Floors & EasyClosets.com

A: Do some research and ask around for a few reputable contractors to give you a quote for sanding, staining, and poly'ing the hardwood floors. It will probably be about $2.50/Sq. Ft. for a good company which will prove to be well worth it. Then, go to www.easyclosets.com and follow the on-screen Closet Design Wizard to create your new closets based on your own needs.

First lets discuss the floors. The impression a potential buyer has on a property when they FIRST open that door is critical. Based on my own experience I would tell you that within the first 30 seconds my clients know whether or not this is the apartment they will ultimately place a bid on. Having said that...

Having a good floor that shines back out at you and just looks fantastic will almost certainly gaurantee you a 'admirable' first impression as buyers come in.

Floors is another renovation that varies with each apartment but generally speaking I would look to put about $3/sq. ft. aside for floor refinishing. After a quick search on Google I found these:

SpotLessFloors
Masterpeice Floors
NY Hardwood Floors

Now on to the closets. Most apartments in NYC dont have incredible closet space and most dont have them furnished either. For a very little money and about 30 minutes of labor you can really maximize and enhance your closets with www.easyclosets.com.

Using the Closet Design Wizard on the link above you first select the shape of the closets that you will be renovating. Then enter in the actual dimensions and you will be sent on to the design wizard. Its actually pretty cool after a good 5 minutes or so of figuring the thing out. For me, I tried to keep my budget at $450 a closet so I can get both of mine done for under $1,000. Here's how 1 turned out:

One very important note I can offer you is to be sure to use the togglebolts (which are the v-shaped bolts that are pushed through your drywall to add stability to the support bar) as you follow the install instructions or else the support bar may not be able to withstand the weight of the closet, and it will fall to its impending death. FYI: Below is an image of a toggle bolt and its screw on the left and exactly how this bolt is used on the drywall to the right.

If you are a seller with limited funds or a buyer/owner looking to enhance your new property, then this broker advises you to invest in refinsihing your hardwood floors and furnishing your closets!

Originally Published 01/03/2006

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