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Ah, the sudden urge to update everything around the house and buy things you might or might not need. Quite a few of us have likely gone through such a stage in life, which can be both a blessing and a curse, resulting in a comfortable home or quite significant hits to the wallet; or often—both.
But during such times, the materials for a home renovation or all sorts of furniture and appliances don’t necessarily have to be the most expensive ones on the market. Redditors recently discussed what things are not worth it for homeowners to splurge on, so if you’re interested in seeing what items might not be a worthy investment, scroll down to find the answers on the list below.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I sound crotchety and old but NONE of my appliances need to connect to the internet of things. The hell does a fridge need wifi for?
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
My fridge enjoys Beethoven. Sadly, the oven prefers Def Leppard.
RELATED:
#2
The worst thing you can splurge on is Marble countertops. They are an absolute nightmare to maintain and even WATER will stain them.
Jackie Lulu 2 years ago
Our kitchen countertop is Silestone quartz that's about 20 years old and still looks brand new. No special attention required.
#3
As a rule, I always buy the most basic washer and drier with as few bells and whistles. The more extras there are, the more likely it will break and be fixed/replaced. Unless they invent a drier that will fold every one of my fresh briefs perfectly, I ain’t changing. The most advanced feature I want is a buzzer that goes off when it’s done like it’s from 1975. You can take your Bluetooth enabled machine with a touch screen that costs $5k and I take mine that cost $250 from a secondhand store.
David 2 years ago
When my top loader washer died I bought a Whirlpool HE front loader. Cost more than the cheapest top loaders at the time but also was not the most expensive front loader. I have NO REGRETS. It has done a great job for me for about 10 years now, uses less water and also saves on drier electricity because the clothes come out of the washer drier than my old washer. I love it. Broke down once under warranty - free service call. However my DRIER is not a matched item. It is a fairly basic drier that does the job and cost way less than the mate to my washer. Also, they went at different times so I already had the drier when I bought the washer.
#4
I think anything that you feel you have to be super careful about keeping nice. Like if you get a butcher block counter and worry about it getting marked up from normal kitchen activities then maybe it wasn’t a good choice
#5
Calling a handyman or pro for every little thing. YouTube and a couple (okay, nineteen) trips to the hardware store and you'll save a ridiculous amount of money AND learn some new skills.
VioletHunter 2 years ago
Ah yes, those 19 trips to the hardware store don't cost any money at all. You also won't be buying the wrong stuff because you don't actually know anything about what material you need and you won't be drilling holes in the wrong place.
#7
Worst "splurge" IMO is remodelling things that are in perfectly good shape just to chase the latest trend.
Remodeling a bathroom from the 70's? Good plan.
Remodeling a bathroom that was just redone in 2014? Huge waste of money with basically zero ROI.
#8
Buying what you want, rather than what you need are the worst things to splurge on. From your car to your toaster, if it works and doesn't actually cause problems then don't replace it.
#9
I will get flamed, but definitely high end tools. 99% of homeowners will do fine with some harbor freight/garage sale/estate sale tools.
If I’m building my once in a lifetime project, saving 90 seconds by using a shiny new $400 saw doesn’t matter to me. The $50 flea market saw will be more than enough.
ADHORTATOR 2 years ago
That's not totally wrong, but when your skills increase you will regret this cheyp saw.... There is a german saying "Wer billig kauft, kauft zwei mal" Who buys cheap will buy twice
#10
I bought a brand new fridge at the Dent and Scratch store - had some minor to moderate cosmetic damages but otherwise was perfectly fine, stainless steel, fancy fridge for $1,100 off the retail price because of the cosmetic damages. Highly recommend the dent and scratch store
ADHORTATOR 2 years ago
I bought my bath room half the price because of a scratch on a handle...
#11
To answer the OP’s question: Saunas and Hot Tubs. It’s one of those things that’s really cool, definitely brag-worthy, and exciting for the first couple of months… maybe a year. After that: Nothing. You ask them if they still use it and they say “Too much trouble” or “It costs too much to heat.”
