Is 'upgrading' worth it?

I'm relieved to hear that I'm not imagining it. Yes, I naively spent thousands of Sim-bucks and exhausting amounts of time on the Sims' part & got two sims to 10 handiness to do all of these upgrades, and the plumbing still breaks constantly, as do the speakers and some other things as well. So frustrating. I'd just rather have the ability to spend big bucks for unbreakable items (like the computer). I usually buy the unbreakable toilet also, but there is no unbreakable sink, and I don't think there is that option for any showers either. And of course they all need to break in a big cluster when you are at that crazy-needy time in the toddler training process. (You know, the point where random Sims stop doing what they are supposed to on their own at all (like feeding the toddler when you tell them to or the toddler asks) and may or may not 'listen' to you... and then there is that stupid glitchy high chair and in-and-out contests from them all while you try to have them not starve the child... :/ Ya. That stuff.