Feeling morose these days as it would seem that as soon as we passed the 5 year mark of living in our home, many of the fixtures are falling apart. We bought this house knowing that we would be updating the interior and budgeted/planned for it. 30 years of useful service was the outer limit for the interior fittings of the home ~ absolutely everything was worn out, corroded and threadbare (but clean and still functioning).
*Of special note, the wonderful people who owned this house prior to us were long time foster parents to medically fragile children so the house took a real beating from all the wheelchairs and equipment that was in use here for decades. Many children passed through this home (equivalent to our large family using things daily).
We set about our planned updates, hiring out the kitchen cupboards and flooring and we slowly picked away at the rest ourselves after we moved in (August 2009). From furnace and hot water tank right down to the faucets, it was all replaced with solid, sensible and functional fittings. We weren't aiming for "stylish" or "trendy", we aimed for neutral, functional and durable. With 5 kids living at home, we knew everything would be used well so we opted for good quality (but not high priced flash). Our 2 oldest moved out within the first few years and hubby has worked out of town plenty in those 5 years so we certainly aren't talking about overuse!
Anyway, as soon as we passed the 5 year mark of living here, things started to break down. We've had to replace 3 faucets AND the fridge so far (all of which were bought new in 2009). All were irreparable after only 5 years! Granted we USE things as I'm home a LOT, but 5 years seems to be an awfully short life span especially when you consider that what was here when we bought the house was still working (but absolutely at the end of it's life span) after THIRTY YEARS!
I know I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but I'm really quite fed up with the state of affairs in the manufacturing sector. Try as one might, it is near IMPOSSIBLE to find well made fittings and appliances and of course my preference for Canadian made is totally out of the question. Is ANYTHING made in Canada still? Certainly not faucets and appliances...
Another example is our electric kettle (the 4th or 5th in 10 years!). When this last one bit the dust before Christmas, I searched in vain at the thrift shops for a kettle like my Mother In Law has - an old school chrome electric kettle (Sunbeam or General Electric, I think). Hers has been going strong for decades without any trouble but it was made in North America not overseas like everything is today. Try as I might, I couldn't find an electric kettle made made in North America so in the end, I bought a stovetop kettle made of German borosilicate glass. It was bare bones and only $15.00 at Canadian Tire! Surely it will last as there's absolutely NOTHING to break down (providing I don't smash the beaker glass). Simple is better even if it takes longer to boil because I am FED up with replacing things so soon after purchase.
All told in the last few months, we've had to spend $4000.00 replacing things that we had budgeted to replace in 10 years (not 5!). Good grief, that's a lot of waste. Sad isn't it?
Sad and very true. I was so upset when I had to replace my toaster of 20+ years. The new ones sure aren't lasting as long.
ReplyDeleteI look for vintage replacements now as they are so much better quality.
DeleteIt is a sad reflection of our throwaway society - the other thing I have noticed is that just as the warranty ends the problems start! It doesn't help the aim for a simpler life or trying to live at least a little bit environmentally.
ReplyDeleteYou are SO CORRECT! All our problems with the fridge (the biggest purchase) began just a few months AFTER the one year warranty was up. URGH!
DeleteIt's called "Planned Obsolescence". Google it, it's a real thing, there's documented evidence of companies intentionally designing things not to last.
ReplyDeleteI think I first heard about it through watching "The Story of Stuff" Google that too it only goes for about 20 mins, its a real eye opener.
Don't get me started on the whole topic, it makes my blood boil. For years my husband and I have bought the best quality available, especially for electrical and white goods, but they are simply not lasting, and you pay big dollars for it. I did a little experiment a couple of years ago with a rice cooker, I had always bought top of the range cookers, it gets a fair bit of use in our house, I had 2 rice cookers die or become unusable within a mere couple of years, despite looking after them well, so the last cooker I bough was slightly below average cost in the range they had, (not a super cheap one)...remarkably it's reaching it's 2 year mark, and still going strong!!!
I can't explain it!
It's greedy, wasteful and down right wrong to do this to consumers, and our respective governments should have better measures in place to control it.
