Floors mainly, and doing up to sell.

[Secretsmasheater]

We're hoping to need to move somewhere bigger, which means selling the flat we're in. We're in London, likely buyers young(ish).

We're going to have the place redecorated and a new kitchen put in. (The existing one is starting to fall apart.) I'm worried that the floor, a badly fitted laminate throughout, will put people off.

I have identified it as this:

www.wickes.co.uk/canadian-elm-laminate-flooring/invt/158245/

It's textured, and looks slightly less shiny in real life.

If we planned to stay, I would put down some sort of engineered wood, either very pale or dark.

I really need to work with my head rather than my heart here, and it seems that the options are either to redo the floor completely, or replace the boards and finishing around the edges.

What do you think? If everything else were top notch, would it put you off, make you offer less? Am I better leaving it so buyers can choose their own floor? We'd be competing with new builds, generally pretty well done, but significantly smaller than ours.

Another factor is that the block has no gas, so we are looking to upgrade the old storage heaters for something more modern. I feel as though we don't need two things which might deter buyers. Location wise, it's great, and we will be sorry to leave.

Any insights at all would be very much appreciated!

Anyone at all?

Was in JL looking at wood floor as that is what we are after. Husband and I both decided on one, then realised it was laminate!! Called something like balterio vitality about 20 m2 also but upon further research online you can get it with discounted retailers for about 12m2. Textured, non shiny and has the 4 groove...

I think there are some very good laminates out there and, anyway, if a buyer discounts a property because of the flooring, they're being ridiculous.

I think the heating is more of an issue, tbh. I have just sold a flat that had no gas connection and, as it is an attic flat, I spent a lot of effort, pulling down ceilings and fitting rigid insulation between the rafters and putting insulated plasterboard on all the walls. That might be a bit much if your flat is in otherwise good condition (mine needed a lot doing anyway) but anything that will make the EPC less scary - draught-proofing? Insulate the hot water tank?

I think I'd ask an estate agent if it's worth doing the work to sell or not. You could spend a lot of money and not recoup that.

I have the balterio vitality and am a little disappointed with it tbh. It's a little dark and would have looked nicer without the grooves. It's in barn oak.

And, as a buyer, I would be delighted if the floor was done and it would definitely make the house more appealing. However, I think an estate agent would say it would add little to the value of the house.

I think if you have old laminate throughout it could put off some buyers, I know when we were looking at the top end of our budget if it was a place with laminate all over it put me off as I knew we couldn't have afforded to do anything about it for a few years. However I would be more put off by the heating situation.

I would speak to a few agents and ask them for their opinions on if you will get the money back on the investment of new heating / flooring.

Nicely neurotic - what's your opinion on the balterio in terms of looking authentic? I have only seen small sample and an not sure whether I should stretch to cheaper engineered. Still deciding. Sorry to hijack.

Thanks all, and hijack away - all very interesting!

Local agents differ, but I can see from looking online what sells very quickly, and am inclined to agree with the agent who says that if everything is right there is a huge amount of interest.

This laminate is not old, but the previous owners obviously fitted it themselves. The edges could all be refitted for a neater finish.

I think my logic has been that with marketing to first time buyers, and with the advent Help to Buy, that a place that won't need anything spending on it will be more attractive.

• of Help to Buy

The heating would be an issue for me, concentrate on that.

I think if you want to compete with high quality new build the type of buyer will want everything done ready to move in. If tidying up the edges of the laminate will make it look nice just do that if not replace-perhaps not expensive just nice looking-I prefer dark!

As for heating that would be much more of an issue-likely to lower value considerably/put people off I would have thought.

Hi Barmaid,

The quality of the Balterio itself is ok and I quite like it. You can tell it is not real wood though. In hindsight, think I would have gone for a slightly lighter colour (mine is barn oak) and not gone for the 4 grooves. The grooves annoy me as they break up the floor. I'm sure many people prefer grooves though. Happy to send you a photo!

This is all very personal though and I have a history of being indecisive and then regretting my decisions (I dislike my new-ish carpet too).

OP, it could be tricky laminating to sell as everyone has a different idea of what is nice and you will never appeal to everyone. Personally, I don't like very pale wood but think too dark can make a room look smaller. I'd want an oak or honey coloured floor, which again won't be to everyone's taste. Iklekid has said they like dark floors the best. Other buyers will prefer carpet or tile.

The fitting can work out very expensive, as much as the laminate, so I think that if possible you should just tidy up the edges unless you know a fitter and can get a very good deal in the wood/laminate.

Hopefully the new kitchen will wow buyers so they don't look too carefully at the floor!

I have recently had an estate agent round for my house which has no Central heating. He didn't think it was an issue and think while it might be a little harder to sell, the cost and disruption of having heating put in will not be recouped in selling the house. So we aren't going to do it. Have you had an estate agent round for an opinion on your particular property?

I would tidy up up the floor and not replace it. I would expect in a house I was buying that the flooring might not be too my taste. Add long as I could live with it ie. Not damaged etc then I wouldn't care. If someone had clearly spent money put in new floor which I didn't like I'd feel bad getting rid of it.