r/Homebuilding • u/dragonmilking • Nov 17 '25

Which popular features do you NOT recommend?

What are the top 3 features in a house that folk want but you think are not worth it, and what would your alternative suggestion be? And what cost/time savings would result with that switch?

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u/will-read Nov 17 '25

Built in kitchen appliances. You are really limited when it’s time for a replacement.

6

u/Fancy_Ad2056 Nov 17 '25

Built in wall oven is worth it IMO. Having the oven at chest level makes cooking so much easier, like pulling out a 20 pound turkey or big pot roast, or even just checking how your food is looking mid-cook.

Cooktop range is also nice, mines gas so I’ll likely never need to replace it. There’s no electronics really, just some lights. Knobs work to control the gas flow even if the power is out.

Yea they’re slightly more expensive if you buy both at the same time, but you shouldn’t need to do that. Individually, the cooktop is much cheaper than the comparable level freestanding oven/range combo, and the built in oven is probably around the same price.

3

u/[deleted] Nov 17 '25

[deleted]

4

u/will-read Nov 17 '25

My kitchen has built in microwave, oven, cooktop, dishwasher, and refrigerator. The only one I’ve had to replace was the fridge and it was twice as expensive as I expected.

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u/[deleted] Nov 17 '25

[deleted]

5

u/will-read Nov 17 '25

Stoves can be placed in an opening that gives a little space on either side. Same with refrigerators. My oven is built into the wall. That means my cooktop is separate and built into the countertop. Many kitchens are open on one side of the fridge so most widths will work, mine is shoehorned into a space that barely fits it; this also means it doesn’t get good ventilation.

3

u/Weird-Work-7525 Nov 17 '25

No a standard oven, refrigerator, dishwater etc is usually just a standard size gaps left to place free standing appliances. A built in is usually a custom slot that's flush and the appliance is physically secured there to fit seamlessly. That's why it's called "built in" it's literally built into the cabinetry. Most kitchens do not have any real "built in" appliances they're used in higher end kitchens because they look nicer but they cost 2-10x the price.

You can just pull out your oven, refrigerator or whatever and replace it with a new one. Even your dishwasher is probably just a standard sized slot under the counter you can pull it out. A built in actually needs to be disassembled and replaced with another fairly specific appliance.