First-Time Buyers Shocked by What’s Under Their Carpet: ‘Literally Gasped’

A couple of first-time buyers documenting their renovation project have shared their latest discovery on TikTok.

Racking up 2 million views in just 24 hours, the video captures the moment Charlie, 30, removes two layers of carpet in the couple’s new London home. Underneath, they were shocked to find wood flooring, which is unique because of its geometric patterns composed of small pieces of wood.

His fiancée, Neha, 30, told Newsweek: “We were shocked to find the original flooring, as we weren’t told by the seller that there was parquet flooring below the carpet.”

The average cost of parquet flooring in England is £50 ($64) per square meter, while in the U.S. it ranges from $20 to $45 per square foot, according to the Check A Trade website. It’s no surprise, then, that social media is buzzing because the couple managed to save a fortune.

However, the couple, who work in public service, have yet to decide whether to keep the floor, though TikTok users seem eager for them to do so.

“I honestly think if the sellers removed all the carpet and then put the house on the market, we wouldn’t have had a chance of getting this house!” they wrote on their account dedicated to the house’s renovation (@ourhome.at111)

This may indeed be the case, as one user shared, “I nearly bought a house just because it had parquet flooring. It was about 20 miles out of my preferred area.”

So far, comments have been pouring in, with many users obsessed with the flooring.

“I literally gasped, you guys won the jackpot,” said a second user. Another agreed: “As someone who did this and then had to spend £6k on wood flooring and installation because underneath was a shambles, you’ve won the jackpot.”

However, not all homeowners are so lucky. A fourth commenter wrote, “We lifted up the flooring in our new house and found cat-wee-stained underlay and black asbestos tiles.”

Other users pointed out how the flooring appears to be “immaculate.”

The couple believe the previous owner had the floor sanded and treated in the 1980s or ’90s, then covered it with carpet.

Many users were thrilled to see the vintage flooring, noting how trends often come full circle.

For example, while ’70s interior design made a comeback in 2022, by the following year a survey found that 42 percent of 2,000 Americans regretted embracing shag carpets and wood-paneled walls. Commissioned by Slickdeals and conducted by OnePoll, the study also revealed that 69 percent of homeowners feel embarrassed to invite guests over because of their décor choices, and over half (85 percent) believe their property is in “dire need” of an update.

TikTok users may be obsessing over the wooden flooring for now, but it might not be long before another trend takes over social media.

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