Fitted kitchen no washing machine

lady1964

When we bought our current property, the previous owners had a sort of lean to added to the side of the house from the front to the back of the house, running along the side of the kitchen. They had their dryer in this lean to and their washing machine in the kitchen. When we had the kitchen re-done, we had plumbing put in the lean to and now we have both laundry appliances out there.

I certainly wouldn’t expect to see a washing machine as part of an fitted kitchen.

wannabe_a_saver

Large swathes of the world have washing machines in bathrooms as standard and think its odd that we have them in kitchens. 

I have to say I do think the bathroom makes more sense, although whenever I stay somewhere with that setup I worry far too much about the wires getting wet!

zagubov

wannabe_a_saver said:

Large swathes of the world have washing machines in bathrooms as standard and think its odd that we have them in kitchens. 

I have to say I do think the bathroom makes more sense, although whenever I stay somewhere with that setup I worry far too much about the wires getting wet!

Like I said in my earlier post, we found it immensely more practical to have the laundry machines upstairs in the bathroom. They were stacked vertically to save floorspace. 
The wall sockets and power leads were positioned so the shower couldn't spray them.
Modern regs would prevent you setting this up nowadays (I presume).
There's too much happening in kitchens for us to be squeezing the laundry in to such a busy room.
To save space some houses have the false economy of a washer-dryer which needs you to be time-rich if you're so space-poor.

GJB1954

Just read thru comments.
Yes we had looked on google earth at property, different to actual back garden now.
Yes should have asked about washing machine. We had a list of questions etc which asked before booking viewing and when at bungalow. 

The main reason for this post , when asking EA about bungalow. What parking was there. There was none at front of bungalow. EA informed that parking was at back , either in garage and allocated place in front of garage door. That is if car would fit into garage. At viewing EA did not have keys for looking inside garage. So would have seen pipework etc for washing machine . There also no window to look into garage. Parking spaces at back of house limited. Found out day after viewing that when bungalow had been updated, washing machine moved to garage. This then defeating car parking in garage. 

Others have asked if removing cupboard etc to fit washing machine in kitchen. Not impossible , but would entail removing integrated units to install pipework. Then where to put removed integrated fridge or freezer.  

Bungalow has no utility room or another space inside to fit washing machine. 

phoebe1989seb

Murphybear said:

NameUnavailable said:

Bad practice?

A lot of people prefer to put washing machines in cupboards, bathrooms, or other spaces due to the noise they make.

If you like the property surely the current location of a washing machine isn't a deal breaker? You would just move it!

We looked at a 400 year old National Trust cottage to rent, the washing machine was in a stone built shed outside the main building.  If it rained both we and the washing would have got a bit wet 

The cottage we bought in 2018 - coincidentally also four hundred years old - had the plumbing for the washing machine in an attached stone outbuilding. Not only that but the outbuilding was open to the elements on one side 🙄

We - or should I say I, as DH rarely does the washing, lol - put up with this till last month. DH installed our new kitchen at the back end of 2018 but there was no way I was having the washing machine in my beautiful kitchen! My sparkling new machine is now taking pride of place in a purpose made laundry cupboard beneath the stairs.

Moral of the story - not everyone wants a washing machine in the kitchen and will put up with all manner of privations waiting to have one in what they consider the *right* place!

Now the dishwasher is different - ours (integrated) is in the kitchen. Having had one in the utility previously, this time I was adamant it had to be in the kitchen.....

Irishpearce26

GJB1954 said:

Just read thru comments.
Yes we had looked on google earth at property, different to actual back garden now.
Yes should have asked about washing machine. We had a list of questions etc which asked before booking viewing and when at bungalow. 

The main reason for this post , when asking EA about bungalow. What parking was there. There was none at front of bungalow. EA informed that parking was at back , either in garage and allocated place in front of garage door. That is if car would fit into garage. At viewing EA did not have keys for looking inside garage. So would have seen pipework etc for washing machine . There also no window to look into garage. Parking spaces at back of house limited. Found out day after viewing that when bungalow had been updated, washing machine moved to garage. This then defeating car parking in garage. 

Others have asked if removing cupboard etc to fit washing machine in kitchen. Not impossible , but would entail removing integrated units to install pipework. Then where to put removed integrated fridge or freezer.  

Bungalow has no utility room or another space inside to fit washing machine. 

The garage can still be used for parking, you would have to remove the washing machine etc but the EA can still advertise it as a parking solution. Wether you can park your car in it depends on your car, i would have no chance getting out of my Mitsubishi L200 if i parked in my garage. We are lucky enough to have a utility room so our WM/TD/Freezer sit out there but have had them in the kitchen before. Are you expecting utilities to be included or just that there should be space for them in the kitchen? 

At least you now know your stock questions to ask before you view. Good luck.

AnotherJoe

NameUnavailable said:

lookstraightahead said:

How is a washing machine a kitchen appliance?

How is it not?

Mine isn't, its in the utility room  ( while the tumble dryer is, funnily enough, in the garage though it could be replaced with a combined washer dryer but the 10ft walk to the garage keeps me fit )

In many countries washing machines are in the much more logical and handy place of being near bathrooms / bedrooms where most of the clothes originate from (obvs the bathroom has the water connectivity).

Not sure if UK regs allow but IIRC I've seen a bathroom where what you might think is the airing cupboard contained a stacked washing machine and dryer. Much better place than the kitchen.

If this is your last house then you just need to be sure with a list of Q's to ask before viewing but also think about what can be changed as you'll be there a fair while so the expense is worth it.  Could you lose all or part of a bedroom and make it a utility for example  ? Depends on the house layout whats practical but you dont need much space to put a washing machine and tumble dryer, (or a single combined unit), could you steal a bit from a room next to kitchen? Or airing cupboard? Change to heating that doesnt need a hot water tank, utilise that space?

Stubod

...1st world problems??

Redwino222

Stubod said:

...1st world problems??

Surely almost everything on this site is a first world problem? 

I never understand this saying (or the people who use it)  - of course issues around starvation and health that people in the third world face are much more important.  But does that mean we can’t discuss or be concerned about other issues? 

[Deleted User]

zagubov said:

In our first house the washer and dryer were upstairs in the bathroom. Turned out to be the most sensible place.

The place I am hoping to put an offer in for has this set up. At first I thought it was odd, now it seems sensible (though not something I've come across before).