New carpet, laminate, proper floor boards or as it is?

[JustFab]

We moved into our house and the lounge carpet was vile. Worn and an awful pink coloured. As soon as we could we ripped it up and put down laminate. A couple of years later we put carpet down as we had a new baby and I didn't want her falling on a hard floor. Tonight ds2 knocked over DH's red wine and even with immediate cleaning it has stained. DH is making noises about having floor boards but he has priced them at £1000 and tbh I don't like this house enough to spend that much as we will be moving in the next few years. Laminate is about £400. I don't think we would bother with a new carpet so do we just live with it - it has other marks too courtesy of the children - but when we come to sell it won't look great. I don't want to spend money just to sell when the chances are the new people will replace anyway.

Personally if you're not too bothered I'd live with it for now, and just replace with cheap carpet when you come to sell. It'll look much better to potential buyers, but if you replace it now it'll possibly get trashed between now and then. Other than that, I'd get laminate if it'll only be £400, that way it'll definitely still look ok for selling.

Could you hire a rug doctor or professional carpet cleaner to give it a try?

I suppose we could put a cheap carpet down though it still feels a waste of money as we will be moving and the new people would almost certainly change it.

I think we will have to just live with it for now until we are certain what to do.

We have our own wet hoover so that won't help.

DH was just so fed up last night as the kids have wrecked our house but that's a whole other thread I won't be posting.

I have just had a rethink. I had forgotten about FABCat's accidents so there is no point doing anything atm as she will continue to wee on the floor no doubt but once we are moving or she passes away we will change the flooring. Better start saving up!

Could you claim on house insurance

It probably isn't worth it tbh.

If I were you I would hire in a Rug Doctor carpet cleaner (the co-op offer them to hire iirc) and then buy yourself a big rug, preferably a washable one, that covers a good area of carpet, plus the mark if it won't come out.

That way, when you come to move you can haven't spent out money that won't be realised when you sell, you can deal with accidents easier and the people who buy your house can't see the marks on the carpet and if they don't think to check under the rug then it's their own silly fault

We have always lived in 'tied' houses and I learnt very early on that it is not worth spending money on things you can't take with you when you move, I understand that your situation is different but the premise is the same if you plan to move in the near future.

FYI you can also buy plastic underlay type rugs that go underneath your nice rug, they're not visible but stop any spillages soaking through to the carpet, although they do need securing to both the rug and the carpet (Lakeland sell sticky rug fixers) to stop them slipping and you going a over t!

I think I bought our plastic rug from Dunelm Mills.

DH has decided to do floor boards. We have our own carpet shampooer so don't need to hire one. We won't be able to move for a few years so might as well enjoy the flooring!

We put solid floorboards down in ours for half that! Keep an eye out for sales!