From time to time, Mrs. Denmarkguy and I look at each other, sigh and admit that we have reached the point in our lives where we are in our ”maintenance years.”
We consider it a humorous way of saying that we are starting to feel our age...
Regardless, that also seems to hold true for pretty much everything else around us!
We've been in our house here just long enough to where we are now starting to have to replace everything, which is a significant part of the dilemma related to why we need to move to a smaller and less expensive place.
We need to get a new water heater, we need a new heating system, we're getting close to needing a new roof, we're about to get a new oven, last year we got a new dishwasher, and all these things are turning out to be quite expensive. If you're a homeowner yourself, I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about!
At the risk of sounding like an old fart, the thing that keeps hitting home with me is that they "just don't make things like they used to." Yes, I've talked complained about this before… Although I suppose the thing that bothers me the most is that so many things these days aren't necessarily more breakable than they used to be, but they have been made in such a way that they're impossible to repair.
If something went wrong with an appliance — in the past — it used to be that you could get a spare part and install it yourself, or you could call a appliance repair service and for $80.00 plus parts someone would come out and fix whatever was wrong.
Which was a lot less than having to spend $800 for a new appliance.
These days, so much of the equipment we use is proprietary and specific to the manufacturer, and designed in such a way that you can't really replace any broken parts you have to replace the entire thing.
When our fridge broke down three years ago, we tried to get someone to fix it. The manufacturer's service technician was at least $300 to just show up, and then — according to the person we spoke to on the phone — it would likely be another $400 for some "system control unit" to be installed. On a $900 fridge.
I stopped working on cars many years ago because cars became more about electronic components than about mechanical parts.
When you're a homeowner much the same applies more and more often. I just want a kitchen range that has an oven and four gas burners and it doesn't need to do anything fancy but such a thing is not even made anymore.
I suppose — being the cynic that I am — that what we are running into is that manufacturers can't make more units so they have to make each unit more complex as a way to increase $ sales. Frankly, I find that particular practice both frustrating and annoying.
I remember some years ago there was something called the "right to repair movement," but I don't know that it ever gained much traction because it seemed to contradict the objectives of those striving for maximum corporate profits.
I guess it's just what we have to deal with... unless we just move to a shed in the woods!
Thanks for stopping by and have a great New Year's week!
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Created at 2024.12.30 01:55 PST
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