What do I need to do re dishwasher

wannabe_sybil

Hope I am not too long winded. I am not very good at understanding diy, and I have had a lot of really useful help from this board and the kind people on it, so I wonder if I can ask again.

I really would like advice about where to start looking at what to do. I would like a dishwasher, the sink is at an awkward height and hurts my back to wash up. Until now I have been trying to work out how to fit a dishwasher and always believed that there was just nowhere in our kitchen to put it, due to the odd layout. Even a table top one was looking implausible. However today I looked at my sink unit, and a dishwasher could go under the draining board part of the sink. I know that slimline ones exist, it would be near the drains and water pipes and the height of the sink unit is slightly adjustable (not enough to ease my back).

What do I need to do to get a dishwasher under there, as I just don't know where to start looking?

Any help sincerely and gratefully received.

devotee

If you want to fit the dishwasher it certainly can go under the draining board unit. The slim ones are 450mm wide usually, I can't remember how tall they are but have a look at JL website as they give measurements and compare it to the height to your worktop.
Dishwashers just need cold water fill and waste pipe. So you might need to fit one of those under sink thingys that allow the d/w waste pipe to go under the sink and you need a pipe with cold water where to screw the inlet pipe from d/w.
Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come and explain it better, but that's my layman explanation

And can be done by a competent DIYer.

wannabe_sybil

devotee wrote: »

If you want to fit the dishwasher it certainly can go under the draining board unit. The slim ones are 450mm wide usually, I can't remember how tall they are but have a look at JL website as they give measurements and compare it to the height to your worktop.
Dishwashers just need cold water fill and waste pipe. So you might need to fit one of those under sink thingys that allow the d/w waste pipe to go under the sink and you need a pipe with cold water where to screw the inlet pipe from d/w.
Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will come and explain it better, but that's my layman explanation

And can be done by a competent DIYer.

Thank you, that sounds really reassuring.

I will be looking at getting someone to do it for me - I am not a competent DIYer. I am a disaster. Do you think it would be best to get someone from a place that sells dishwashers to do it? Or should I look for installer and dishwasher separately? And does it matter if a washing machine is already plumbed in there?

I am an epic fail at this. I don't know what I would do without MSE

keystone

Can you post a pic of the inside of the cupboard that shows the present plumbing arrangements?

I am a little concerned that if you have problems with your back with your sink it might be worse when you have to bend even further down to open a dishwasher door to load it or empty it?

What is the present height of your worktop?

Am slightly confused about the apparent height adjustment capability of your existing sink TBH.

Cheers

devotee

Do you have any competent male friends who can do it for you? You only need to buy a couple of parts.
Otherwise ask how much it costs to have it plumbed in and know that it will not take more than an hour to fit it!
I've seen it done and it's not brain surgery really.

It doesn't matter if the washing machine is connected as well, but you might not be able to use both at the same time - my plumber told me - if it's connected to the same waste pipe under sink.

wannabe_sybil

Keystone - thank you for replying. I will see what I can do about posting a pic, I am not very good at it, but I will have a go tomorrow.

The unit that houses the sink has adjustable screw up/down legs, but they don't go high enough to ease my back. I am gambling that spending a few minutes loading a dishwasher with a break before unloading it will not hurt my back too much, I manage with the washing machine. However bending over at just enough angle while I am washing up for fifteen minutes or more regularly sends my back into a spasm. This is why I would like a dishwasher.

Currently under the sink the washing machine drains into the ubend and plumbs into cold water pipes running almost against the washing machine, which is next to the draining board. I have just double checked - the waste pipe for the sink goes through the space which I would like for the dishwasher, as does the waste pipe from the washing machine. Does this mean that I can't have a dishwasher there, or is there a way around it?

I really appreciate any help on this, as I have no idea what is possible and what is not possible.

wannabe_sybil

devotee wrote: »

Do you have any competent male friends who can do it for you? You only need to buy a couple of parts.
Otherwise ask how much it costs to have it plumbed in and know that it will not take more than an hour to fit it!
I've seen it done and it's not brain surgery really.

It doesn't matter if the washing machine is connected as well, but you might not be able to use both at the same time - my plumber told me - if it's connected to the same waste pipe under sink.

Competent male friends - that is a possibility, I think, but I don't like taking advantage. Also I don't want to hurt my OH's feelings, but I don't even know where to start!

I really appreciate the help on here, I have a big problem with home improvement.

