Built in Appliances (homes, neighborhood, buying)

[llkltk]

Is it worth it? Or should you just get a range. What's in?

[gigi927]

It depends on what price range of home you're talking about and whether you are willing to possibly not recoup your costs on the built ins.. A starter home or home that is lower on the cost spectrum is fine with a range - for resale purposes, most people in that price bracket do not expect the higher end built in double ovens and such. If you really want one, put it in, but don't expect to necessarily recoup your costs.

As the housing budget goes up, the expectation from a resale standpoint is that appliances and other interior features will be higher end. In our neighborhood, where the home prices rarely fall below $300K, I haven't seen a range. To have one would really affect resale.

It's also important to look at your initial costs of both and what type of home you're buying. If you're buying new construction, and the builder offers the builtins as an option, it's a heck of alot easier to do than trying to retrofit an older kitchen that was designed for a range and put in builtins.

I think the cooktop and built-in oven combo is definitely more progressive and upscale; however, you can buy $6 to $10K Viking ranges that certainly break the rule of ranges being for more lower budget homes!

[FromCalitoSteinerRanch]

Originally Posted by gigi927

...however, you can buy $6 to $10K Viking ranges that certainly break the rule of ranges being for more lower budget homes!

Also, don't forget the leading consumer magazine (that doesn't accept advertising) shows that the higher end brands have much higher repair rates as well!

My opinion follows: Seems counter-intuitive, but I suspect the marketing departments in Viking, etc., determined that if one could afford that price for an appliance, then they could also afford costly repairs.

It makes sense, because you can get independant repair folk to support the brand based on they can be assured of some juicy repair calls, even with the lower number of units in place compared to GE, Hotpoint, Whirlpool.

[jhwest]

I really like having a range built into the countertop and a wall oven (or two). They're more at eye level. I hate crouching down to look into the oven. I bake something every day so the oven placement is paramount to me.

[llkltk]

After dropping a potato bit down the side of the range this evening, I've decided, built in appliances it is!!! Thanks everyone.

[FromCalitoSteinerRanch]

Originally Posted by llkltk

After dropping a potato bit down the side of the range this evening, I've decided, built in appliances it is!!! Thanks everyone.

Don't worry, with all the bugs in TX, it will probably feed a good sized family of bugs. They may even be able to mulitply with their new found sustinance. I just hope it's not a scorpion family...

[banker]

Built in appliances are a must in homes over $250K. They are cleaner looking and as others have stated are typically easier to use (ovens are higher off the ground). That said - built in ovens tend to be smaller in terms of interior volume than ranges. If you need cooking capacity - I would go with the range or double ovens.