Does wooden floor (with beading) still add value to a property?

melody83

Hi, I need help!

I live in a Victorian terraced house with a large living, dining space which is currently carpeted. We would like to install wooden flooring as it is more functional (specially for the dining area) and if we could get some sympathetic looking wood, I think would create a lovely space.
The problem is that it already has some lovely deep skirting and it wouldn't be worth ripping it out to buy and install new skirting...
So would real wooden floor installed with beading add value to the house?? Or would the beading make it look tacky and therefore not worth it?? :-S

dander

I don't think any kind of flooring is actually going to add value to a house on its own. If it's what you want to do to your house to suit your lifestyle, then do it, but don't do it because you think it will make you money.

27col

I agree with dander. Do it because you want to for yourself, and ignore anything down the line that might or might not have an effect, when and if you might sell. In any event, wooden flooring is easy enough to remove if someone did not like it at a future date. If you have nice skirtings then I would be inclined to hang on to them.

Mankysteve

I have a mate who fits wooden flooring says he has a device that can cut the skirting without having to life it off.

Doozergirl

I don't think it really adds value but it can increase the feel of quality. If it's got beading, I think it really cheapens the look.

We've quite successfully removed skirting and put it back on. But lovely deep skirting is still available to buy!

shaven-monkey

Do you know whether there's a wooden floor under the carpet?
If so it's just a case of sanding and varnishing it...
Victorian houses tend to have good hardwood floors if they have wooden floors.

melody83

thank you all for the advice. We are actually planning to sell it next year so I suppose I just don't want to spend the money unnecessarily if I'm not going to get it back. (the carpet needs to be replaced though)

The flooring underneath is damaged, has boards missing as it used to be 2 rooms knocked into 1 and it has been completely covered with plywood, so unfortunately lovely original boards are not an option

@Mankysteve I wonder how expensive it would be to cut under the skirting boards??

or even to have someone remove the skirting and put it back on without much damage... Is it really worth the money? I have seen you can get white quadrant shape beading that would look like part of the skirting as opposed to the flooring? would that still cheapen the look making it not worth it?

jimbo_the_jetset

Mankysteve wrote: »

I have a mate who fits wooden flooring says he has a device that can cut the skirting without having to life it off.

http://www.hss.com/g/3141/Door-Trim-Saw-inc-Blade-.html

Something like this. Use for doors or skirting. You can adjust the depth of cut to suit the thickness of floor you are installing

goggle

If you are going to put wooden flooring in a Victorian home, for goodness sake do it PROPERLY and not with cheapy laminate!
Cheap laminate with beading will cheapen the whole look of the property - you'd be better with carpet.
Proper wooden flooring - either parquet or boards (you *may* get away with a very very good quality laminate in say oak but not the cheap mega-pack-from-ikea type!) - will look lovely, be totally in keeping with the age of the house & may add value - however this is not going to be cheap to fit!

Gloomendoom

One thing you will notice with wooden flooring is an increase in noise and dust.

Animals can also have a hard time with it, especially if it has a highly polished finish.

melody83

Yeah, I was never going to use laminate... it was always going to be real wooden flooring... I was really asking about the white beading.

But I think I will try and get someone to cut out the bottom of the skirting and get it fitted professionally... may be expensive but hopefully worth it! :-)