Sorry I did get on a rant didn't I but it really gets on my goat (Aussie slang) I'm sure you get the drift. I am slowly replacing new with old if you get my drift, because if the thing is 20 years old and still going and I only pay pennies at a garage sale, it will most likely outlast a modern one. An example in point is my slow cooker! 1970's style paid $10 for it at a sale 7 years ago...still going!
sorry..........that is all......:)
Yes, Cheryl - I totally "get it". I should have mentioned in my post that our 3/4 year old toaster oven has also had a main part "go" on it. It's usable, but I can't read the controls very well. the part to fix it is over $30.00 and because the darn thing will probably die when I replace that part, I'm choosing to leave it... I don't want to throw good money after bad!
DeleteYes we get frustrated with the throwaway stuff that is around everywhere these days. Even the name brands don't last like they used to.
ReplyDeleteMy mum has a refrigerator that was purchased in 1974 when we first got electricity connected to our farm. And guess what? That fridge is still going strong. It has never had any repairs and has moved house several times. Nowadays a fridge you are lucky to get five years out of them. Same with washing machines too. They are not made to last! I use a twin tub, they last so much better than automatics, mine is seven years old and still working okay. Should mine bite the dust I am lucky as I have a spare one that was given to me :)
I have vintage electrical goods that are still working well. They are so much stronger and sturdier.
x
I agree! And also with your reader's comments who agree with you!
ReplyDeleteAnd the same goes with automobiles! Waste, waste, and junk. That is what they make these days. And in the United States where I live...everything (almost) is made in China. So sad to think we once had so many factories here, which are now closed down. There is a movement to point out made in USA items now...but I'm afraid the damage is done to our economy.
Actually I've never had trouble with our cars for at least 4 years...so I shouldn't have said that! Andrea
DeleteI hear you Sherri!
ReplyDeleteIt's hear breaking to think of how much of our earths precious resources are being used to make stuff that is DESIGNED not to last.... I mean SERIOUSLY?! What kind of stupid, greedy mentality is that?
But we as consumers often ask for it by expecting to buy cheap too, (not you but 'we' as society) so I think the responsibility goes both ways. Once upon a time a purchase of a toaster or an iron was a big deal. They were expensive compared to a weekly/monthly wage. People had to save to get one often for many months. My parents have LOTS of stories of this. But now we can go down to the local supermarket and buy one for $12 along with our weekly milk and groceries.....Our societies desire to buy cheap/instant rather then good quality has driven down the prices and sadly the quality.....No doubt the companies that took pride in making products that were good quality were very sad the day they were forced to close their doors or sell out and know the brand they had worked hard to build would be tarnished to inferior imported goods....
If consumers band together and DEMAND better quality, refuse to buy cheap, will this ever improve again I wonder? Our society is becoming more eco-conscious but I wonder if the short term desire to keep our dollar in our pocket will hinder this?
I'm like you, I buy the most solid/best quality I can find but it is rarely Australian made......Its a very sad state of affairs....
xx
It most certainly is a sad state of affairs. My husband and I have chatted about not replacing the dishwasher when it "goes". We have a good one and it's been mostly reliable but now that the extended warranty is up, we know the clock is ticking.... I just can't bear throwing money at it to repair it and the cost to replace it is very high. I'm not interested in buying cheap appliances because they are even worse as far as breaking down, so hand washing is looking more and more appealing as the years go on. I'm just so tired of dealing with breakdowns.
DeleteOh that is so annoying. It seems now even if you try to choose good quality and not the cheapest option, it still breaks :( We are currently refitting our removal house, and are faced with the same issues....
ReplyDeleteDid you see the recent Consumer Report show on CBC? They were talking about appliances and how they are built to fall apart and how parts are priced so artificially high that you are forced to buy a new appliance. Furthermore, most of the "brands" are all made by the exact same manufacturer, the parent company. Figures.
ReplyDeleteI hear your anguish. I'm more likely to replace an appliance with one bought from a local buy, swap and sell site on facebook rather than buy new. The older models don't have complications like computer motherboards either! I'm still using a stereo that is over 15 years old, the dryer - which has come of age and beyond at 26 years old (same age as my eldest child!) - and my most recent washing machine is 5 years old and still working although it needed repairs when it was affected by becoming wet on the outside during my house moves but the repair guy just rerouted the wiring to go around the burnt out area and it only cost $100 to repair. The "el cheapo" electric kettle has only clocked up 13 months but it cost $12 at the supermarket and still boils quickly so I'm hoping it's a "laster"!
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