RDC Renovation & Design Concepts is a flooring contractor in Phoenix, Arizona, that sells and installs flooring, tile and countertops from its Bell Rd showroom. A rental floor has one job: get through tenants without a call to you. Our LVP flooring contractor page covers the plank itself.
Key takeaways
- LVP is RDC's first pick for most rentals at $4 to $9 per sq ft installed. One damaged plank is a smaller fix than a room of carpet.
- Porcelain tile at $9 to $18 per sq ft takes the heaviest wear, and it costs more on day one.
- A 1,200 sq ft rental runs $4,800 to $10,800 in LVP and $3,600 to $8,400 in carpet, before removal of the old floor.
- Owners who live out of town can have RDC work at the property with written authorization and arranged access.
Quick answers
What is the best flooring for a rental property in Arizona? For most Arizona rentals, RDC's pick is LVP at $4 to $9 per sq ft installed in the main rooms.
What is the most durable flooring for a rental property? In RDC's view, porcelain tile, at $9 to $18 per sq ft installed. LVP comes second on durability and first on value for most owners, at $4 to $9 per sq ft.
Is LVP or laminate better for a rental property? LVP is usually better, mainly because of water. Laminate has a wood-based core, and wet-room use depends on that line's warranty.
What a rental floor has to do: stay clean at turnover, take moving-day damage and repair without replacing a whole room. Looks matter less than they do in your own home, as long as the tone is neutral.
What Is the Best Flooring for a Rental Property?
The best flooring for a rental property, in RDC's view, is a hard surface in a neutral tone. Use LVP through the main rooms and tile where you want the longest life. The table uses a 1,200 sq ft rental and RDC's published installed prices. Your written estimate sets the real number after a free measure.
| Floor | Installed per sq ft | 1,200 sq ft example | Where it fits in a rental |
|---|---|---|---|
| LVP | $4 to $9 | $4,800 to $10,800 | Living areas, halls, kitchens |
| Laminate | $4 to $8 | $4,800 to $9,600 | Dry rooms, unless the warranty says otherwise |
| Carpet (with pad) | $3 to $7 | $3,600 to $8,400 | Bedrooms |
| Ceramic tile | $7 to $14 | $8,400 to $16,800 | Bathrooms, entries |
| Porcelain tile | $9 to $18 | $10,800 to $21,600 | Kitchens, entries, heavy-wear rooms |
Removing the old floor is a separate line at $3 to $5 per sq ft, so 1,200 sq ft adds $3,600 to $6,000. Leveling, where the slab needs it, runs $1 to $4 per sq ft.
RDC's installed prices for a 1,200 sq ft rental. The same numbers are in the table above.
What Is the Most Durable Flooring for a Rental Property?
The most durable flooring for a rental property, in RDC's view, is porcelain tile. It takes pets, moving dollies and mopping well, and a good install can outlast several tenants. The trade-off is the higher price and grout lines to keep clean. Read porcelain tile installation in Phoenix for what the job includes.
LVP comes second on durability and first on value for most owners. A rigid-core plank with a thicker wear layer resists scratches. A damaged plank is usually a smaller job than replacing a room of carpet. For a pet-friendly rental, read flooring for dogs and pets in Phoenix.
12x24 porcelain tile in a Phoenix living room, the longest-lasting option in the table.
Is Vinyl or Laminate Better for a Rental Property?
Vinyl is usually the better choice for a rental property, mainly because of water. Laminate prices sit close to LVP at RDC, but laminate has a wood-based core, and wet-room use depends on the warranty for that line. In a rental you do not control how fast a leak gets reported.
The full comparison is in LVP vs laminate vs LVT in Phoenix.
Best Flooring for a Rental Kitchen and Bathroom
In a rental kitchen or bathroom, choose a plank its maker sells as waterproof, or tile. Read what the warranty covers, since a waterproof rating covers only what that warranty says. Ceramic tile at $7 to $14 per sq ft suits a bathroom floor, and it pairs well with LVP at the doorway.
