Every multifamily flooring project loves to talk about value engineering until the chosen product starts failing. And it always fails for the same reason: the budget was built ten years ago and never updated.
Here’s the truth the industry dances around:
You’re not choosing LVP because it’s better. You’re choosing it because the flooring allowance is frozen in time.
Let’s do the math. National averages today look like this:
- LVP: $1.70–$3.50 per square foot installed
- Mid-grade engineered hardwood: $6–$10 installed
- Commercial-grade engineered hardwood: $10–$16+ installed
Nobody is fitting real hardwood into a $2–$3 budget.
The problem isn’t the product.
The problem is the math.
So the spec throws hardwood out before the project even starts.
Not because it can’t perform.
Not because tenants won’t value it.
But because the budget is built on a number that doesn’t reflect how the asset actually operates.
Here’s the part that never gets discussed.
Hardwood can fit the multifamily budget — if you rebalance the right line items.
There are three buckets that always absorb more money than they return:
1. Design upgrades nobody notices after move-in
Decorative lighting, designer wall accents, backsplash swaps, and color palettes sound great in presentations. But they don’t close leases.
Flooring does.
It’s the largest, most visible surface in the unit.
2. Unit-turn costs that quietly wipe out “savings”
Cheap floors create:
- delamination
- cupping from HVAC shutdowns
- board failures
- high turnover labor
- replacements every few years
One ruined unit during turnover erases the entire price delta between LVP and real engineered hardwood.
LVP is disposable.
Hardwood is not.
Across a 10-year hold, replacing LVP twice costs far more than paying for durable engineering once.
This is exactly where Haute Plank changes the equation — thick construction, a marine birch core that resets after moisture events, commercial-rated finishes, and width stability that survives real traffic, not theoretical testing.
You’re not paying for aesthetics.
You’re paying to avoid headaches, downtime, repairs, and the slow erosion of NOI.
So here’s the challenge.
Stop budgeting flooring like it’s 2013.
Stop pulling money from the finishes that actually sell units.
And stop pretending “value engineering” helps when it keeps hitting the wrong line items.
The multifamily budget isn’t the problem. The allocation is.
If flooring is one of the hardest-working, highest-impact, most visible surfaces in the unit, why is it the last place anyone runs the math?
It’s time to rethink the numbers.
The Math on Multifamily Flooring
Why is hardwood usually cut from multifamily budgets?
Because most budgets are built on outdated flooring allowances that haven’t changed in a decade. When the number is wrong from the start, the product gets eliminated before anyone evaluates performance or long-term cost.
Can real engineered hardwood fit a multifamily budget?
Yes, but not under a $2–$3 allowance. It fits when the budget is rebalanced and overfunded line items are trimmed. Feature lighting, decorative wall treatments, and finish upgrades deliver far less leasing impact than a premium floor.
Is hardwood practical in high-turnover units?
It depends on the construction. Commodity engineered floors fail under multifamily conditions. A thick wear layer, a stable core, and commercial-rated finishes change the outcome. Haute Plank’s build avoids the cupping, delamination, and board failure that trigger expensive unit-turn replacements.
What’s the cost advantage of hardwood over LVP long-term?
LVP is disposable. Developers often replace it twice during a typical hold period. A high-grade engineered hardwood — installed once — outperforms that cycle financially, especially when accounting for labor, downtime, and tenant disruption.
Where do developers usually pull from to make hardwood feasible?
Most teams remove dollars from finishes that don’t sell units: decorative fixtures, backsplash upgrades, accent materials, or nonessential design layers. Rebalancing those line items typically creates the spread needed to elevate flooring.
Does wide-plank hardwood work in small units?
Yes. It reduces visual seams, opens the space, and provides a higher-end look during tours. Wide planks create a premium first impression that leasing teams rely on.
How do long lead times affect multifamily scheduling?
Hardwood requires early selection, especially with today’s international logistics challenges. Developers who lock in material early avoid last-minute substitutions and price volatility. Haute Plank provides storage when product arrives ahead of schedule.
Is hardwood risky during HVAC shutdowns or construction delays?
Cheap or thin engineered floors are risky. A marine birch core with memory — like the one used in Haute Plank — drastically reduces damage from moisture swings and temporary shutdowns. It resets itself instead of holding deformation.
Why would flooring impact leasing velocity?
It’s the largest, most visible surface in every unit. Prospective tenants touch it, walk on it, and judge the entire space through it. Premium materials increase perceived value and reduce reliance on concessions during slow cycles.
How should developers think about NOI when evaluating flooring?
Not at the invoice level. At the lifecycle level. Flooring that avoids replacements, reduces unit-turn labor, and supports premium rents is a profit decision — not a finish decision.