#12
Replacing a lawn with pavers, especially a south-facing yard (northern hemi). The reflected heat and radiated heat makes everything twice as hot for twice as long.
#13
Not super specific, but anything major you do in the first couple years that isn’t necessary to the house being livable. Fridge dies? Of course get a new one. You need one of those, fancy upgrade or not. Want to gut your entire kitchen that’s functional but maybe just not pretty? Maybe wait a year or two, or even just a few seasons. See what it’s like to live and move in the space and determine what is most important to spend money on.
#14
Beautiful patterned cement tiles for our bathroom floors. They look gorgeous but they are a huge pain in the a*s. They crack, chip, scratch, and stain easily, and you have to use a special cleaner on them. Wish I’d done a bit more research before buying them. They do look great though. We’re trying to just accept that they’ll get a bit beat up with time.
Edit: I gotta say, though, still [might be worth it](https://imgur.com/a/U2Wr6Bd)
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
Kitty! Also, I don't know if those are at all the tiles OP means, but I do like them.
#15
I think the worst splurge is anything you do for resale value. Splurge on what you care about, the stuff that you will enjoy while you live there, and just maintain the rest.
majandess 2 years ago
This is my brother. I love him, but until recently, everything he did in his house was for the resale value. And he wasn't even planning on moving! Why are you living in the next person's house? It's yours! Live in your own house! (Besides, the changes you make today will be outdated tomorrow.)
#16
Those gross “3 season rooms” that always smell like mildew and no one ever uses. Do a screened porch instead.
Poison Ivy/Boo 2 years ago
Sorry, but no. We have a conservatory and use it throughout the year. It doesn't smell of mould/mildew and in Scotland, a screened porch would be unusable for 9 months of the year.
#17
Read the reviews. Samsung appliances are not the best. As someone else on here said recently. Samsung is know for TV not their refrigerators.
#18
I might get some flack for this, but lawn work. My mower, weed-eater, and other attachments will pay for themselves in about two months because I'm not paying someone else to do the lawn work for me.
Poison Ivy/Boo 2 years ago
As of now, we do our own maintenance, but if we became disabled or too elderly? Damn straight I'm paying someone to come in and do my lawn.
#19
Pools
Everyone always wants a pool, they are crazy expensive to put in (especially where I live) they don't add half the value they cost to the value of the property and depending on where you live can be up to several hundred dollars a month in electricity for the pump, chlorine, other chemicals and general maintenance. That doesn't even include the fact that the pump and filter need to be replaced about every 6 years so that's another 2 - 5k.
Erin Geiger 2 years ago
Nonsense...we only plan on being in our home for another few years and we built a pool. If I'm forced to live in Texas where the summers have 100+ days for weeks in a row I want a body of water to jump in. If we we're still in CA, I'd be at the beach!
#20
Anything you "splurge" on with the intent to "add value" to your home. There are some projects that will truly add value to your home, but it is pretty rare to get back what you spent. That $10K on a bathroom with the upgraded faucets update probably added a few thousand back onto the value of your house. Spending $20K on a backyard makeover might have helped a little. But you're not going to be able to tack $30K onto your selling price and get bidding wars over it. At best you're going to get your house back up to be in line with the comp prices.
Make changes to your home that give YOU benefits. Do you hate walking into that 60s bathroom with the pink porcelain tub and toilet? By all means replace it with something that makes you happy and brings you joy when you use it. If $10K makes you happy, then it is money well spent. Just don't be surprised if it doesn't help when you go to sell your home.
Miliukov Oleksandr 2 years ago
You are measuring selling value, I'm measuring the value of my life. We are on different levels.
#21
Pool Table...
Unless you are a big player you are going to be using it to store junk. lol
Sergio Bicerra 2 years ago
I played pool every weekend in my early 20's, several hours with a couple of friends, I had the space to set one, but never had the money. Now I don't have the space but I would but one if I had it, is something I can play alone and with friends, and doesn't need wifi or a suscription.
#22
Electric radiant floors.