Edited to add - the plumbing in bit was done in 1994, and the current cabinet was installed by a kind neighbour a few years ago. However that neighbour isn't clued with plumbing and is also extremely busy, so I don't want to take further advantage.

devotee

wannabe_sybil wrote: »

Competent male friends - that is a possibility, I think, but I don't like taking advantage. Also I don't want to hurt my OH's feelings, but I don't even know where to start!

I really appreciate the help on here, I have a big problem with home improvement.

Edited to add - the plumbing in bit was done in 1994, and the current cabinet was installed by a kind neighbour a few years ago. However that neighbour isn't clued with plumbing and is also extremely busy, so I don't want to take further advantage.

Ask your neighbour if the dw will fit under the cabinet and if it can, if he knows someone who can fit it.

keystone

wannabe_sybil wrote: »

The unit that houses the sink has adjustable screw up/down legs, but they don't go high enough to ease my back.

I see - but I'm struggling to see how that can be achieved if yoiu have a worktop in place that goes across other units. The normally accepted installation height for the top of the worktop is 900mm for the average person to work at it comfortably. That doesn't help, of cousre, if one is over tall or the opposite. If its a standalone unity that the sink sits in/on then I cvan understyand what you mean.

I am gambling that spending a few minutes loading a dishwasher with a break before unloading it will not hurt my back too much, I manage with the washing machine. However bending over at just enough angle while I am washing up for fifteen minutes or more regularly sends my back into a spasm. This is why I would like a dishwasher.

OK - I understand. It would be unprofessional of me not to mention it - I hope you weren't offended.

Currently under the sink the washing machine drains into the ubend and plumbs into cold water pipes running almost against the washing machine, which is next to the draining board. I have just double checked - the waste pipe for the sink goes through the space which I would like for the dishwasher, as does the waste pipe from the washing machine. Does this mean that I can't have a dishwasher there, or is there a way around it?

It all depends how far the plumbing projects into the space whether or not the dishwasher can be pushed right back into the space or not. Adjustment of the feed and waste arrangements is always possible so don't worry about that. The critical factor will be whether the unit that the sink is in/on is a full depth unit actually rather than the plumbing arrangements. In any case the dishwasher will require a source of volts too.

Cheers

wannabe_sybil

Keystone - I am never offended by anyone trying to help me! You are really kind by helping me out like this. I don't even have all the words to describe what is going on, any help is welcome. The washing up is just one of those weird things, I have a thingy to raise the bowl, so it isn't as bad, but I really can suffer.

I'll try and describe the sink unit. There is a piece of continuous counter running along, but the sink unit stands alone underneath it and was replaced a few years ago. Next to it is a non-built-in washing machine, with the counter running over it, though it wouldn't break my heart to lose the counter, I have other counter space and a table.

The washing machine next to the sink unit is a standard Hotpoint type washer dryer, so I imagined that most dishwashers would be the same height, or within a small amount.

The sink unit is full sized, it was a cheapo one from B&Q, one of the mix and match sort, so I suppose it isn't an unusual size. I will measure the distance from the wall of the pipes tomorrow - but they are right at the back of the cupboard. If the dishwasher is as deep as the washing machine then they should be okay, because the washing machine also backs onto the waste pipe from the sink. And to have the break from washing up, if it sticks out a bit I won't care!

You are being so helpful, and it is really helping me to clarify my thoughts!

devotee - I have asked my lovely neighbour in the past, but he doesn't know. I may ask around however. I suppose I am a little more comfortable buying the item and installation in one go. I don't know why.

Thank you again for helping. As you can tell, I am completely lost with this! Thank goodness for the kind people on MSE

Edited to add - there is a double plug socket very near, which I use for the washing machine and very little else.

ryder72

You need to ensure you have a 450 or 600mm space next to the sink unit to house the dishwasher. Check that this space doesnt have any bits sticking too far out from the back wall as this will cause the DW to stick out into the room.

Your waste linking kit may have a spare spigot to connect the dishwasher waste to. If not, a new waste linking kit is about £15-20.

You will need cold water supply for the DW and this may be the biggest problem if you haven't got one. however, nothing that a competent plumber cant sort out in an hour.

Suggest you get a plumber to survey the job and quote. Assuming you need a new waste linking kit and a new cold water feed, this should cost around £80-100 labour plus materials.

A freestanding diswasher is usually height adjustable between ~825-875mm.