Published August 29, 2026
Flooring is the largest recurring capital item in a rental unit and the one most often chosen on up-front price alone. Over ten years, that choice usually costs more than it saved.
Installed cost and service life in rentals
| Material | Installed cost | Tenancies survived | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Builder carpet | $3.00–$4.00 / sq ft | 1–2 | Cheapest once; replaced most |
| Mid-grade carpet | $4.50–$6.00 / sq ft | 2–3 | Rarely worth it in rentals |
| Sheet vinyl | $3.25–$4.50 / sq ft | 2–3 | Seams and tears are the failure |
| Entry-level LVP (4mm) | $4.00–$5.25 / sq ft | 2–4 | Dents under appliances |
| Mid-grade LVP (5–6mm, 20 mil wear layer) | $5.00–$7.50 / sq ft | 4–6 | The rental sweet spot |
| Porcelain tile | $10–$18 / sq ft | 10+ | Best in baths and entries only |
| Engineered wood | $8–$14 / sq ft | 2–3 in rentals | Not recommended below grade |
Ten-year cost, 700 sq ft unit
| Material | Replacements in 10 yrs | 10-yr cost |
|---|---|---|
| Builder carpet | 3 | ~$7,350 |
| Sheet vinyl | 2 | ~$5,400 |
| Mid LVP | 1 | ~$4,375 |
Mid-grade LVP wins on cost and it also turns faster: no pad, no stretching, no odor holdover, and damaged planks can be swapped individually instead of replacing a room.
What matters in the spec
Wear layer, not thickness. A 20 mil wear layer is the real durability number in rentals. A thick plank with a 6 mil wear layer scratches through in one tenancy.
Rigid core (SPC) below grade. Twin Cities garden-level and basement units see humidity swings. SPC moves less than WPC or laminate and does not swell like laminate when a leak happens.
Never laminate in a rental. One dishwasher leak destroys the whole floor and it cannot be spot-repaired.
One SKU per building. This is the single biggest turn-speed decision. Keep two boxes on-site for plank swaps and you handle most damage in an hour instead of a day.
Where carpet still makes sense
Bedrooms in buildings marketing to families or in older buildings with sound-transmission complaints between floors. If you use it, use cheap carpet with a good pad and plan to replace it every tenancy — mid-grade carpet in a rental is money spent on a component you will still throw away.
Minnesota-specific notes
- Salt and grit in winter destroys finishes at entries. Use tile or a heavy commercial LVP in the first six feet and a real walk-off mat.
- Below-grade moisture should be tested before any floor goes down. Fix the water first.
- Cold slabs make tile unpleasant in living areas; keep tile at entries and baths.
Get per-unit pricing
We install LVP, sheet vinyl, carpet, and tile in Twin Cities apartments with per-unit turn pricing and stocked building-standard SKUs.
Licensed MN remodeler QC807391. Call 612-400-8036.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best flooring for rental apartments?
Mid-grade LVP with a 20 mil wear layer and a rigid SPC core. It survives four to six tenancies, allows single-plank repairs, and has the lowest ten-year cost.
Is LVP or carpet cheaper over ten years?
LVP. On a 700 square foot unit, mid-grade LVP runs about $4,375 over ten years versus roughly $7,350 for three rounds of builder carpet.
Should I use laminate flooring in a rental?
No. Laminate swells permanently from a single leak and cannot be spot-repaired, which makes it the most expensive failure mode in a rental unit.