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I have 20% of my Air rents go to a separate checking account that I use for amenities, repairs, expenses, etc. I have a decent supply of towels, bedding, etc, basically I can get by for several months with what I have, even if some get damages. I was thinking of upgrading since I have a few hundred in that account. BUT, I also want to get rid of the carpet and linoleum and switch to hardwood and tile (maintenance, upkeep, appearance, etc).
So now I’m trying to decide if it would be worth it to buy a lighter summer bedspread instead of continuing to use the thick comforter and upgrade to plusher towels (I currently have basic Walmart towels provided) or should I stockpile everything I make in there over the summer and go bare-bones on expenses and replace the flooring this fall? I know that I can charge a bit more once those upgrades are done because of the appearance/value factor. Heck, I could probably charge more now, but I don’t feel right charging more with old (yet clean) carpet and curling linoleum flooring. What would you do?
I would definitely not spend $ on the small stuff right now (esp if your reviews are already good) and put that money in the slow season towards a real upgrade that substantively improves guest experience (and your property value). You’re right that you will be able to raise rates and recoup those costs fairly quickly.
If there’s nothing wrong with your towels and/or bedspread, save the money for the floor. Why would you replace items that have never caused you problems?
@Sarah_Warren if your towels are spotless and in good shape you don’t need to upgrade them. As for the bedspread/blanket, you can go to any TJ Maxx or Marshall’s and buy a classic white “made in Portugal” blanket/coverlet for $59.
If I were you I would save a bit more to replace the flooring which will offer the most long term benefits…
Personally I lean towards substantial improvements that guests will notice. Though one does need to do basic maintenance too. If you don’t, guests will notice, I think. It’s cumulative small effects.
Personally I like both hardwood and tile, and detest carpet, so that’s a +10 for me. Just make sure you get installers who know what they are doing. What kind of tile were you thinking of getting? And what kind of hardwood? Back in NC I replaced the entire upstairs of my townhouse with hardwood strips flooring. It was some kind of bright shiny wood, though now I don’t remember what is was called. It looked quite pretty. And I replaced the entire downstairs with tile. Before that it was all carpet - ugh. I’m not sure if it made financial sense as an investment, but it was nice while I was still living there.
Summary: I think nice flooring can really make an impact. And carpet is high-maintenance and gets dirty easily. And is bad for people with allergies. OTOH, I hear people don’t like tiles because it can be cold underfoot. Though that’s never bothered me.
Well, my towels have some minor bleach spots that I can hide with folding or putting them at the bottom of the stack as spares. They need to be replaced soon, but can last the summer.
I plan to do the least expensive hardwood I can get for the living space and bedroom and then a large, inexpensive tile for the entry, kitchen and bathroom.
I just looked at a company that has done carpet in our house for us and they’re running a 50% off materials and installation sale (which makes it cheaper than buying directly and doing it yourself), so if it’s affordable due to the small size of the space I may do it in a 2 day gap I have next month and just scrape the money together right away. Then I can charge a bit more this summer already!
My gut was saying do it ASAP, but the hostess in me was leaning towards bedding and towels. I also like that since it’s just a rental space, I will pick the least expensive options since I don’t care about color in my non-personal space. Maybe they’ll have some good options on clearance, lol.
Personally I’d take a little time to choose something carefully, seeing as it will probably be there forever. Particularly the hardwood. Get something that looks good in both cases.
Flooring lasts longer than bedding and towels, so it merits more thinking about. Just my take.
Oh, I definitely plan on getting something that looks good. But this is also in a space that will always be a rental/extra property and never someone’s home (apartment above garage, local housing regulations). So I won’t be talked into expensive options. And since it’s such a small space I should also be able to get deals on leftover materials, etc.
I agree with the comments on the flooring but would add nice towels are really appreciated by guests. I use ones from Costco. Nice and inexpensive. They do take longer to dry but we have gotten complements about them.
This forum was invaluable to me in setting up my 2 bedroom basement apartment 11 months ago. They said, “buy the best quality towels and linens in white and they will last longer”. I did and I am glad! I searched Homestores, TJ Maxx and Marshall’s and am happy I did. Ask yourself what things you appreciate in an Airbnb. Personally, thin towels and scratchy sheets are a pet peeve for me. Stick with WHITE - as this forum taught me - it conveys a sense of cleanliness and I only occasionally have to use bleach. My guest often comment on my fluffy towels and all cotton bedding! Most of my colored accent towels are now rags due to bleach and toothpaste stains. I applaud you for saving your money - hardwood will pay off, and you always know if it is clean!