In my bathroom it's nice in the winter. But in my office, 3 out of 5 sections died in a year and now I can't keep that room warm enough without a space heater. Very expensive and not serviceable without a ripping up the floors renovation.
#23
Somewhat sarcastic but also for real. Do not get a koi pond to improve your landscaping. Those fish will suck you dry with maintenance, special food, and filtration systems. The first pond you put in will be too small and you’ll want to redo it much larger and more elaborately every few years. You’ll join the local club and want to import fancy fish from Japan. You’ll visit your club member’s homes and get jealous of their pond and want to dump more money improving yours.
David 2 years ago
I did the white trash version. (LOL) I have a pond. Man made, roughly 30 x 40 ft or something like that. A few years ago I bought 100 of the then 15 cent feeder goldfish from petsmart and dumped them in. Most of them survived for several years. Might still be a few left but not sure. It was sort of an experiment for them eating mosquito larvae and such. Some of them got pretty big. Not "koi" but still interesting to watch when I could spot them. Yes, some of them got eaten by the resident bullfrogs and the occasional ducks and heron that visit. Maybe even a lucky racoon or two. But it was $15 and I didn't join a club. I'm thinking of repeating it next summer using the larger size to increase survival. Those cost 30 cents each in lots of 10. Might try about 200 of them.
#24
A bunch of tools with the idea that you'll eventually use them, you won't. You'll just have a $650 double bevel sliding miter saw sitting in your garage.
#25
We bought a home that had high end but older appliances. We couldn’t get parts for them. It was such a PITA. So dumb.
I think the worst thing you could splurge on is painting your cabinets. The way trends change, you’ll be regretting it in a few years. Luckily I never got past the “thinking about it” phase in my house with real wood cabinetry. Sure they needed refreshing but thank goodness I didn’t paint those beauties…wood cabinetry is back in “style.”
Rita Benkő 2 years ago
Why would anyone follow any trend in coloring their cabinets? I am the one who has to see it day in, day out. It has to accommodate my taste. Not instagrammable? So what?
#26
Painting, landscaping, power washing.
I painted my whole house, did all my landscaping, and will be borrowing a power washer to power wash my house once it gets a little cooler out. All of these things cost me a couple hundred bucks to do myself vs thousands to hire others to do it. Vastly improved the appearance both inside and out too.
Update: For clarification I painted the interior of the house. The exterior is red brick and it didn't need painting.
Dave B 2 years ago
When I was younger, I learned to do lots of things around the house because I couldn't afford to pay someone. Now many years later, I find my time is way more valuable than the $30 my lawn guy charges. I guess it all comes down to choices and situations. Spend valuable weekend hours doing maintenance around the house, or spend quality time with family and loved ones. ( I guess the argument could be made that spending time with kids teaching them how to repair things is also time well spent)
#28
I don’t think you should splurge on: 1. Door knobs. $30 max 2. Cabinet pulls and drawer handles 3. Wireless Window treatments. My buddy just dropped over $2000 for remote control blinds in one room. Nuts 4. Fancy wallpaper 5. Marble countertops Things that are worth the splurge 1. Nice windows 2. A nice range if you cook 3. Finished closets. A well designed closet can more than double the storage you get out of your closets. 4. Nicer exterior door 5. Bathroom exhaust fans
#29
Hard wood flooring when you have kids/pets/people with mobility aides
Paid a s**t ton for it in our main living room and now a three years later it looks like s**t.
Would have to spend money again to refinish.
Yet our lifetime laminate that was a fraction of the cost has held up and looks like new.
#30
Pin pad smart door locks. I love being able to remotely verify that I have locked a door, or give someone a temporary code, never having to worry about locking myself out of the house, etc, etc. They cost a couple hundred each, but they're one of the best things I've added.
