Kitchen

[gazelle77]

On 5/20/2014 kingtut said:

i now live in a retirement home with few upgrades -- do have a dishwasher and microwave. When I went to sell my house in 2011, my kitchen had been totally upgraded in 1991 and I thought was fine except for the countertops. Before that it had not been done for over 36 years -- it was my parents home. When the real estate lady came to call, she said it was a complete tear down -- she claimed that Normal people did a complete upgrade every SEVEN years. However the house sold at above asking price at the first open house.

Yes these NORMAL people who are living in fancy homes and they are bankrupt! Like I want to live in that fish bowel.....NOT!

[Jackielee]

I was watching some show where they were discussing how much society has changed as far as what a newly married couple expects when they buy their first home-how they expect granite countertops, an office, totally remodeled bathrooms and kitchens, etc. My husband and I bought our first home about 40 years ago and it was truly a "beginner" home. We slowly redid the home over the 10 years that we lived there but we started out with barely any furniture and a pretty "bare bones" house. When I watch these rehab shows and the couples come in and rip out a totally fine kitchen (many times the kitchen had just been redone a few years ago) , it makes me sick. They don't even think of saving anything and it's such a waste. The funniest thing to me is how they come into a kitchen and 90% of them will wrinkle their noses up if they see an electric stove and say that they can't possibly live with that. I always wonder if they have any idea why some people have electric stoves ? Maybe they like them or , just maybe, like me when we remodeled our kitchen for our 35th anniversary, found out that , if I wanted a gas stove, I'd have to pay about $4000 to make the connection. Found a top of the line electric stove and love it. When I go to sell the house in the next couple of years, I swear that I'm going to put a sign on the stove saying "I like my electric stove."

[lizzief]

We just remodeled - basically gutted - every room EXCEPT the kitchen. We did that first several years ago, and that was a breeze compared to what we went through with the rest of the house! I laugh when they complete these extensive jobs on TV in several weeks. Ours took months, and I know most do! But really, one kitchen isn't that difficult - a couple of weeks max - go for it! So glad we did ours first! And btw, the budgets they work with on TV are ridiculous - you can do a very nice remodel of your kitchen with a reasonable budget - we did!

[kivah]

Some people like brand new homes - like me. Others like old homes. It's all choice. The point of the show is to remodel and update the house. If I went back to the house that I lived in from 1978 to 1988 --- it would look dull to me ----- and I bought it brand new. Harvest gold appliances, small master bedroom. I had burnt orange carpet -- great quality. When I put it on the market to sell, another realtor said I should change out the carpet, which I did, to beige. The house looked totally different. It is a beautiful house!!!!

[gazelle77]

On 5/20/2014 Jackielee said:

I was watching some show where they were discussing how much society has changed as far as what a newly married couple expects when they buy their first home-how they expect granite countertops, an office, totally remodeled bathrooms and kitchens, etc. My husband and I bought our first home about 40 years ago and it was truly a "beginner" home. We slowly redid the home over the 10 years that we lived there but we started out with barely any furniture and a pretty "bare bones" house. When I watch these rehab shows and the couples come in and rip out a totally fine kitchen (many times the kitchen had just been redone a few years ago) , it makes me sick. They don't even think of saving anything and it's such a waste. The funniest thing to me is how they come into a kitchen and 90% of them will wrinkle their noses up if they see an electric stove and say that they can't possibly live with that. I always wonder if they have any idea why some people have electric stoves ? Maybe they like them or , just maybe, like me when we remodeled our kitchen for our 35th anniversary, found out that , if I wanted a gas stove, I'd have to pay about $4000 to make the connection. Found a top of the line electric stove and love it. When I go to sell the house in the next couple of years, I swear that I'm going to put a sign on the stove saying "I like my electric stove."

Hey while you are at it, make me a sign too..... I fact my 1981 electric GE stove is a lovely cream color....matches the original laminate flooring. It is Lovely!

[Ibby114]

A full kitchen rehab every 7 years? - that's crazy! Appliances aren't made to last anymore. I can see maybe having to replace them- only if needed!

[house_cat]

I agree with all of you, and Jackielee… when we bought our first home someone called it a "fixer upper". My dad corrected him and said, "No, they have a lot of work to do before it's that good". He was right.

[bonnielu]

I DID once enjoy these shows. Now I am amazed what the MUST HAVES are and how spoiled and enabled and privileged the buyers seem to be. Granite this and stainless that and of course OPEN CONCEPT. It a way it concerns me since most of us don't live like that and still survive and have nice homes. It rather makes me think that someday when I try to sell someone will use the checklist from the shows and I will be left with an unsold property simply because someone does not like the wall color.

[2000survivor]

I watch a lot on HGTV; Love it or List it, Property Brothers, etc. What I noticed and find odd is a house is referred to as space, as they tour rooms are referred to as space. When did that start? I still call a house a house, a room is a room and a closet is a closet.

[mousiegirl]

I have been working in a 1960 kitchen for over twenty years, updated when we moved in, but same horrible cabinets, until now as my kitchen is being remodeled. I have always worked in an old kitchen, except for the last year in our previous home. We had just remodeled it, and then moved one year later, into an OLD kitchen, once again. I have made some wonderful meals and raised a child in this old kitchen, no convenience, but as women do, I adjusted.