The Nice People Thread, No.16: A Universe of Niceness.

GDB2222

Was one of those the house you were definitely going to buy?

PasturesNew

GDB2222 wrote: »

Was one of those the house you were definitely going to buy?

Yes, first one I viewed.

I did wonder about the kitchen arrangements... and the choices made were very poor imho. I've never liked built in appliances either, as they do create all manner of access/future problems when they go wrong and you are then forced into trying to get one that only fits that spot ... and get it manhandled into the space.

None of the kitchen "corner units" had been done correctly. Two of them, both deep/inaccessible glory holes instead of a proper corner in one piece.
How they should be, accessible, not two separate singles with a deep glory hole... especially annoying as one was under a breakfast bar so could've simply been turned round to open into the living room at least.
https://www.larkandlarks.co.uk/files/imagecache/kitchen_productstd_wm/units/100LBH2SD_wd.jpg

silvercar

Integrated fridges and freezers seem to have far less usable space than their non-integrated same size comparisons. Odd as integrated dishwashers and ovens offer the same size.

You can always change integrated appliances for ones that suit you better or take them away all together. You can also move radiators (well, you can get a plumber to do it for you).

This comment will look fairly random if other comments are deleted!

silvercar

You can get clever corner cupboard fittings to maintain access eg this

PasturesNew

silvercar wrote: »

You can always ...

... this is top of budget. I've no idea what mine will sell for yet ... but I could have less than one month's money left to "live on" on the day I move in. No spare for anything like that.

What I buy .... I'll have to live with

I'm a big fan of free standing kitchens... where you can have what you want, where you want it... all this built in stuff will go out of fashion I think ... just not soon enough. It only seems to benefit the pockets of fitted kitchen fitters.

PasturesNew

silvercar wrote: »

You can get clever corner cupboard fittings to maintain access eg this

I despise those with a passion; I'm sure they don't work and what happens is stuff just falls off them, slides down the back, etc - and they really do limit what can be put on them.

They're another "nonsense choice" in my book!

Proper corners exist.... why don't fitters use them?

michaels

I guess the problem with a 2yo house is you can not expect it to be discounted by the price of a new kitchen just because the current one was the cheapest the builder thought he could get away with....

PasturesNew

michaels wrote: »

I guess the problem with a 2yo house is you can not expect it to be discounted by the price of a new kitchen just because the current one was the cheapest the builder thought he could get away with....

No ... I think I've given up believing that one day somebody will design one that "makes sense". "Design" is supposed to be helpful, it's more often a massive hindrance.

Instead of having "a corner unit, fully accessible, with two doors that open so you can see everything" ... there's "one deep black glory hole + one thinner unit you can't fit much into". They started with a blank piece of paper.... it shouldn't be rocket science.

Ditto radiator placement - did nobody look and say "Hey, this door doesn't open if we put that there... can we move it left by a foot, or get a smaller one, or a different shape?"

These aren't massive, expensive, engineering changes required.... just basic common sense.

GDB2222

PasturesNew wrote: »

... this is top of budget. I've no idea what mine will sell for yet ... but I could have less than one month's money left to "live on" on the day I move in. No spare for anything like that.

What I buy .... I'll have to live with

I'm a big fan of free standing kitchens... where you can have what you want, where you want it... all this built in stuff will go out of fashion I think ... just not soon enough. It only seems to benefit the pockets of fitted kitchen fitters.

You should tell them what buyers of ours told us. "We can't offer you even close to your asking price, because we would have to do so much work to the house." Such comments always go down a bomb. It makes the sellers realise that the buyers are people of discernment, refinement, and taste, even though grossly lacking in tact and manners.

PasturesNew

GDB2222 wrote: »

You should tell them what buyers of ours told us. "We can't offer you even close to your asking price, because we would have to do so much work to the house." Such comments always go down a bomb. It makes the sellers realise that the buyers are people of discernment, refinement, and taste, even though grossly lacking in tact and manners.

I've had changing life stories from the EAs too.
Booking the viewing it was "she's away a lot, so would prefer to sell it".
At the viewing it was "She can't afford the mortgage payments".

Not sure how she can't afford them.... she flogged off the garage and probably got £15-20k for that.....

He indicated her age is a couple of years older than me.... should have things well under control by now I'd have thought.