David 2 years ago
If you plan to buy one of these spend some time watching videos by the Lock Picking Lawyer on youtube. Even some of the expensive ones are absolute c**p as a lock. There was one model you could unlock simply by holding a cow magnet to the side of the k**b. They are not all bad (I assume) but do your homework because "looks fancy" =/= "good lock"
#31
So… On the original actual topic… I wish I’d waited a little longer to purchase and have my HVAC installed in my 1940 house because I know a bunch of new things about my house now that I’ve lived in it for four years which would have affected exactly how insistent I would be with my hvac folks about wanting multi-stage air, built in dehumidification, high flow air purification, backup air replacement (with filtration), etc.
On the plus side they sized the system they built for me correctly at a reasonable level of cost vs luxury and it currently has normal control wires so I can use a wide variety of thermostats. Also, it’s great to have it since I then moved forward with solar as well.
If I eventually do have them upgrade the system I’ll probably end up losing standard control wiring and scrapping most of the actual units.
David 2 years ago
PSA: I plan to install a mini-split system next year. If that is you - heads up to pay attention to which refrigerant your chosen unit uses. I don't have the names in front of me but I was reading about a change in the type of refrigerant and noted that many of the units being sold are still using the old stuff. And from what I am reading - you can't just swap out. The unit has to be made for the newer stuff. I am hoping most of that will have sorted itself by next year.
#32
Buying the nicest house on the street instead of the "worst house" on the street and fixing it up.
Roan The Demon Kitty 2 years ago (edited)
It can cost far more to fix up the worst house than what it may be to just buy the nicest house.
#33
windows... New windows made a difference in my drafty house, but there is so much BS in the industry. Some sellers have a "side show" to impress you.
#34
Gutter guards. You still have to clean them. Now you get to disassemble first.
over it already 2 years ago
Yes, but with 7 mature oaks, a sweetgum & a maple around my house, now the gutters don't get clogged and cause potential wood rot damage. Now we just have to lift up one section and clean the gunk with a hose once a year or so.
#35
Did you sell the Viking appliances or what was wrong with them? Just like anything luxury brands have very high markups and many of the advanced features of advanced appliances aren’t really necessary or used by most. Do you really need very fast oven heating or very specific temperatures or very high btu range for gas, if you don’t it’s probably excessive.
Honcho Chorcoran 2 years ago
The first sentence is giving me a stroke. Goats are like mushrooms.
#36
Bathroom remodeling, you just go a few times a day to s**t and shower, why did we as society decide that it should look like the most luxurious room in the house?
#37
Kitchen appliances are built to have an expected life span of 5-8 years- no matter whether you purchase an average priced appliance or a "high end appliance. signed: a designer of residential kitchens
Frank 2 years ago
Not correct. A local consumers' organisation did a big poll with its members and they came up with the result that - maybe except for the pure luxury section - the appliances from all brands cost the same **per year**. So the cheap Turkish machine that lasts 5 years and costs 1/4 of the expensive German that lasts for 20. Of course: 4* more waste and more hassle to replace. The original statement (all machines 5-8 years) is not real, at least not for Europe.
#38
Remodeling anything in the first six months of owning a home
David 2 years ago
Meh - depends. OP is probably picturing the current stuff being okay and with that I agree. My house was a bank repo. The flooring was utter trash (cheap shag adorned with lots of cat poop) so I ripped it all out and installed new flooring before moving in. I also painted all the walls but paint is not much of a 'remodel'. but yes to not going hog wild before you even know the house.
What do you think ?
Widdershins66 2 years ago
If you're lucky ( and your hard work has paid off!) and you have a home, enjoy it. 🤓
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
A lot of these people aren't counting the labour hours and quality of the work they'e doing, compared to the work that professionals do. If you count that, most pros come out ahead
Lily Braunekatze 2 years ago
People can spend their money however they want. It's their money.
Widdershins66 2 years ago
If you're lucky ( and your hard work has paid off!) and you have a home, enjoy it. 🤓
Phil Vaive 2 years ago
A lot of these people aren't counting the labour hours and quality of the work they'e doing, compared to the work that professionals do. If you count that, most pros come out ahead
Lily Braunekatze 2 years ago
People can spend their money however they want. It's their money.
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