AIBU to spend this much on house renovations.

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Just for some back ground info, me and my partner have upgraded to a lifetime family home. We're on a budget which I think it's pretty healthy and we have worked hard to save (although nothing left by the time the works below are completed). I've tried doing everything cheaply while maintaining as much quality as possible . Family think we have overspent massively and need to rethink our expenses. Parents are horrified at how much we have spent on the kitchen and think we should have gone Ikea (and now I'm paranoid I've spent too much to!)I was so excited by the whole renovation (whole house needs doing) but wanted to make heating, windows and the kitchen a priority. So far we have estimated to spend -

Kitchen (Howdens) £6500 to include -
Solid oak worktop
Base and over head units
under counter sink
fridge/freezer
gas hob
double oven
dishwasher
under unit and kick-board lighting

Windows and doors - £6500
10 white UPVC windows
1 composite front door
1 UPVC back door

Heating £3000
removal of back boiler
installation of gas combi boiler

Have I been totally irresponsible? I'm doubting myself now, and every penny saved really does count. I thought the above prices were "good", especially as everything is now so expensive but I'm worried I've been taken as a fool!

That all sounds incredibly thrifty to me op.

Tell your Dad that if he'd like to chuck some money in the pot, you'd be happy to consider his opinions!

I'd encourage you to stop sharing actual costs with your parents and friends. You do you. If you saved got it and will gets lots of value from it, go for it.

All sounds totally reasonable to me. We are SE and replacing our boiler with a gas combi and replacing most of the radiators cost us just over £4K in 2020.

That sounds like a very reasonable kitchen! If it includes fitting, it would be very cheap.

My parents are totally out of touch when it comes to renovation costs, which isn’t helped as they live in a much cheaper area of the country. They are also experts on extensions as they had a double height extension built in the 1990s which was done within five weeks, so every builder who quotes for our single storey extension taking 8-12 weeks is clearly taking the piss.🙄

My husband runs a property refurbishment and renovation company and we have done up several of our own houses including our current home. I am 100% certain that every one of those prices is an absolute bargain and you need not worry one iota!

No, I don't. Look at it in terms of the increased value of your home once the work is done. And your increased quality of life.

I've spent £85k on my house over the last 10 years, including kitchen, replacement windows and doors, rewiring and a new boiler. But the house has increased in value by four times that. And we get to live in a warm, efficient, secure home.

Sounds wonderful op
I still walk in my kitchen- 3 years now - and think how much I love it.
I saved , I chose , I spend.
And I didn't tell anyone how much.
Got a good deal and dh fitted it.
Heating and windows are an investment for the future and you get to be comfortable and save money in the process.
You are an adult and don't need their approval.
Only share we will people who are genuinely pleased you are making your home so lovey.
And lastly remember 'you only get what you pay for '
Cheap is often false economy

That’s incredibly cheap IMO. You have done exceptionally well if it’s all good quality.

Give yourself a pat on the back 😄

Thanks so much everyone for all your positive comments. The kitchen fit and worktop cut is a further £1500 but that will come from our payslips and as much overtime as possible 🫣.

Im feeling much better, I knew if anyone was going to tell me I messed up it would be Mumsnet!

Definitely this.
Hope you love and have many treasured happy years in your upgraded home.

I'm another that thinks that sounds really reasonable.

The cost sound very reasonable but if you are getting someone to install the kitchen you will need to factor that in.

Renovations and how much you are prepared to spend on them are so personal. Prices are changing all the time right now due to the Ukraine war, Covid and Brexit. We had a quote for our windows that was only valid for ten days due to volatility of supply. Our windows which are double-glazed wooden sash are costing £12k. We are replacing the boiler with a heat pump which will also cost £12k (hopefully we will get the govt grant of £5k towards this), kitchen will be at least £10-12k, so your prices are very reasonable. Also, it's nobody's business! And do what I've always done - shave a bit off the price when the parents ask! 😅

OP, agree with everyone above in that (a) your prices are very competitive, and (b) don't tell anyone numbers unless they have to know!

Also just to say that you need to be careful with oak around the sink - get Osmo oil and use it every year in that area. Especially under the tap there is almost always some drops of water and you'd be surprised how soon you can get black mould if you're not all over it!

Best of luck and ENJOY the lovely home :)

We had 11 windows replaced plus French doors and bi-folds in a custom colour and it cost 20k. Your prices sound very reasonable.

A big part of the kitchen cost is worktops and internal fittings.
If you have pull outs and a wooden worktop it's going to be more than basic cabinets and laminate, even if you buy it at IKEA.

People spend 30k on a kitchen! I think anything under 10k with fitting and you are doing quite well

Your fitting cost will be lower without building the units are your joiner will hate you less!

I understand where you are coming from. I always think I've overspent on everything!

Check diy kitchens - I got mine from there, all built units but much cheaper than howdens and better quality than my friend who got near identical howdens at near the same time three years ago.

I regard howdens as a bit of a con due to how they don’t have clear and transparent pricing.

The rest sounds great!

The kitchen and doors/windows seem very reasonable, espcially given it includes a fair few appliances. I spent >£8k on the same number and type of windows/doors 18 months ago, and building materials have gone up a lot since then.

I've no idea what's involved in removing a back boiler, but just replacing my old combi, without any change to radiators, was £1,300 a year ago. The boiler is an Alpha, they've not been on the market in the UK for very long. It was very reasonably priced, and is guaranteed for 13 years.

I've nothing against Ikea at all and looked at their kitchens last year. A Howdens one will be much nicer.

Your family sound a bit joy killing and these prices would be good value if achievable.

£5,000 for a boiler?!

Ours was £1200 last year. Was yours new radiators too?

Crikey, all v reasonable.
I'm in London, not a posh bit, tho bordered by one. Neighbours have just done the whole side return thing and spent around 120k. Crack on OP and enjoy. X

Your family are being daft as hell. None of those prices sound expensive (cost me about the same to have CH fitted about 15 years ago so cheap according to inflation!) and even if they were, it’s your money and your house and you should have it the way you like not capitulate to people who won’t live there and won’t pay for it!

That’s dirt cheap. My windows were 12k and my kitchen was 40k.

I think those prices sound very reasonable.

Don’t discuss prices with family or friends.

lol

You have spent very reasonably to refurbish your your house
what a bargain

Don't know why your wider family are angst about it

Yanbu

We recently paid £16,000 for seven wooden sash windows so this seems perfectly reasonable to me!