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Original poster

Am I stupid to order a kitchen for a house we haven’t completed on?

72 replies

starsandstuff · 28/12/2021 17:27

DH is 100% “yes you are a clown for thinking this”. But, like everyone else, we got caught out by the property market boom. After being outbid on FOURTEEN houses including one sale agreed that fell through, we finally are sale agreed with a hopeful completion date of mid/end Feb. We’ve been living with my Mum since last June. My husband is desperate to get back into our own space, but after all this time when I move in Thats it - I do not want any packing boxes within 100 miles of me for a very long time.

The house is fine, further out than we wanted but nice enough, but I really want a new kitchen. It’s not my taste but apart from that they’ve big appliances like a range and an American fridge that will be going with them, so when they go it’ll be half empty anyway. So - DH thinks: move in the second we get the keys and figure it out later. I think: get everything possible done before we move in so I can just relax and enjoy it after what will be by that stage nearly a year of living out of boxes and suitcases. The lead in time is so long for everything eg May to get a sofa (we’re in Belfast, thanks very much Brexit) that I feel we need to order a kitchen like next week to get it fitted in March. He thinks that’s crazy when we’re not completed although everything has been straightforward so far and it’s just a standard 60s semi that has been renovated in the last 5 years.

So, should I wait or just cross my fingers and go for it? Similar stories and their outcomes welcome please.

OP posts:

WiganDiva · 28/12/2021 17:30

I’m not sure you really can order it without having measured everything, worked out what will go where, electrics, plumbing... How can you can do that before you’ve moved in?

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 28/12/2021 17:30

How can you order a kitchen yet? Plans need to be drawn up, electric points etc noted- I’d move in before committing to any major works or expense, imagining living in a house and living in a house are two different things.

powershowerforanhour · 28/12/2021 17:32

I'm with your DH.

oneglassandpuzzled · 28/12/2021 17:33

I doubt a kitchen company will commit to fitting it until they’ve measured up the space themselves. That was our recent experience anyway.

AuntyBumBum · 28/12/2021 17:33

I'd go ahead, so long as you've exchanged contracts.

BrotherHelp · 28/12/2021 17:34

Plan the layout but for the love of god don’t order and pay for a kitchen on a he that might fall through! You might also remember it wrong and move in and decide you want it different. Buy it, stay where you are and then plan and plan again and then work out if you can live with it and then move out temporarily

Ovenaffray · 28/12/2021 17:34

If you haven’t completed no I wouldn’t.

BalladOfBarryAndFreda · 28/12/2021 17:34

Wait until the house is def yours.

Iseeyoulookingatme · 28/12/2021 17:34

Op your husband is right on this one. Firstly the sale may fall through and if it does then you will have lost the money spent on a kitchen. Secondly you will need to measure up etc to make sure it fits.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 28/12/2021 17:34

Wait.

MrsMoastyToasty · 28/12/2021 17:35

I'm on Team DH. It takes time to work out how you will actually use the space. I also suggest living with it for a year to see how natural sunlight fills the room.

rrhuth · 28/12/2021 17:35

Do. Not. Order. Yet.

PersonaNonGarter · 28/12/2021 17:36

Obviously not.

DopesickSis · 28/12/2021 17:37

No. This is just daft.

A. You need to measure up really throughly and spend time in the space to plan the kitchen so it's workable.

B. If you place an order of and then the sale falls through, you are stick with a kitchen you can't use and won't be quite right for whatever house you eventually buy.

As Thomas the Tank Engine would say - patience is a virtue, waiting never hurt you.

CheshireCats · 28/12/2021 17:37

Yabvvu. Of course you can't order it until you own the house!

buttercuplizzy · 28/12/2021 17:37

I'm with your husband here. No, do not order a kitchen- firstly, it needs to be properly measured and secondly the sale could fall through.

Also, if the house is liveable just move in. We embarked on a full renovation and said it would take about 2 months... it took us a whole year! As the more you pull a house a part the more unliveable you make it.

Move in. Live with the kitchen and get a feel for the house and then decide what work you want to do. An old kitchen is not the end of the world.

RunRunGingerbreadMan · 28/12/2021 17:38

I'm with your dh, but you could get the plans done ready to go and not order until you've completed. We did similar and just didn't fully unpack the kitchen bits as it was so manky (even though it was 4 or 5 months), once they got started it only took a few days for it to be fitted etc. You don't really need to move out again while they do it or anything, just plan a couple of nights of microwave or takeaways.

Starseeking · 28/12/2021 17:39

This would be absolute madness. If it falls through, you'll have spent thousands of pounds on something you have limited/no use for. Don't let desperation cloud your judgement, the kitchen will still be waiting to be ordered once you complete on your purchase.

I say this as someone who is dying to order sofas and beds for my new house that is now 6 months into the sales process, and will possibly complete in January.

Don't get ahead of yourself!

LovelyLupins · 28/12/2021 17:39

No chance.

Original poster

starsandstuff · 28/12/2021 17:40

Thanks everyone (I am not telling him you all agree with him yet) We have a visit arranged with the vendors next week where we can spend as long as we need getting measurements so my thought was to immediately go to the kitchen place after that. I know exactly what I want so all I’m waiting on is finding out measurements and as pointed out, wiring, plumbing etc. And I think of a company needed to send their own staff out to measure the vendors would be amenable to that - we did that when selling our own house. Is it still a no? cries onto Houzz homepage

OP posts:

Anotherhill · 28/12/2021 17:40

If the current owners know you’ve ordered a kitchen it would be very tempting for them to ask for more money the day before the money goes through.

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 28/12/2021 17:40

Dear God, don't do it.

CheshireCats · 28/12/2021 17:41

Ffs! Just wait.

CSJobseeker · 28/12/2021 17:41

Yep, it's still a no. Utter madness

ExquisitelyDecorated · 28/12/2021 17:44

Wait, partly in case the sale falls through but also as others have said so you can plan properly. You need to measure it properly, consider electricity, water, drains, lighting, flooring, worktops. Also it's far easier to plan if you are already familiar with the room.

Another thing is that lead times for supply and tradespeople are really long at the moment, it probably would be be optimistic to think you'd get it fitted in March now. I'd move in and plan it for later, pick up some secondhand appliances to tide you over.

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