Kitchen design questions

Looby_Lou

I am currently trying to design a new kitchen, I know roughly what I want but I have just had a visit from a kitchen designer who said

1. The dishwasher is currently too far away from the sink and will have to be moved to next to the sink. Is there a suggested distance from the sink that a dishwasher ought to be?

2. we have 2 windows with a wall between them, the cooker is currently against this piece of wall. I've been told that the cooker will have to be moved as it is dangerous, and could be a fire hazard! We've got an electric cooker, no curtains, and the window is set back from the cooker and is at least 6" higher than the cooker surface.

I'm really confused as the other guy we had out didn't see these as problems.

Who is right? Do I need to move my appliances?

Thank you

WestonDave

Not sure about the second one, but they may be thinking that the dishwasher will discharge into the sink waste trap for which it will have to be near enough for the outlet pipe to reach. You can have a dishwasher any distance from the sink but you need to run a cold water supply, and provide a waste outlet (which again may depend on where you have drains etc outside). They may be trying to save running a cold feed and/or drilling through the wall to put another waste pipe out.

The other thing about having it close to the sink is that its easier to rinse things but that's a personal choice issue.

Looby_Lou

That is what is confusing me, as it is we are not planning on moving the dishwasher! He said that dishwashers don't have pumps so the water would not flow properly away?

madget_2

Because of various constraints, we're having our dishwasher moved away from next to the sink onto another wall. So it is possible. As WestonDave said, ideally, it is better to have it near a sink if you want to rinse your dishes before loading them.

missile

Looby_Lou wrote: »

That is what is confusing me, as it is we are not planning on moving the dishwasher! He said that dishwashers don't have pumps so the water would not flow properly away?

Absolute rubbish, you either missunderstood or he is a complete idiot. All dishwashers have a pump to discharge water. Obviously you need to run the discharge downhill, but if your currrent dishwasher discharges OK, then your new one will too.

It is good practice to site dishwasher next to sink, but if there may be other factors. If you with the location, there is no reason to move it.

I would need a sketch or photo to understand if there is a problem re cooker location. If it was a gas hob he might have a valid concern re draft from open window, but as yours is electric, again that sounds like B... S... to me.

majjie

I'd say it was rubbish too.

You can have your dishwasher where you like ... as long as it's not too far from the drains. It's more work for the fitter ... but he'll charge you accordingly. Most manufacturers say that you don't need to rinse the plates before you put them into the dishwasher ... it's just that most people prefer to, so like the sink to be close.

As for the hob - it is generally considered to be bad practice to put it close to the window - after all you might sell the house and the new owners might insist on having curtains. I wouldn't refuse to put it there, though. I'd drop you a written note explaining why it might not be a good idea (to cover myself).

I wouldn't rule out a gas hob either ... as long as you promised never to have curtains ... and you bought one with a flame failure device.

Majjie

P.S curtains or blinds that is ... for the gas hob

madget_2

It sounds as though he might not want the hassle of moving things and so is just telling you a load of rubbish. If you're unsure, why not get someone else in for a quote and see what they say?

One of the companies I asked for a quote told me some really daft stuff, too.

phill99

He is right about the cooker. You can't have a cooker under a window as ir constitutes a fire hazard. I do a lot of kitchens via Magnets and Howdens and they both tell me the same thing.

majjie

So phill99 ... care to explain how it's a fire risk ... if you don't have curtains or blinds?

Magnet and Howdens work on the lowest common denominator principle and assume that if they don't tell their designers not to ... they'll put a gas hob under the curtains.

Majjie

becs

phill99 wrote: »

He is right about the cooker. You can't have a cooker under a window as ir constitutes a fire hazard. I do a lot of kitchens via Magnets and Howdens and they both tell me the same thing.

Doesn't explain if he's right about the cooker as if you read the op's post properly you'll see it isn't under a window! It's on a wall between 2 windows!
My hob is on a wall between our back door and a window but it is ceramic but I can't see why it couldn't be put there other than having the windows open may cause a through draft and either blow gas flames onto something or blow them out.

phill99

So phill99 ... care to explain how it's a fire risk ... if you don't have curtains or blinds?

Magnet and Howdens work on the lowest common denominator principle and assume that if they don't tell their designers not to ... they'll put a gas hob under the curtains.

Majjie

YOU may not have a blind or curtain at your windoe, but the person who has the house after you may. Or you may change you mind. The regs maybe somewhat dated I agree, but doesn't mean they are wrong.