Selling your apartment in a difficult real estate market puts you in competition with other homeowners for a buyer. An apartment should be thoroughly repaired, cleaned, and painted if possible before going on the market. Here are 5 things that need to be dealt with in any high end apartment that goes on the market in NYC
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Plastering cracks and repairing old water damage
Potential buyers and realtors will flag this as a sign of bigger issues with the unit if they see cracking, chipping, or staining that hasn’t been repaired.
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Deep chemical clean and re-silconing on bathroom tiles and fixtures
There is cleaning your apartment, then there is CLEANING your apartment. Paintworks uses two heavy chemicals that a cleaning crew typically won’t use – Viper Venom and Viper Renew. The latter product is so strong it actually etches the top layer of grout, removing the top layer of dirt. Our team will also re-silicone any tile to fixture joints.
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Reglazing bathtubs and tiles
Reglazing tiles that are dated / very colorful can mute some of the color variations, so the bathroom doesn’t look as out of style and isn’t as distracting to potential purchasers.
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Painting (duh)
Paintworks will paint your walls, ceiling, and trim a neutral color. We typically recommend something like Decorators White or Simply White; those are the two most popular colors with the stagers and real estate agents we work with.
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Floor waxing, Screening or urethaning*, or refinishing
A beat up floor is the first thing a potential buyer will see as the door to your apartment opens (entryways are high-traffic areas). That needs to be fixed. If the flooring is too thin to sand, waxing can be the most cost-effective way to make the floors look good in listing photos. Screening/urethaning is an option if the floor has surface scuffs or scratches. Floors that are very beaten up but still have a thick wear surface can be refinished.
The items above require a professional team as the equipment and materials required aren’t available to the typical NYC apartment owner. Contact Paintworks NY for a consultation before putting your apartment on the market – we can help get the best possible price for your home.
What is Screening or Urethaning?
Screening or urethaning refers to the process of refinishing a hardwood floor by applying a new layer of urethane or polyurethane coating. It restores the appearance and protect the surface of a floor.
We follow this Urethaning process:
- The floor is thoroughly cleaned to remove any dirt, dust, or debris. This may involve sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping the floor.
- Screening is the term used to describe the process of lightly abrading the existing finish on the floor using a floor buffer or sander equipped with a fine-grit mesh or sanding screen. This step helps to remove any scratches, imperfections, or dullness from the surface.
- After screening, the floor is cleaned again to remove any dust or residue left from the screening process. This ensures a clean and smooth surface for the urethane coating.
- Once the floor is clean and dry, a fresh coat of urethane or polyurethane finish is applied using a brush, roller, or sprayer. Urethane is a durable, clear, and protective coating that enhances the natural beauty of the wood and provides resistance against wear, stains, and moisture.
- The urethane coating needs time to dry and cure. The specific drying time can vary depending on the type of urethane used, environmental conditions, and manufacturer instructions. It is essential to allow sufficient drying and curing time to ensure a strong and durable finish.
- In some cases, multiple coats of urethane may be applied, in different sheens, with sanding between each coat to achieve a smooth, even finish. This step can enhance the durability and aesthetic appeal of the floor.
Screening and urethaning a floor is typically done as a maintenance or refinishing process for hardwood floors that are in relatively good condition. If the floor has extensive damage, deep scratches, or unevenness, a more involved refinishing process, such as sanding down to bare wood, may be required.