How often do i need to replace the brakes?

I purchased a full size conversion van last summer in July and in September I put some new brake pads on the front because they were grinded all the way down to nothing, then again in November i put another set on because that set has grinded down, and now i hear the grinding sound again when i hit the brakes ( i am talking about the front brakes, not sure about the back ones) so i know i need new front brakes again, and when my ex changes the brake pads i can see how they are paper thin, is this normal... my brother has the same van and only changes his once per year if that... what to do ?How often do i need to replace the brakes?Unless your driving this van a whole lot (as in about 120,000 miles per year or more) that is way too often. If you do a whole lot of towing or carry heavy loads the brakes will wear much faster (but not that fast), but probably you need new rotors. If your old rotors are bad it will really eat up your new brakes pads. Also, if you replace the rotors, buy high quality brake pads. If you do, you shouldn't need to worry about your brakes for quite a while. I would also check the rear brakes to make sure they are doing their share of the work. Naturally, if they are not working properly your front brakes will have much more work to do. If everything is working properly and you are not hard on brakes, you should get somewhere around 50,000 miles to 100,000 miles out of your brakes. One other thing, if the grinding sound you are describing is what I think it is, the rotors have been damaged. You should replace the brake pads well before that sound occurs.How often do i need to replace the brakes?do you ride with your foot on the brake?do you drive in stop and go traffic alot?better check the calipers,they could be hanging up.How often do i need to replace the brakes?try putting a better brand of brake pads on this time. i put some cheap pads on my van and they lasted no time. i put some more expensive ceramic pads on and they are lasting much longerHow often do i need to replace the brakes?sounds like you ride with your foot on the brake when your driving or doing an awful lot of braking to wear pads out that fast, make sure the calipers aren't sticking some when you have them replaced.How often do i need to replace the brakes?Usually, mechanics would need to take a look at it first-hand to detemine the cause. First, if you had to replace the pads that quick, there's definitely something wrong. Depending on how the vehicle is driven depends on the life of the brakes. Excessive, or say, moderate braking. i suggest maybe inspect the rotors and their condition, because grinding sound before getting brake pads replaced indicated the rotors, or discs might be damaged. since it was probably metal to metal, depending on the severity of what it caused, usually it would be taken to a mechanic shop (say a gas station) to have the rotor(s) turned, or resurfaced. In worst cases, replaced. Other factors might possibly be the brake lines need bleeding. But based on the information given, i believe the rotors might be the cause. hope you are able to fix the problem.