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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Grand Designs and the credit crunch

19 replies

abraid · 22/04/2009 21:31

I'm not blaming lovely Kevin for the credit crunch...btw.

On tonight's programme there was a flashback to 2005 and the woman said she was buying all her furniture completely brand new for the new build. Fair enough--a once in a lifetime opportunity, etc.

Except--she then went on to say that 'everyone' replaces all their furniture every five or ten years, anyway.

Do they? I don't. No way. Things get replaced (if we're lucky) when they fall to bits, or mended or renovated. Occasionally we renovate a kitchen or bathroom (done each of these in the 14 years we have been in this house). But a complete refurbishment every five or ten years...?????

OP posts:

compo · 22/04/2009 21:36

ha
defintiely not in our house
the sofa I'm currently sitting on is at least 20 years old!

Original poster

abraid · 22/04/2009 21:41

And I'm sure it still has wear left in it!

I just don't get this splashing money all over the place and building huge, showy-off houses.

No wonder we're a bust country.

Still love Kevin, though.

OP posts:

lalalonglegs · 22/04/2009 21:55

The whole thing has a very fin de siecle feel to it - they keep pushing up their budget regardless and saying they have to have the best. I find it quite depressing - the house mings.

I think quite a lot of people do replace things every ten years (or used to) but not all at once: might recarpet, then next year redo bathroom or kitchen.

Original poster

abraid · 23/04/2009 08:31

Yes--this desperation for everything to be 'the bset' at whatever cost, as though that would put them beyond reproach and criticism.

It was the 'all at once' aspect that made me gulp. That would be sooooo much money.

OP posts:

greatwhiteshark · 23/04/2009 08:33

Nope, we never would throw away good furniture, even before the credit crunch! I hate spending money at the best of times, but when you don't even need to!?

JustCallMeGoat · 23/04/2009 08:35

i remember seeing this program a few years ago and dh and i still joke about 'replacing everything' every few years.

was a fantastically bling bling house though.

purplemonkeydishwasher · 23/04/2009 08:39

i know people who do this. it's stupid and wasteful. they;'re old though and i guess they don't have anything better to do or spend their money on.

Botbot · 23/04/2009 08:46

I always think that if I got married, I wouldn't bother having a wedding list, because dp and I have been together for 12 years and have everything. I mentioned this to an ex-family member when she was planning her wedding list (she was in a similar position to me). She replied 'yes, I've got everything, but I haven't got the best of everything.' So after she got married, more or less everything she owned got replaced with newer, nicer versions.

(Ironically, the marriage lasted two and a half months)

Original poster

abraid · 23/04/2009 11:48

Snort, Botbot.

OP posts:

Fizzylemonade · 23/04/2009 15:49

We have old furniture and we love it. It has that hammered by the children look loved look

We do replace stuff if it can't be fixed. Our wardrobes are ikea pax and we have dismantled them and put them back together in the last 3 houses over a 10 year period. The back of the back board is covered in panel pin holes as we keep making new holes.

I am only replacing my current carpet because it is trashed, and in my defence I have a carpet cleaner but there is only so much that can cope with

Our TV is about 8 or 9 years old I would like to replace it but it works perfectly well. I would love a flat screen tv but I just can't bring myself to spend that kind of money.

Botbot - maybe she is now getting the nicer newer version of her first husband

Kathyis6incheshigh · 23/04/2009 15:58

Didn't see the one that was on last night, but do you remember the lovely eco hobbit house in the Lake District one where Kevin was sniffy because they filled it with their old mish-mash of furniture instead of buying everything new? The woman had to point out that the whole point of the build was to live a greener lifestyle.

GrendelsMum · 23/04/2009 20:48

If I buy something new, I try to buy things that I think will last for 30 years at least, preferably more like 50. If I know want something for the short term, I'd usually get it second-hand and then find it another home when I'm done with it. But I'm just tight with my cash.

Sorrento · 23/04/2009 21:06

Gosh no, I try and buy the best I can afford with the intention of dying in one of those chairs.

TheFallenMadonna · 23/04/2009 21:10

Ah Kathy, that was one of my favourites. John Bodger the architect
And they didn't go wildly over budget or time because they had to have a £1000 tap for the kitchen.

TheFallenMadonna · 23/04/2009 21:12

And, and the woman breastfed her baby while chatting on camera to the lovely Kevin. I do hope they're still living there.

TheCrackFox · 23/04/2009 21:18

I didn't like the house yesterday - it had no soul. There was no story behind anything in the house. I found it showy, a bit sterile and, well, sad really.

We have a mish mash of furniture. Although we did buy a new coffee table. Last one was 11 years old (and a wedding pressie) but I had always hated it.

Northernlurker · 25/04/2009 12:12

When we moved house we looked at our aged television and thought how nice a flat screen would be - but as we'd had to buy a fridge freezer and dishwasher (old house had them built in) and the washing machine had fatally broken down we thought we'd better not.

3 weeks later the tv broke down - imagine our joy

noddyholder · 25/04/2009 12:24

I have moved and renovated so many times that i hate new stuff!I have had every cooker fridge tv blah blah in each house and have always sold them to the buyer only keeping 2 beds and our art and mirrors each time.We have been in our 'own' house since xmas and it is all our own stuff and taste and all has been bought for keeps.I am not precious about it at all and think I have been waiting 15 yrs just to really use things.Apparently on GD more than three quarters of the people don't stay in the houses I think a lot of it is the project which ime never feels like a home when its finished

BuwchBywiog · 25/04/2009 13:17

I don't replace my clothes every 5 - 10 years let alone my furniture lol

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