How bad should a kitchen be...

[KitchenProject]

...before you change it?

We've decided to get a new kitchen this year. We got some quotes and I am very excited.

However it's obviously a fair amount of money and even though we can afford it, I'm wondering if our kitchen is bad enough to justify it and we're throwing money unnecessarily? It looks pretty inoffensive/neutral and works fine with lots of storage.

The main things are:

• Wear and tear on the cupboard doors where it sort of looks frayed on the edges. A couple of drawers are partly broken so there is a 'knack' to closing them.
• The gas oven is pretty useless, it takes forever to cook anything. We considered just replacing that for years but thought we might as well wait until we do the whole lot
• Fridge/freezer is due to be replaced too. Sometimes leaks at the bottom.
• There are gaps around the bottom where cobwebs and dirt can get in, it's not a very neat finish, some bits of wood fall off if I hit them with the hoover/mop and I need to put them back in place.
• Wooden floor is worn, lifted up in one place and a different colour by the double doors due to sun exposure/coming in and out of the garden in muddy boots (previous owners!)

I am also just bored of how it looks, the worktop is dark and ugly (but I loved it when we moved in and it was only 7 years ago).

What do you think?

Can you afford a new kitchen?

If so, get one.

Well I waited until the oven didn't work at all, the washing machine was leaking, the dishwasher was on the Fritz, the tap and sink leaked, the cupboard doors has deep cuts in them, the dog has eaten the baseboards and the worktop was all blown. But if I'd had the money I'd have done it earlier. I'd never have done it just because I didn't like it/had grown out of if I suppose it's whether you can do small things to continue ie to make it work or not

Your home is where you presumably spend most of your time and where you need to be happy. There’s no point having parts of your home which are dirty or falling apart of make you annoyed or dampen your mood, if you can afford to change that. There’s no point saving money for some kind of idealised brilliant “future” when your now isn’t as enjoyable as it could be.

If you can afford it do it.

Planning meals, cooking meals even eating meals is better when you have the kitchen you want.

Look at what's available with DIY kitchens, they have an online planner too so you can play around to your hearts content.

Things that I still appreciate 4 years in

• Drawers instead of cupboards - deep drawers, can easily reach the back - or cupboard fronts with internal wire drawers, No wasted space.
• pull out unit that has 2 bins, one for waste, one for recycling.
• Wall cupboard has an upward bifold. All the cupboard open AND no chance of banging your head (which I did frequently before)
• housing for oven and microwave.
• stove top is induction. Plugged in rather than permanent. Single hob from IKEA (also do a double but I live alone and one is enough)

Kitchens have changed hugely over the last few years. My last kitchen was 20 years old and perfectly serviceable - this one is a game changer

Thank you so much. That's the thing, I work from home 80% of the time now so I need to be happy here. We have small DC and don't do very much but stay at home, I love meal planning and cooking, and the kitchen/dining area is half of downstairs so it would make a huge difference on a daily basis.

@NannyGythaOgg I love all these tips! I'm looking through the quote details and deciding what we should keep or cut to lower the price so it's really useful to hear what you found really made a difference.

We have the pull out 2 bins in the plan, I cannot wait! Currently the recycling sits on the worktop looking messy until one of us takes it out, several times a day, so I'm very excited! Simple pleasures!

Also other advice you be... if you are buying from a big chain (like Wren, for example); remember that you don't have to employ their installers to fit it. You can find your own local one and coordinate with them. Saved me a bunch of money.

I did exactly this, waited for everything to break down, starting with dishwasher, then fridge too, and oven. Than the floor. I did get a quote for just the doors & new worktops but DH had enough, too, and we decided to scrap it all & start afresh.