investment property? Our team at Belle Property Balmain support homeowners across Balmain, Balmain East, Birchgrove, Rozelle and Lilyfield. Feel free to get in touch for a no-obligation discussion or property appraisal.