Taking your kitchen with you when you move...?

Question

This questions is mostly for people in Europe, specifically Germany, since I don't know if this is done throughout Europe or just here.

My husband and I are stationed in Germany with the US Army. In searching for an apartment off post, we've found our biggest difficulty to be finding a place with a fixed kitchen. I come from a land where kitchens (and bathrooms and closets for that matter) are standard equipment in a home, even a rented one. I've asked locals and other people who've been here for years why this is, and the best answer I get is "People just have their own stuff."

What I can't wrap my mind around is that when you move, if your kitchen won't fit in the new place, you still have to sell it and buy a new one. This could potentially happen every time you move. I realize standing wardrobes and dressers are more flexible, but why not just build the kitchen into the house to start with, then you know you'll have one that fits, and you'll have less to move?

Being on a single income military budget, a new kitchen, even with a VAT form, is still a little pricey, and I've seen the ones in the cheap second hand stores and I wouldn't put them in a garage.

If the housing office on post had decent units available, we wouldn't have been looking on the economy, besides, if you find it on your own, you can get a bigger place than you're "allowed" through the housing office. Since our old neighborhood closed, the new place has "more" sq. ft. but 1/2 the space because of layout.

We were going to look at an apartment that had a custom built in kitchen (very nice one) that the people had paid 6000DM for 7 years ago. When the apt. was first put for rent, that's what they wanted in EURO--2x the original cost. Even though they came down to 3000 EUR, I couldn't see paying replacement cost for a nearly decade-old part of a house I don't own--and this one wouldn't move ANYwhere else but that apartment. Not that we had the money anyway.

Answer 1

I have lived in Germany for 19 years(without the benifits of the US Army) and have gone thru a few kitchens. I do not understand it either, but that is just the way it is. And, you can spend hours, if not days discussing the issue with Germans(been there, done that).
However, I have noticed(in the Frankfurt area anyway) in the last few years many new apartments have kitchen cabinets already in stalled.
Not sure about your money status, but Ikea kitchens are not cheap. Oh yes, you can install them yourself and maybe need a marriage counselor afterwards, but I would suggest you go to one of the larger furniture stores and buy one of those 'kits', you can install it yourself or they will do it for you(that is an experience you will long remember). Does the US Military still have that form where you do not have to the pay the sales tax? If yes, then that will save you some money any maybe Ikea would be an option.
With moving, as another answer stated Germans do not move that often so the kitchen often stays in the apartment for a long time. When I moved I just sold the kitchen to the people moving in. Yes, it is a strange custom, but again do not try and figure out why, just do the best you can in dealing with it. I knew an American(US Mililtary) in Hanau who installed a nice kitchen in his apartement in exchange for 3 years rent free garage parking(parking can be another nightmare in Germany depending on where you live).
With closets, what can I say? For one thing after 19 years in Germany I no longer have lots of clothes and shoes. That my Mother in America has a walkin closet bigger than my current bedroom just makes me wonder how much stuff a person can have and really need?
Anyway good luck in your search and have a safe and wonderful time with your tour in Germany.
P:S. I finally ended up buying a house, and spending a small fortune on a kitchen that I wanted and not 'Taken Over' from someone else.

Answer 2

Yeah, I live also in Germany, but I don't have that problem I have my own house. You can buy cheap kitchens at Ikea to put in the empty kitchen. I can just imagine how frustrating it is to search for an appt. WITH kitchen, but it is just that way here. When you want to move somewhere else, you can leave it there in the appt. or sell it to someone.. your landlord or whatever.. or take it with you and hope you can use it somehow. And when none of the options work, there are tons of 2nd hand furniture shops, and stores that take old furniture (the people there work there for 1€ on top of their unemployment work) and the furniture is sold to people who don't have much money.

Answer 3

Check with the Housing Office on Post, they always have a "Apartments or Houses for Rent" List available. In order for local Landlords to get on this list, they would have to rent an Apartment or House with a Kitchen in place, in other words, fit for American Standards.
Built in Closets.... that's another story!!!! If you are lucky and find a modern (new) Rental, then you might find built in closets.
Keep in mind, Germans don't move as frequent as Americans....some don't move at all.

Answer 4

People tend to move to places based on whether their furniture will fit..so that also includes the kitchen. Also, did you know that the laminted floors (suck as Pergo) were invented in Europe because people live primarily in apartments and when they move they disassemble them and take them along. In Germany people lay their own carpet, paint and wallpaper their rented apartments...they tend to be less transient than in the US and they sometimes will live in the same apartment for 20 years or more. Although they don't own it per se, they consider it THEIR apartment, and treat it as such....so they want their own fidge and their own cabinetry etc.. It's just the way it's done there.

Answer 5

Weird. I have never heard of that. Good luck.