PleaSE Help me decide if I have to remove a vinyil sheet floor

[Jane S.]

I want to install Pergo laminate in the living room and kitchen of a rental but everyone says something different about how to level the different heights of the floors. Do I pay to rip out the vinyl, who would do that? It’s on a wood subfloor which is on the original subfloor, I guess. Anothr person told me that the vinyl whill shatter into tiny pieces when it is pulled out?

The living room that opens into the kitchen has original hardwood, and an experienced flooring expert said “You can lay pergo right over that”. Fine, but I dont want an ugly transition between the 2 rooms. That is such a huge dirt catcher. Another guy said he can “shim” the Pergo to raise it to the height of the vinyl without removing the vinyl. 

My problem is I had to evict the horrible tenants and the damages they did to the house have exhausted my funds. However I had planned to rehab the LR & K floors anyway. 

Tempted to return the 27 packs of Pergo to Home Depot and just carpet the living room and scrub the kitchen floor, which is pretty darn filthy from the pigs.

Never encountered such an issue in all my rehabs. Thanks in advance for any tips.