Hardwood, tile, and luxury vinyl plank are among the top contenders when it comes to increasing your home's value, while carpet, laminate, and other options can offer more affordable upgrades without breaking the bank.
Carpet is generally better for feel, warmth, and noise dampening. If not new when the home is sold, and for some cultures, it is a put-off and something that might negatively affect value. As you mentioned, carpet holds smells, and if you have animals, the mess will work itself deep into the carpet.
What Flooring Adds the Most Value? Hardwood flooring has long been the top choice for homebuyers and remains so today. According to Realtor.com, installing new hardwood floors may increase a home's value by as much as 2.5%, though some realtors place that figure at 6 to 10% or more.
Unless you get the cheapest vinyl possible or the flooring is just in poor condition, neither is going to significantly influence the home's value one way or another.
While marble, natural stone, bamboo, ceramic tile and luxury vinyl have been trending in recent years, hardwood is still the dominant choice of flooring for high-end homes.
Does vinyl flooring devalue a home? It's possible. While vinyl plank floors are affordable and versatile, they might not boost your home's resale value like hardwood or tile would.
Top 6 Most Popular Flooring in New Homes 2025. The most popular flooring in new homes is wood floors, including prefinished hardwood, unfinished hardwood, and engineered wood followed by laminate, luxury vinyl tiles, and luxury vinyl planks.
If you install cheap or poor-quality carpet, your buyers will notice. They might see this as a drawback of buying your house, even though you thought the carpet was an upgrade. Conversely, you don't want to overspend on carpet that buyers plan to replace anyway.
Ultimately, the cost of installation is also an important factor to consider. Carpet is typically cheaper to install than vinyl, although the price of both materials can vary depending on the quality of the product.
Choosing the same flooring for all the rooms creates a unified and harmonious environment, and creates a visual effect that expands its dimensions, which allows us to better plan a reform. However, in open-plan dwellings such as studios or lofts, the flooring can help to delimit areas in an organic way.
“Buyers like carpet in bedrooms, especially in basement bedrooms, for comfort and warmth.” Carpet is also much quieter to walk on than other types of flooring and can help absorb noise. It can mask sounds, such as footsteps and squeaky floors, Fisher adds.
There are many benefits to replacing carpet with vinyl flooring including durability, easy clean-up, and a wide variety of options. While carpet is softer, it's harder to keep clean and over time it wears down.
Resale considerations
One of the most significant considerations is the local real estate market and buyer preferences in your area. In some regions, carpet may be more desirable for its comfort and insulation, while in others, laminate flooring's durability and low maintenance may be preferred.
Compared to carpet, vinyl flooring is much easier to clean/disinfect/maintain/replace especially versus broadloom carpet. Carpet is still a popular flooring surface across industries, however luxury vinyl flooring is becoming a preferred alternative in industries with high traffic areas.
Installing vinyl flooring after removing old carpets can cost as little as $2.50 per sq. ft. If you install sheet vinyl, the cost may be as high as $14 per square foot for installing luxury vinyl planks.
Luxury vinyl looks like natural flooring, but it doesn't have the same resale value. While luxury vinyl is a durable, attractive flooring, it won't increase your resale value. Like carpet, installing new luxury vinyl can make your home look better, which can get buyers interested in your home.
One factor sustaining high end's momentum is the way carpet is used in the home. Most of the time carpet is reserved for the bedroom, common areas, basements and stairs.
Carpet is harmful to your and your family's health, breeds unneeded bacteria, mold, and other nasty particles, and it's a high maintenance hassle if you want it to look good. It's easier to switch out the carpet for a hard surface flooring.
Do builders use luxury vinyl in high end homes? Hardwood flooring is typically the most popular choice for high end homes. However, some extremely discerning customers request vinyl, particularly if they have children, due to its increased durability.
Wooden flooring is a type of flooring that never goes out of style. After all, the planks bring nature's beauty to the inside of your home. That being said, thousands of wood species can be used to create hardwood floors.