When Adam and I flipped the Blueberry House Airbnb completely on our own, we knew there would be projects that were too important for our inexperienced hands. Having an expert come in to handle the plumbing and electricity were no brainers for our 1940s bungalow.
However, when it came to the flooring, Adam was ready to tackle it on his own. Unfortunately the laminate wood that we ordered from Home Depot was too inflexible for our uneven floors. And the flooring that we ordered, with great reviews mind you, had a locking mechanism that was too finicky for a first-timer.
So we ended up hiring someone to come and finish the job. He convinced us that sand was the way to go in order to even out the sub floors. Well, he was wrong. So wrong. And now we are paying for it!
Unfortunately it has only been three years and we are already redoing the floors at our Blueberry House Airbnb. The floors that we had installed were not flexible enough for our 1940s home, and the job done to level out the uneven patches did not hold, meaning the laminate wood pieces have been separating.
And boy did they start going downhill fast. It was just a month ago that we noticed the first shifting, and now we are only a day or two out from the floor just completely going.
That was why we decided to hire a five-star company to come and fix things asap. We have a guest checking in just seven days away, and need to uphold our high rating for our passive income stream to continue.
Unfortunately when the company we recently hired to fix the floor pulled up the old flooring they found another problem from the first poorly done job, mold. The sand that was used to even out the floors was not only not doing it’s job and causing separation, but it also created the perfect moist haven for mold to form and start taking over the subfloor.
Boo. What started out as a $7,500 ouch expense to fix the floors, has now become a $10k eeeek expense that added mold remediation.
Why Sand + Laminate Flooring = A Mold Nightmare.
If you’re not a contractor, you might be thinking “is sand really that bad”? If fills gaps, right? Here’s the problem. Sand shifts.
Every time someone walked across the room, the sand beneath the floor shifted around. This caused micro-gaps, buckling and uneven pressure on the laminate joints.
Sand also traps moisture. Unlike self-leveling concrete, which cures into a solid, moisture-resistant barrier, sand acts like a giant sponge. Any humidity or ground moisture was absorbed in the sand and held captive against the underside of the flooring.
When we got the call that we needed to come check out Blueberry House an hour after the guys started work, we knew something bad was up. Sure enough, when we walked in and looked around we could see the dark patches of mold blooming across the subfloor.
What was supposed to be a two-day floor swap instantly turned into a much bigger emergency remediation job.
When you run a short-term rental, a renovation surprise doesn’t just cost money in materials but hits you from multiple directions at once.
Here are three crucial lessons for Airbnb hosts and homeowners:
1. Beware of bouncy floors.
If a room in your house or rental feels slightly soft or bouncy then don’t ignore it! It is often a sign that the subfloor wasn’t properly leveled or that moisture is compromising the underlayment.
2. Build a Chaos Reserve into every renovation budget.
Always add twenty percent to your estimated budget and timeline.
3. Do it Right the first time.
Self-leveling concrete requires patience and technique, but was the right way to go. Adam should have listened to his gut and not trusted the “expert” that swayed him from it in the first place.
Doing it right the first time would’ve ensured the Blueberry House Airbnb floors for 15+ years, without these added expenses.
An Airbnb is a wild ride, and fire drills are just part of the deal. While we were disappointed to have to pay for new floors and so soon after our first installation, we are taking this as a learning experience for future rentals.
Have you ever uncovered an unexpected expense in your house or rental? Drop your story in the comments below so we can commiserate!
