Everybody loves the idea of going brand new when renovating. But usually sparked by an outdated finish, not a room that’s beyond saving.
The irony is that a lot of what gets removed during kitchen and bathroom refurbishments is still perfectly usable. This wasteful approach to renovation has allowed reclaimed materials to step out in front (and they’re completely reshaping the industry).
As the UK’s number one Kitchen, Bedroom, Bathroom outlet, it’s more obvious now than ever that people looking to replace quality interiors need a dedicated platform for rehoming.
Showrooms rotating displays to keep up with trends, homeowners who want to keep their well-made, lightly-used cabinets in use: we help others see exactly why shopping reclaimed is the smartest starting point for kitchens and bathrooms.
For more insight, stay with Rehome.
1. Cuts the biggest slice of UK waste
As champions of sustainability, we know how serious a threat excavation waste poses to the environment. UK Government statistics show that construction and demolition generated around three-fifths (61%) of total UK waste in 2020.
That’s without mentioning that England generated 63.0 million tonnes of demolition waste in 2022, with 59.4 million tonnes recovered (a 94.3% recovery rate) – but that still leaves around 3.6 million tonnes to be dealt with.
If we circle back to renovations, kitchens and bathrooms are often the first we grow tired of and the quickest to be ripped out. Even when things like cabinets are sound, and the sanitaryware still works perfectly fine: it’s just not ‘new’.
Consider the thousands of style upgrades currently in progress across the UK, and it’s clear why statistics on the country’s biggest waste stream continue to rise. These startling figures are exactly why we do what we do.
We make reuse practical for normal households. Acting as an agent for third-party sellers (homeowners and showrooms), Rehome prevents good interiors from becoming skip-bound. Here, you’ll find entire ex-display kitchens and bathrooms listed for prices well below RRP.
2. Reduces embodied carbon
Did you know that embodied carbon is the emissions that are tied up in your kitchen before you even use it? It describes the environmental cost of extracting raw resources, turning them into cabinets, tiles, etc, and transporting them to the site.
Worryingly, the UK Green Building Council estimates that embodied carbon from building refurbishment currently accounts for around 20% of total UK built environment emissions. To encourage accountability, we measure this: at Rehome, we track the embodied carbon locked into kitchens that are reused instead of replaced with brand-new ones.
Our sustainability data shows that for every kitchen sold, its reuse saves, on average, 3,500 kg of carbon, and that our community has already saved 19,452,279 kg of carbon and the equivalent of 8,006 trees by choosing pre-loved over new.
Where does all that carbon sit in a typical kitchen or bathroom? Mainly in cabinetry, stone or composite worktops, and fired ceramic tiles and sanitaryware – materials that independent datasets show have relatively high embodied energy.
3. Makes your design more original
If you want a deeply personal renovation, the quickest way to create it is to start with pieces that weren’t produced for everyone at once. Pre-loved, reclaimed items already have personality, and if you’re shopping with Rehome, you may even find truly bespoke items commissioned by sellers. Ultimately, reclaimed materials are design-led, in particular ex-display listings.
These kitchens are model setups that have lived in showrooms, which is why they usually come with the kind of upgrades people usually add later: higher-quality cabinetry, premium worktops and sometimes integrated appliances, all bundled into one scheme.
If uncertainty about measurements or not getting the ‘perfect fit’ is what puts you off using reclaimed materials, don’t worry! Real homes aren’t showrooms, and even ex-display kitchens are designed as display configurations. Small adaptations are often part of the process. We’ve seen customers reconfigure layouts and add a couple of extra units to make the design work for their homes more than once.
4. Gets you a premium finish for less
The most daunting reality you’ll have to face when committing to a renovation is cost. Both kitchen and bathroom refreshes are some of the biggest budgets you’ll ever carve out, and prices can start climbing quickly once you add premium upgrades.
But shopping pre-loved breaks down these barriers. As the UK’s largest Kitchen, Bedroom, Bathroom outlet, we’re offering premium products for hundreds, sometimes thousands, at less than high-street prices. Not only are the materials reclaimed, but you’re giving them a new life while keeping the embodied carbon associated with the original manufacturing as low as possible.
In our reports (The Great British Kitchen Report), we shared real ex-display examples showing savings from 50% to 76% versus RRP. Basically, you get the same calibre of cabinetry and showroom-level upgrades you’d expect on a luxury specification, but for a much friendlier price.
When you’re not burning the budget on brand-new, you can spend where it actually changes day-to-day life: appliances that desperately need replacing, or lighting that will make your new purchase look even better.
The most daunting reality you’ll have to face when committing to a renovation is cost. Both kitchen and bathroom refreshes are some of the biggest budgets you’ll ever carve out, and prices can start climbing quickly once you add premium upgrades.
But shopping pre-loved breaks down these barriers. As the UK’s largest Kitchen, Bedroom, Bathroom outlet, we’re offering premium products for hundreds, sometimes thousands, at less than high-street prices. Not only are the materials reclaimed, but you’re giving them a new life while keeping the embodied carbon associated with the original manufacturing as low as possible.
In our reports (The Great British Kitchen Report), we shared real ex-display examples showing savings from 50% to 76% versus RRP. Basically, you get the same calibre of cabinetry and showroom-level upgrades you’d expect on a luxury specification, but for a much friendlier price.
When you’re not burning the budget on brand-new, you can spend where it actually changes day-to-day life: appliances that desperately need replacing, or lighting that will make your new purchase look even better.
Shop pre-loved, ex-display kitchens and bathrooms with Rehome, the UK’s number one Kitchen, Bedroom, Bathroom outlet!
Rethinking the rip-it-out, buy brand-new narrative is the only path to saving money on your renovation.
At Rehome, we make it easy to take this eco-friendly approach. Every used or ex-display item is quality-checked and approved before it goes live, and in most cases, you can arrange a viewing before you commit.
Ready to start breaking down budget barriers? Browse our latest ex-display kitchens and approved used kitchens. If you already know what you love, shop by brand, and let industry favourites like Nobilia, Martin Moore and appliance experts SieMatic lead the way.
