ᐅ Excessive Costs for the Kitchen?!

If you can afford it, that's perfectly fine.

I agree. If you spend 20,000 on a kitchen (I did the same) and expect it to last around 20 years, you have to realize that it’s like spending the cost of a family vacation every year just on the kitchen.

But that’s something everyone has to decide for themselves. My husband is a passionate amateur cook, he used to work as a chef in Australia, and the kitchen is basically “his thing” in the house. I had some requests here and there, like mullioned windows and an oak wood stringer staircase, and those kinds of details – let’s be honest, you could build cheaper if you gave up all those demands.

He deserved to have a great kitchen with everything he wanted. And today we stand in that kitchen and enjoy it every day. Every time he says, “the kitchen is a dream,” I think to myself, it was worth it.

kati1337 schrieb:

Then you just have to be aware that you’re basically spending a family vacation’s worth of money on the kitchen every year.

kati1337 schrieb:

And today we stand in this kitchen and enjoy it every single day.

Exactly that. The kitchen brings us joy every day, or at least it’s supposed to. Our living area is open, and I see the kitchen all the time. My post was more related to the thread topic, about how quickly prices can seem “over the top.” Our 21,000 planning ends up looking almost like a plan for 11,500. Only the smaller and larger details make the difference.

Sparfuchs_ schrieb:

The kitchen brings us joy every day, or at least it’s supposed to.

That’s how it should be

Sparfuchs_ schrieb:

You probably mean us. But it wasn’t about “you only build once,” it was simply that we hadn’t properly estimated our wishes in advance or weren’t aware of all the great options available.

1. We initially planned for a ceramic cooktop and an island hood – but it ended up being an induction cooktop from Berbel with a downdraft extractor. I was bothered from the start by having that ugly hood hanging in front of me, but I didn’t know such cool solutions existed --> +3,500€ to the 11,500€.

2. We first planned a Häcker Classic kitchen with cassette fronts. Then I read that those are just foil-covered. Systemat has the same front fully lacquered and with a better module size --> +1,500€.

3. My wife discovered in the showroom that there are refrigerators with a 1°C (34°F) compartment. --> +800€ (from a standard Siemens to a Miele with 1°C compartment).

4. We couldn’t find a nice wood countertop for the white fronts with cassette design. Spatula concrete would have been the closest option, which we had in the 11,500€ version, but we didn’t like it. We didn’t want wood tones either because we already have wood-look tiles. --> Then we found an amazing color in quartz composite countertops that fits perfectly, and you can install the sink and cooktop flush --> +3,000€.

And suddenly you’re at 20,000€ instead of 11,500€. None of these decisions were made because “you only build once.” The 11,500€ plan simply didn’t convince us in these areas, though I admit it probably would have still resulted in a nice kitchen.

I see @ypg’s point in the context of first-time builders often complaining about long loan terms and how difficult everything seems; basically, just griping! However, this is often because people automatically opt for the most expensive version and then naturally find reasons to justify it. You can justify anything that way, even a presidential palace. In my opinion, there are standard “must-have” lists I read with some disbelief.

If that is your dream kitchen, then you did absolutely the right thing. The money is gone, and you’re happy with those features. But you can’t really provide a solid argument that those extras were necessary. You like it, you want it, and you willingly pay the premium for something that feels special.

It’s a luxury to be able to think and decide like that, and I personally find that kind of decision-making luxury pleasant! Nowadays, I would spend my building budget very differently than I did 30 years ago because we should all be aware that building today is subject to a high social pressure to consume, which we sometimes succumb to, whether we want to admit it or not. Billions in advertising budgets aren’t spent for nothing—they pay off very well for the industry! Nowadays, it’s often challenging to keep things simple, adequate, and appropriate for one’s lifestyle.

I completely understand buying nice things and that everyone’s tastes are different. But to get a nicer or better house, you don’t necessarily need what you mentioned. In retrospect, I could have saved about 100,000 DM (~€50,000) on my old house without losing any living quality... I let myself be talked into some flashy extras or bought them because they were a bit more impressive. They weren’t better!

I just wish more people would admit that they have elevated or sometimes excessive expectations, and therefore need to work more or longer or give up other things—without any complaining about it when considering those expectations.

@pagoni2020 : "Decision luxury" is a wonderful expression.