How often do people replace their kitchen these days?

London_Town

I had my kitchen replaced last year. I've got a kitchen diner in a two bedroomed home and it cost me about £6000. The guarantee is for something like 25 years which is a very long time indeed.

As long as I have the funds available, I imagine I'd want to change it after around 10 years, even if everything is still ok.

It just got me thinking, how often do people in the UK change their fitted kitchens, if they can access the necessary funds?

My gut feeling is that there is an expectation to change kitchens more often, where as my parents had the same one for 30 plus years.

PasturesNew

I figure it's a once in a lifetime thing.

Living in 10 houses you might not change any of them - but if you're then in your "staying here forever" house then you might do it once.

HappyMJ

London_Town wrote: »

I had my kitchen replaced last year. I've got a kitchen diner in a two bedroomed home and it cost me about £6000. The guarantee is for something like 25 years which is a very long time indeed.

As long as I have the funds available, I imagine I'd want to change it after around 10 years, even if everything is still ok.

It just got me thinking, how often do people in the UK change their fitted kitchens, if they can access the necessary funds?

My gut feeling is that there is an expectation to change kitchens more often, where as my parents had the same one for 30 plus years.

I changed the door fronts after 10 years, the drawer runners were shot after 5 years, the taps were worn after 8 years, the cooker broke after 7 years.

The kitchen was the cheapest possible kitchen the builder could put it and could not handle actually being used.

The cabinets now need replacing after 15 years of use. I'll keep it as is for a few more years but it's in the budget.

The worktop has quite a few marks and scratches on it and probably should be changed but it is still okay. I estimate it will need replacing when it's 20 years old.

Person_one

I've just ripped one out that's been in since the sixties.

I expect the new one to last 20 years at least. Might change the handles or some other minor bits to 'refresh' after 10 or so I suppose.

torbrex

I have been in my house for 24 years and although I have had to renew the oven, I have not entertained any thought about changing the units.

But of course, I am only a man so change for the sake of change has never occurred to me

EssexExile

Everytime we move into another old wreck of a house. So in 40 years that's thrice. If you've chosen wisely I can't think why you'd change it, unless you bought something that was "in fashion" of course, in which case you'll need to change it next year.

phil24_7

When we renovate our kitchen next year I'm hoping it will not need to be redone until long after my now 2.5year old has left home. But as torbrex said...I am a bloke and I highly suspect the wife will have different ideas! lol

DRP

EssexExile wrote: »

Everytime we move into another old wreck of a house. So in 40 years that's thrice. If you've chosen wisely I can't think why you'd change it, unless you bought something that was "in fashion" of course, in which case you'll need to change it next year.

^this

I think people move house more often than they change kitchens tbh.

Perhaps they move house *because* they need a new kitchen - both of our houses have had very outdated/damp/filthy.disgusting kitchens).

London_Town

DRP wrote: »

^this

I think people move house more often than they change kitchens tbh.

Perhaps they move house *because* they need a new kitchen - both of our houses have had very outdated/damp/filthy.disgusting kitchens).

I did wonder this actually, as I read somewhere that people move home on average every 7 years. I imagine your "moving plans" will dictate this more than anything. If I decided to consider one more move before retirement, I wouldn't dream of touching the kitchen again. Equally, as PN points out, if I decide this is my very long term home, then I'd consider any changes I wanted.

barnaclebill

In 1981 we moved into a 50's bungalow with the original kitchen which I replaced, next house was quite new and we left the kitchen alone until we extended at the rear after 6 years there and so I renewed the kitchen.
1999 we got a new house and just added one wall unit, when we let it out in 2011 it was looking a little tired but we left it alone selling in 2014.
We moved into this 50's bungalow and it had a very tired kitchen but this time aged 68 I got someone in to change the units and as we do not intend moving this one has to last.

Marmaduke123

We've changed ours twice in the house we've lived in since 1978. Our current kitchen is 14 years old. We've got no plans to ever move, and I expect we will change it once more if funds allow. Not yet though

Much the same applies to the bathroom.