Asking Management to Change Out Flooring? Good Questions

Q: I moved in with my boyfriend, who obviously didn't care at all about having an apartment with hardwood floors, and we have a hideous tile all throughout the whole place. He's been here a total of five years (me three), and we've seen countless tenants move in and out, and they always install hardwood floors in units that are about to be rented out.

Is it reasonable to ask to have hardwood floors installed in our place? Is it a huge ordeal that would involve a lot of demolition? It just kills me that all my neighbors have beautiful floors, and were stuck with the ugly tile! Thanks!

Sent by Rachel

Editor - Anyone have positive experience getting flooring changed out in a rental? We remember once negotiating with a possible manager about changing out carpet with the preserved floors underneath, but never a whole tile change out.

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Comments (19)

It never hurts to ask! Just be prepared to be inconvenienced.

I would consider asking about the possibility of moving to a different unit. My upstairs neighbor just moved downstairs to a larger apartment with unexpectedly cheaper rent. You might be able to move right next-door with great floors with much less hassle than living in a construction zone (where essentially you would have to move everything anyway).

It wouldn't hurt to ask for either new floors or a whole new place.

~k

I have lived for a while in a nyc rental...that has gone through three owner/managers since I moved in. The rent is awesome becasue I moved into what was a bad neighborhood at the time. Long story short, no way am I moving now! I see all the apartments around me getting renovated, but I know if they renovated mine, it would mean a huge rent increase and/or inconvenience. So, I basically decided that they were going to gut renovate when I move out and what's the worst that could happen if I did anything about the floors? I'd lose my security deposit. So, I bought some of those floating allure traffic master floor "boards" at Home Depot, and put them down in a part of my apartment with particularly hideous floors. I can't tell if your tiles are real, but the ones I covered were of the stick on variety. No, it's not real wood, but they're next to the floorboards that are "keeping it real" in the living room...and frankly, they look better. For me, at least, the grim reality was that my apartment won't get new floors while I live here, so I did it myself. My guess is they won't even notice when I move out.

I love would be thrilled to have those ceramic tile floors in my apartment.

It's possible that the other apartments that are getting hardwood/pergo had carpet previously. If so, then it's less likely that your landlord has any motivation to do anything about your ceramic tile flooring as the carpet issue is already resolved in your unit.

That said, asking us is getting you nowhere. We don't read minds. You'll need to ask the landlord, no?

You might want to find out how much rent those people are paying -- often the refurbished apartments in a building go for substantially more. I lived in a "new" apartment and a friend lived in an "old" apartment in the same building, and my 1BR was the same cost as his 2BR!

Can't hurt to ask. As you have been there for a while, they should value you as a tenant and want to keep you around. They have saved the cost of re-letting your apartment each year and as you seem to be interested in upgrading the unit, perhaps will save that expense in the future. I have had landlords upgrade my flooring while I was still in the unit by asking for the upgrade when it was time to re-sign the lease for the following year.

I agree with bepsf, The Tile doesn't look that bad. But I do agree that wood floors look better. If you don't get permission, try to get things in the apartment that work with it. You can actually do great things that go with the tiles.

I am having the same thought about my apartment. The landlords put in carpet just before I moved in, but there had been really old hardwood floor previously that I'd love to uncover! What a crappy upgrade. I'd really like to ask if it's OK if I can take out the carpet, but I hate talking to the landlords and I just need to get up the nerve and ask. Plus, they paid to have it put in, so I'm nervous they'll say no and I'll be stuck with the carpeting.... Ugg... I guess it never hurts to ask.

Our landlord is very nice when it comes to upgrades. They won't re-do the floors (wall to wall carpet with ceramic tile in the kitchen BLEH) but they'll take down wallpaper and paint any color we want. If we move to another townhouse here, our deposits moves with us (so it's free, basically). Usually, landlords will let you do any upgrades you want if it's not going to devalue your unit, but then of course, you'd have to pay for it yourself.

Since you're long-time renters, I'd say they owe you an upgrade. It would be worth asking about. And as someone else mentioned, you could ask about moving to one of the upgraded units as well.

Also: I feel your pain regarding the tile. I abhor ceramic tile with that much space between them. It feels like it's never clean.

First find out how much the tenants with the new floors are paying. Sometimes, it's the same because management views the new floors as an investment in not having to replace carpet every time a tenant moves out.

If it is the same (or an increase that you would be okay with), go to management and ask. If they balk, tell them about some other apartments in the area that offer hardwood floors for the same amount of money. If they still balk, point out that if you move, they will have to do it anyway AND they will be losing at least a month's rent in revenue, PLUS a long-time, valuable tenant.

Many times, when faced with this ultimatum, managers will do their best to accommodate your requests. You have to decide, however, if this is important enough to you to follow through with your threat.

It can't hurt to ask.

With that it mind, make sure exactly what kind of floors the other units had and the price the units were going for before and after. If they had the same tile and are going for about the same amount, the landlord shouldn't decline your request. If they do say yes, you'll probably be really inconvenienced and probably need a place for your things. I'd threaten to move if they refused if the rent is the same and the others have upgraded flooring from the tile. It's doubtful you could be held to your lease in that situation.

"Is it a huge ordeal that would involve a lot of demolition?"

Yes - it's a hugely expensive, invasive and time consuming process to remove tile and install wood. I can't imagine that a landlord would willingly do this for any tenant - particularly since tile is far easier to maintain than wood.

With so many people losing their homes, landlords don't need to lower rents or work to keep tenants happy because there's always someone else who would be pleased with the place.

Are you really prepared to go through all that demolition in a rental? What a mess. If you want wood floors, move.

But in LA, rentals are a glut on the market, and your landlord might well be willing to let you change apts. without an increase in rent. Even with people moving out of their too-expensive houses, it's a renters' market.

I don't have firsthand experience with this, but the gal that lived in my apartment before me negotiated this during her tenancy. We just got the benefit of the wood floors :). Not sure if it was a brand new installation or whether the wood floor existed underneath some carpet.