To think a kitchen should last more that 12 years?

[TinklyLittleLaugh]

I live on a small (a dozen houses or so) estate. And i'm a nosy cow, so every time someone puts their house up for sale, I have a look at it on rightmove. Every single house that has been up in the last few years has upgraded their kitchen and often their bathrooms from the original.

Our houses are top end 4 and 5 bed houses. They didn't have cheap fittings put in them, there was a decent choice of finishes. I have raised four kids in my house and, honestly, my kitchen is in really good nick. I have one travertine style bathroom that looks a bit dated, but not badly enough to rip the whole thing out.

Some people just seem to spend money for the sake of it.

I don't think I've ever had a kitchen more than 12 years

Why would you evem give a shit.

And wtf is a travertine bathroom.

They're bored.

And wtf is a travertine bathroom.

It is a thing. Thank you, Google!

These days, a kitchen probably doesn't last 12 years but that's more down to people constantly wanting to change it.
A good quality kitchen would last much much longer.

I give a shit because I think we live in a society that's very throw away and consumerist.

Obviously I am in a minority.

Just googled 'travertine bathroom' !

Looks bit dated but good quality.

Most people prefer the kitchen of their choice now if they can afford it..

Some people also seem to like decorating, doing their houses up to their taste and always like to have a project on the go.

Of course the kitchens and bathrooms didn't need replacing. But people wanted to change them.

Thanks OP, because of you I now have a new way of alluding to the vast majority of hotel bathrooms 👍

I think it's a mix of lack of cleaning/maintenance and trying to stay fashionable which means they get changed more quickly than they need.

I've just changed mine. It was 20 years old. We had it put in when we moved into this house. Nothing special - middle of the range MFI units with a freestanding Hotpoint cooker (total cost inc fitting was about £5k). There was absolutely nothing wrong with any of it - probably would have lasted another decade. No chips, cracks, stains, and all doors/cupboards worked perfectly. Cooker also was fine. We cleaned it regularly, i.e. daily wipe over of work surfaces, weekly wipe over of door/cupboard fronts and occasionally we'd get the screwdriver out to "tweak" the doors so that they didn't catch. Same with the cooker, quick wipe over the top after every use, quick wipe around inside weekly.

If a middle of the range MFI kitchen can last 20 years, then, yes, I'd expect any kitchen to last more than 12 years if it's properly looked after.

Well i mean as someone with 4 kids you are a massive component of our consumerist system.

Kitchens can be replaced/renovated pretty cheaply, as can bathrooms, so if something isn't to your taste when you buy it would make sense to redo it your own way.

I also had to google travetine bathroom, to find that it is the name for the nice modern bathroom that I see in hotels, naice apartments and houses of people who do their houses up often. I really like it and would be the sort of bathroom I would have if I could be arsed having our hideous 80s (I think that's when it's from beigy/browny tiles with a dado rail type patterend insert going round the room) ripped out.

If that's dated, what is a new undated bathroom supposed to look like?

Bingo munky you win! I was itching for someone to come out with that old chestnut 🤣

See when I chose stuff for the travertine bathroom, it was the only trendy choice I made. The other bathrooms are white with a bit of mosaic tiling. My kitchen is cream shaker.

My trendy choice is the only one that has dated.

I live in a group of 7 houses which are just 18 years old. I think we are the only one with original cupboards and worktops, until last month we still had the same oven/hob. It does look dated now though ours was the more modern of all the houses (think old oak styles).

Some people just like updating...I cant be bothered with the hassle

Well its true innit? OP is complaining about our consumerist society and people chucking money at their kitchens.

Maybe her neighbours dont have kids and prefer to spend their cash on having the perfect home.

Guilty as charged there Munky.

There are actually lots of people on our estate with one or two kids and four or five bedrooms.

munky the thread isn't about how many children the OP has.

I'm a out to buy a house and I will be replacing kitchen and bathroom when I can afford it. I think they've been there a lot longer than 12 years though.

My new kitchen came with a 20 year guarantee so I expect it to last that long.

Don't you have any kids on account of being in possession of such a lovely turn of phrase now, will you?

Au contraire it's always about how many kids and given woman has.........yawn......

We've just ripped out the kitchen and bathroom in our new house. I guess they must have been 17 years old as that's when the house was built. They were ok but just looking a bit dated and not to our taste. Why shouldn't we change them to something we love?

We had a new kitchen put in 12 years ago. I'm not planning on updating it any time soon. There is nothing wrong with it and it still looks modern. It was bought from Jewson - so not expensive. We did have to replace a leaking tap last year but that's it.

Kitchens can be replaced/renovated pretty cheaply Really Whooo ?
I have a bathroom I have not done up despite it being old and a bit manky. I’ve lived in the house 16 years. I can’t afford to do it. It’s a small bathroom and the last quote I had was for £2500. I don’t have that sort of cash lying around looking for a purpose.