Hardwood Flooring in bedrooms?

[ExpatForLife]

Hi all - been lurking forever and finally have a question... We are in the process of buying a house. We definitely plan on replacing the living room carpet with hardwood, and toying with doing the same with the stairs and the upstairs rooms as well as it's easier to do it before we move in.

We prefer wood floors for aesthetic and maintenance reasons, but I know that's not a universal opinion. This isn't going to be our forever home (prob more like a 5 year plan). From a resale perspective, is this a bad idea?

Would you be put off by hardwood instead of carpets in the bedrooms? Am I obsessing about this needlessly? Note that the existing carpets are less than a year old, so doing nothing is an option.

Thanks!

I wouldn't be put off by the hard wood but I wouldn't spend money to replace serviceable carpets. It seems a bit wasteful particularly if you are only doing it for aesthetic reasons and not eg allergies.

Leave the carpets!

It’s cheaper and is more attractive to many buyers (me included). And the cheaper the replacement floor, the more offputting it is.

I prefer wood/laminate flooring. Much cleaner in any room.

I like wood flooring, we've stripped the floorboards in our bedroom - but basically that was cheaper than buying a new carpet and the old one was manky.

I'd happily buy somewhere with (proper) hardwood floors. I wouldn't want laminate.

As a buyer I'd not be put off, I'd just rip it up and carpet. Don't worry about it - sort your house out for you not the mythical future owner.

I wouldn't be put off, but definitely wouldn't see it as any sort of feature that has any value, the same as someones second hand carpets.

Super helpful feedback - thanks everyone.

It’s preference. Some people prefer wood, others carpet. Do what suits you. I doubt a theoretical future buyer would reject your house purely on the basis of bedroom flooring. If you took a blue light to many people’s bedroom floor I’m sure it would look like a CSI style crime scene so I find the idea of inheriting somebody else’s carpets in a bedroom pretty gross. At least hardwood is low maintenance.

@ComtesseDeSpair

Don't give anyone ideas!

It would not put me off buying, as I would always want to put in new carpers unless they were to my taste, v new, & spotless

Tbh, I think I’d consider living with someone else’s wood floors for a while vs a second hand carpet

Are you sure about the hardwood stairs though - v noisy!

We have laminate in all bedrooms - the quality of laminate these days is incredible and people think it's oak!

I don't like hard floors in bedrooms.

1. Dust bunnies
2. Cold
3. Noise

@DespairingHomeowner

It would not put me off buying, as I would always want to put in new carpers unless they were to my taste, v new, & spotless

Tbh, I think I’d consider living with someone else’s wood floors for a while vs a second hand carpet

Are you sure about the hardwood stairs though - v noisy!

If we have hardwood everywhere else it would seem weird to only leave carpeting on the stairs? And here is the point where I'm really overthinking this...

@Chewbecca

Leave the carpets!

It’s cheaper and is more attractive to many buyers (me included). And the cheaper the replacement floor, the more offputting it is.

This. I loathe hard floors in bedrooms.

I have hardwood and tiles throughout and only have carpet on the stairs. It looks absolutely fine - just breaks up the line and softens the hall space a bit.

@RampantIvy

I don't like hard floors in bedrooms.

1. Dust bunnies
2. Cold
3. Noise

Hmm well yes it feels slightly colder (unless you are an indoor shoe wearer! ;) and noisier, but you get the same amount of dust! But the dust is less obvious on carpet.

@ExpatForLife: I would put in a runner to reduce noise

I'd prefer it enough that it might make me buy your house instead of another. Hard floors were a must have when we rented but when we were buying it was a nice to have.

I prefer wood floors - it strikes me as much cleaner than someone else's potentially manky carpet. One of the reasons I bought my house was the wood and tiled flooring.

I hate anything other than carpet in bedrooms. It's so cold and unwelcoming. But our current house had laminate in 3 bedrooms and bare floorboards in the other. We just got carpet down asap. It wasn't a part of our consideration about whether to buy the house or not, just became job number 2 on the priority list (after replastering the ceilings)

I hate hard floors anyway, but especially in bedrooms. The noise from upstairs when you're sat in the lounge is horrific.

I hate carpets, particularly someone else’s carpet. Everyone house we’ve had I’ve ripped the carpet out on day 1. Hardwood is so much easier to clean and you can make it cosy with a rug if you wish. We don’t find noise travels from upstairs at all, maybe it’s underlay or the fact we have tall ceilings. On the stairs we have a runner.

I would be willing to pay a bit more for a house that has well maintained hardwood over laminate / carpet flooring, as you’d be saving me rip up costs. So just go with what you like.

We've wood in our bedroom and we hate it but I hate wood anyway as I find it a bloody nightmare to maintain and keep clean.

I much prefer wood floors in the bedroom but I'm asthmatic.