I have a weird situation: my house is built on a concrete slab (circa 1961) and the first floor has no hardwood flooring, just carpet and tile laid directly on the concrete.

However, upstairs has hardwood flooring that I discovered under wall-to-wall carpeting.

Are people going to be turned off by finding hardwood upstairs and not downstairs? I would think that most people's preference would be for wood downstairs and a softer surface upstairs.

I can do something to cosmetically improve the wood floors upstairs, but Im wondering if it makes sense in such a soft market to spend money to install hardwood on the first floor.

The ceramic tile in the kitchen and entry way is cheap-looking and several tiles are cracked and broken, and it's unlikely that I'll be able to find replacement tile to match (the entire home is a Home Depot builder's special!) after 13 years. It's got to go but I haven't decided in favor of what yet.

It is what it is.....I'd be overjoyed to find any hardwood in a home, although I'd prefer to have it in the main living areas and carpeting in bedrooms. In the soft market I wouldn't go to the expense of installing hardwoods on the main level. I would replace the bad tile with either another tile or if you're in the right price point, laminate flooring. I'm normally not a fan of laminate flooring, but some of it looks fine especially in lower price point homes. But I don't think you need to go all the way to match the upstairs hardwoods unless you're in a high price point where it's expected.

In the bedrooms I would add area rugs on the hardwood to help soften and add warmth to those areas. I would love to not have carpet in any area of the home.

Loves Tx

Look at what homes are for sale in your neighborhood and price range if they have hardwood on the first floor but pretty much similar house etc then it's a good investment, otherwise I wouldn't do it in this market unless you just really want hardwood for yourself on the first floor.

I had hardwood in my bedroom in the house I grew up in and loved it, I have carpeting upstairs in the house I have now, I'm not a huge fan of carpeting but when I replace the carpeting upstairs I'm replacing it w/100% wool wall to wall carpeting because my dog has a hard time running on the wood floors we have on our whole first floor he loves running around upstairs so I'll keep carpeting up there for him. My neighborhood is split some houses have hardwood on the first floor others don't, like I said check out your neighborhood and see what the norm is.

If you are updating the home with the idea of putting it on the market, take a look at your competition. Attend open houses.

Let's say there is a house that is very comparable to yours in the neighborhood. Most buyers would likely be willing to pay a little more for updated floors.

Solid 3/4" hardwood can be installed above grade on concrete, but increased height becomes an issue. Thus, engineered wood flooring provides the look of solid hardwood. New floors would be a selling point, and you would likely get most of your return on your investment.

Good point about checking out the competition! I hadn't thought of that.

I saw a kitchen makeover today on TV where the couple had ugly peel and stick tile on the kitchen floor, and it was replaced with cork flooring. I didn't catch the end of the show so I don't know what they spent on the cork tiles, but the prospective buyers loved the look and feel of it. Since I don't think I'll be able to find matching tiles to replace the damaged ones, I'm better off with laminate or hardwood if I can swing the budget.

What about a wood looking product in the kitchen and entry..close to the color of the upstairs hardwood. They have tile at home depot that looks like wood, or how about a laminate.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: real estate lady,

Lumberliquidators.com has wood for low prices. If you can swing the wood I'd go with wood. I hate cork flooring as do the majority of my friends so I don't know if going with cork is the way to go, not everyone likes it.

I know that site has solid wood for as low as 2.49 a sq ft for prefinished and .89 cents a sq ft for unfinished wood. They also have laminate wood for as low as .78 cents a sq ft, they also sell bamboo and cork. One of my girl friends bought all her hardwood from that place and had her whole house done in the hardwood, she said she wouldn't' have been able to afford it if she bought her wood somewhere else. I paid 3.99 a sq ft for the hardwood I just had installed in my kitchen so it might be worth looking at that company.

The most important thing is price of the flooring and what your competition is offering, wood may or may not be the best choice for you.

I did a little research on cork and promptly discarded that idea. It would never take the punishment of my three teens and my pets. I'm pretty clumsy too.

I'll check out Lumber Liquidators. A neighbor has laminate that her brother in law installed (floating planks) and it doesn't look bad, but if the competition is showing hardwood, then that makes my decision for me.