Refinishing vs new hardwood floors home equity?

ok...our hardwood floors need refinishing or we need to get new ones...considering the major difference in cost between the two. Which one would be a better investment...considering the price of between 600 for refinishing or 3500 for new floors.....we want to build equity but i was told that by refinishing you can make them look brand spankin new...so i almost want to go that route because if we got new ones, i'd want to rip out the old ones..so as not to decrease the room size. Also if anyone knows...b/c of the winter, the floors now have cracks so if we refinish, shoudl we wait till the summer when the spaces have closed up? if so, when next winter comes, will they space out and crack the polyurithane?

If they are real wood by all means refinish. Mine are not but i have them rebuffed once a year and boy do they look good.

You probably can negotiate a better rate during the winter. Why your floors are splitting is a surprise. When the buff out they should be able to ensure that your floors do not split. Ask for a guarantee for services rendered

Don't invest in new hardwood floors, as long as the ones you have can be sanded down and refinished. It's a waste of money as far as home sale values go. Besides, you will save money AND have hardwood floors with character AND better woods than are now currently available.

If someone gave you a $600 quote on refinishing hardwood floors...find another contractor.

That is TOO CHEAP...as in...no way would I use a contractor that quoted me that price b/c you are going to get what you pay for...a crappy job..

Generally, to just sand and put a CLEAR COAT is about $1.50 per square foot and if you want stain it's about another 75 cents per foot.

It makes NO DIFFERENCE in an appraisal if they are new vs refinished. I have seen thousands of appraisals and not once did an appraiser adjust for one and not the other. All people care about, is how do they look???

DO NOT refinish the hardwoods in the winter...you need to open the windows to get the fumes out from the refinishing and the cold will cause the poly coat to crack and not dry very good or at all.

Springtime is the best when it's about 70 degrees outside.

PS: If you have large black pet stains, refinishing will not take those out...you'll have to have the contractor pull up those boards and replace them. I learned that the hard way.