Keeping one plank through the kitchen, halls and living areas means fewer transitions. That leaves fewer strips for a tenant to catch or a vacuum to loosen.
Should a Rental Keep Carpet in the Bedrooms?
A rental can keep carpet in the bedrooms if you plan on replacing it more often than a hard floor. It is the lowest number in the table at $3 to $7 per sq ft with pad, and tenants find it quieter. It also shows stains and pet damage, and you replace the whole room when it fails.
If you are deciding right now, read whether replacing carpet with LVP is worth it in Arizona.
Carpet meeting tile at a single transition in a Scottsdale home.
What Arizona Landlord Law Says About Floors
Arizona law does not name a flooring type for rentals in the two statutes below, but both touch the decision. A.R.S. 33-1324 requires a landlord to "make all repairs and do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition."
A.R.S. 33-1321 caps security at one and one-half month's rent, and lets the landlord deduct damages from a tenant's noncompliance under section 33-1341.
In plain terms, the deposit has a ceiling, so a floor that is simple to repair helps. This is general information, not legal advice. Ask your attorney or property manager how the statutes apply to your lease.
Flooring a Rental in Phoenix
About 43% of occupied homes in Phoenix are rented, and the city's median home was built in 1985 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024, tables B25003 and B25035).
So a Phoenix rental may sit on an older slab, sometimes under a floor or two from earlier owners. What is under the old floor can decide the bill as much as the new floor does.
- Old tile or Saltillo. Removal runs $3 to $5 per sq ft and takes 1 to 4 days.
- Uneven slab. A plank needs a flat base, so leveling comes first. See slab moisture testing and floor leveling in Phoenix.
- Very old floors. If asbestos is suspected, RDC does not remove it. A certified asbestos abatement contractor handles it first.
- A vacant summer turnover. Leave the AC running. Plank guides set a room temperature range, and a closed-up Phoenix house can leave it. Read when to install flooring in Arizona.
One neutral plank down a Phoenix hallway, with no transitions to wear out.
“the quality of the LVP flooring is amazing”
Read the full review
We had a great experience with RDC for our flooring installation in Phoenix. The team was professional, on time, and the quality of the LVP flooring is amazing. Highly recommend!
How to Plan the Floor Around a Turnover
Call before the move-out date, not after it. The free in-home measure and the written, itemized estimate usually take 2 to 3 days from your first call. Most RDC flooring installations are completed in 1 to 3 days. Tile takes longer because it is set in mortar and grouted, and old floor removal adds days.
If you live out of town or out of state, RDC can work at the property with your written authorization and arranged access. Tell us the move-out date and the move-in date, and RDC will say whether the floor fits between them. RDC is fully insured, and each installation comes with its 1-year workmanship warranty.
Call or text (602) 788-1446 to book the measure.
Comparing Rental Floors at the North Phoenix Showroom
The Bell Rd showroom, Suite 101 in North Phoenix, sets out full-size planks and tiles across roughly 1,200 sq ft. Free samples go home with you, so you can check them in the actual unit. No appointment is needed Sunday through Friday, 10 AM to 5 PM; on Saturday the showroom is closed.
Rental Flooring in Scottsdale, Mesa and Tempe
RDC's installed prices are the same across the Valley. What changes is the building.
- Scottsdale and other condo rentals. Check the HOA rules before you pick a hard floor. Read can you put LVP or tile in a condo in Arizona.
- Paradise Valley. The measure and written estimate work the same way. See Paradise Valley flooring, tile and stone.
- Mesa. Whole-home tile and carpet to LVP is real RDC work in Mesa. See flooring contractor in Mesa.
- Peoria. LVP is real RDC work in Peoria. See flooring contractor in Peoria.
- Tempe. About 58% of occupied homes are rented (ACS 2020-2024, table B25003). See tile and flooring installation in Tempe.
A neutral gray plank in a Mesa bedroom. The same kind of tone works well between tenants.
Sources
- Arizona Revised Statutes 33-1321, security deposits.
- Arizona Revised Statutes 33-1324, landlord duties.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimates, tables B25003 and B25035.