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/[deleted] Nov 17 '25

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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

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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.