Yeah, I love my all-white sheets! The main reason I use beige towels for now is white wouldn’t look as nice in the bathroom as-is, but since I plan to update the bathroom in the next year white would look amazing then and I want to offer more plush towels. What I offer now is comparable to a motel (and my pricing is consistent with that), but once my floor is paid for the next item is nicer towels, at least 4 (2 for each stay) and what I’m currently using can stay in the linen closet for extras until I can buy more.
And I agree, this forum has been so helpful, even though I’ve been in customer service all my working life. Would have never thought white would be easier to maintain, haha. I just ordered a bunch of extra white pillowcases based on another tip to just keep cases on everything and have plenty of extras to wash them all every time instead of trying to figure out what pillows were used, accent pillows, etc.
The salesperson comes today, fingers crossed it’s in the budget to do it now! I am thinking of doing laminate instead of hardwood in the living and bedrooms (and still doing tile in the high traffic, water prone areas) to save money now but still giving it a real upgrade and updating to hardwood in 5 years or so if needed. I’m going to be really sad if the whole thing is out of my current budget! If it is I’ll just keep my rates what they are, upgrade the towels now, and do the floors the next time they offer the 50% off everything deal.
I was devastated when after the Great Termite Infestation I had to replace my lovely wood floor with laminate (white oak, on special offer at a quarter of the price of wood). But guess what? It looks really nice! I truly believe there are very few Airbnb guests who come into a home and sniff “Oh dear, laminate flooring - that will cost them a star!”
Re the towels and sheets: I agree that they should be good quality but I do think that one of the things we (well, I) as hosts need to guard against is the need to prettify and have everything perfect. I speak as one who knows, since my husband once declared that with the cost of my expensive cushion (US throw pillow?) habit we could have bought a whole new apartment to rent out …
A word of caution on tile in the kitchen. I cook a lot. For me tile in the kitchen is intolerable as my legs ache when I stand on tile for a long time. We used linoleum (real linoleum, not vinyl) for our kitchen floor. We’re very happy with it.
When the guy came he had great options for our space that are actually more affordable than what I was envisioning. I don’t want laminate because it is not water resistant and we have high quality laminate in our home that was put in the bathroom and kitchen that are warped and ruined from basic household usage. So laminate is simply not an option.
Tile would look awesome, but it needs a good sub-floor which brings the pricing up.
Enter Vinyl Planks! It looks like wood/laminate, but it’s vinyl, so it is water and scratch resistant but also offers more “give” regarding subfloor irregularities and on joints when standing on it. Even though the product itself is more than tile, it’s price is comparable to laminate and since it’s a floating floor like laminate is much cheaper to install, etc. For anyone looking to replace flooring I highly recommend it.
BUT, the sad news. It’s out of my budget. Since it’s a 500s/ft space I had some pie in the sky idea in my head that with the 50% off everything deal it would be around $1,500. But no, I was looking at cheap laminate and carpet in my pricing which I absolutely don’t want to do as I’ll be replacing it every few years driving the cost up. So I need to save up $3,500 or so and get it done right. Which means I will have to delay the project awhile. Thankfully I have great reviews and no complaints with what I offer, I just want to make it nicer. I think I only notice the floor because I’m the one cleaning it 3-5 times a week.
So I’m going to take everyone’s advice and just keep what I have on the cheap. When something is honestly bad I will replace it. And I’m going to get every penny I can out of my rent, get my family out of debt (which is the goal!), and then when we’re debt free I can save up the money in 1-2 months and just get it done exactly the way I want it.
Because really, if I’m getting reviews like the one I got today, I don’t need to change anything:
“Sarah &Andy’s place was a great experience. It is a lovely unique place for children. We love to stay again and spend more time enjoying all the facilities in this amazing spot. Cleanness was perfect. All accommodations were in perfect situation. Sarah smile was the golden key for our comfort. My wife took some pictures to be part of our wonderful memories.”
Private Feedback:
“You have been a great host. We wish we spend more time in your property. Nothing need to be added. Clean, unique, amazing place.”
I mean, a little over the top (and non-native visitor), but spending 2 full months of rent on floor that is serviceable is kinda pointless and I need to remind myself of that!
