Refinished floors worth the investment?

[Andrea Cole]

My husband and I are 85% done on rehabbing our first investment property. It's a 1942 duplex in High Point, NC that we plan to AirBnB. 

When I originally did my budget, I didn't include refinishing the floors but after months of construction they're looking pretty rough. There are gouges in a few spots and the poly is chipping in a few areas. I'm thinking refinishing them is worth doing now rather than later since the place will never be as empty as it is now but my husband is unsure if it's worth the investment. 

Has anyone had to make this choice before? And what did you decide? Just looking for some sound advice or maybe some alternatives (?). The first quote came in at close to $6k for 1400 sq ft, mouldings, and 40 stair treads.

[Tanner R.]

I’m going through this right now on a flip as well, had old 3/8” hardwood that I had planned to get refinished but there’s so many patches where walls have been moved, kitchen didn’t have hardwood before and beat up from Reno’s in spots that I’m ripping it all up and putting down engineered hardwood.. I’m in Ontario Canada but had quotes to patch and refinish (patching included large areas of about 100sqft total) and it was $5500 to patch, sand, stain the existing house of 850sqft and install new oak treads and risers on 3 steps and stain to match with that I was going to do the master bedroom addition different (possibly carpet) now Im getting engineered hardwood installed right throughout for $5500 installed seamless through all rooms and 3 treads/risers