Can Hardwood Floors Increase Your Home’s Value in Addison, IL?

If you're thinking about putting hardwood floors in your home, there is usually one question that comes up after choosing the color and figuring out the cost.

Is this actually going to add value to my house?

It is a fair question.

Hardwood is not the cheapest flooring option, and most homeowners do not want to spend that kind of money just because something looks nice.

They want to know if it makes sense for the house.

From what we see in homes around Addison and DuPage County, good hardwood does something that a lot of flooring materials struggle to do.

It can still look right years later.

A kitchen may eventually need updating. Paint colors change. Certain flooring trends come and go.

But a well maintained hardwood floor can stay in the house through all of it.

And when it comes time to sell, that can matter.

Buyers Already Know What Hardwood Is

This is one of the biggest advantages hardwood has.

You usually do not have to explain it.

A buyer walks into the house, sees real hardwood, and understands what they are

looking at.

There is a familiarity to it.

The National Wood Flooring Association points to research showing that real estate

professionals associate wood flooring with stronger resale value. The National

Association of REALTORS has also reported strong cost recovery for hardwood

projects in its remodeling research.

That does not mean installing hardwood automatically adds a certain dollar amount

to every Addison home.

Real estate does not work that way.

The condition of the house, neighborhood, quality of the installation, style of the

floor, and local market all matter.

But it does tell us that hardwood is more than a cosmetic upgrade.

The Condition of the Floor Matters

There is a big difference between saying a house has hardwood floors and walking

into a house with beautiful hardwood floors.

Buyers notice condition.

If the floor is badly scratched, gray in high traffic areas, stained around the kitchen,

or covered in years of worn finish, the hardwood may not create the impression you

were hoping for.

The good news is that old does not necessarily mean bad.

This is where hardwood gets interesting.

We have looked at older floors that initially seemed like a problem and realized the

wood itself was still in great condition.

It did not need to come out.

It needed to be refinished.

Our guide to refinishing versus replacing hardwood floors in Addison explains why

we always look at the condition of the existing wood before talking about

replacement.

Refinishing May Be the Smarter Investment

If you already have real hardwood, do not assume you need new flooring to improve

the house.

Sometimes the better investment is sitting underneath your feet.

The National Association of REALTORS reported in its 2022 Remodeling Impact

Report that hardwood floor refinishing had an estimated 147 percent cost recovery,

while new wood flooring was estimated at 118 percent. Those are national figures

from that report, not a promise of what any individual Addison home will recover.

Still, there is a useful lesson there.

Saving a good floor can make a lot of sense.

Refinishing can remove years of surface wear, scratches, and tired finish while

giving homeowners an opportunity to update the stain and sheen.

If you are not sure whether your floor has reached that point, our 7 signs your

hardwood floors need refinishing can help you recognize what to look for.

Hardwood Has Another Advantage People

Forget About

You can change it.

This is something homeowners sometimes overlook when comparing hardwood with

other flooring materials.

Let's say you install a quality oak floor.

Years later, you remodel the kitchen.

Now the old stain feels too dark.

With many floors, changing the look means replacing the flooring.

With hardwood, you may be able to sand the floor and choose a completely different

stain and finish.

That flexibility is part of its long term value.

The NWFA notes that solid wood floors can be sanded and refinished multiple times

during their service life.

That is one reason we tell homeowners to think beyond what looks good this year.

You are choosing something that may be in the house for decades.

Does the Type of Hardwood Matter?

Absolutely.

You still have to choose the right floor for the house.

A beautiful product installed in the wrong environment is not a good investment.

For example, solid hardwood may make perfect sense in one part of the home while

engineered hardwood may be the better choice somewhere else.

Subfloor conditions matter.

Moisture matters.

The room matters.

How the family uses the space matters.

We broke down those differences in our engineered versus solid hardwood guide for Addison homes.

This is where chasing the cheapest material can become expensive later.

The goal should be choosing a floor that actually belongs in that particular house.

Installation Matters More Than the Name on the

Box

You can buy beautiful hardwood and still end up disappointed.

The material is only part of the project.

Before hardwood goes down, the existing flooring and subfloor need to be evaluated.

Moisture conditions need attention. The layout needs to make sense. Transitions

need to be planned properly.

You do not see most of that when the finished floor is photographed.

But you will notice it if something goes wrong later.

Our guide explaining what to expect during hardwood floor installation in

Addison goes through what should happen before and during an installation.

If you are investing in hardwood partly because of its long term value, the installation

needs to support that goal.

What About Scratches?

This is where some homeowners get nervous.

They have kids.

They have a seventy pound dog.

They move furniture around.

They assume hardwood will look destroyed in five years.

It does not have to.

Will it eventually show signs of life?

Of course.

That is normal.

The nice thing is that scratches do not automatically mean the flooring is ruined.

Some are only in the finish. Deeper damage may be repairable. And widespread

surface wear can often be addressed when the floor is refinished.

We recently covered this in Can Scratched Hardwood Floors Be Repaired?.

A floor that can be restored instead of thrown away has a very different long term

value.

Maintenance Is Part of Protecting the Investment

You do not need to baby hardwood.

But you should take care of it.

Keep dirt and grit off the surface.

Do not clean it with excessive water.

Use appropriate cleaning products.

Watch the indoor humidity.

Put pads underneath furniture that moves frequently.

And do not ignore the finish once it starts wearing thin.

None of that is complicated.

Our hardwood floor maintenance guide for Addison homeowners covers the

practical things that can help a floor stay in good condition for years.

That maintenance matters because longevity is one of hardwood's biggest strengths.

Think About the House You Have

This is probably where I would leave the decision.

Do not install hardwood because somebody online told you it will add a specific

percentage to your home value.

Look at your house.

Look at the flooring you already have.

Think about how long you plan to live there.

Think about whether the existing hardwood can be saved.

Think about whether the new flooring fits the rest of the home.

And remember that you are going to live on it before the next buyer ever sees it.

That part matters too.

The best home improvements are not always the ones made only for resale. They are

the ones you get to enjoy while you own the house and that still make sense when it

is eventually time to sell.

If you are considering new hardwood or wondering whether the existing floors in

your Addison home are worth restoring, Nash Home Remodeling can help you look at

the condition of the floor and understand the options before you make that decision.

Sometimes new hardwood is the right investment.

Sometimes refinishing what you already have makes even more sense