Dishwasher advice please!

[Piratesareruthless]

We have recently moved house and would like to get a dishwasher fitted in the cupboard next to our kitchen sink. However, having never had a dishwasher before I feel a bit clueless about what's involved and would appreciate advice from anyone who has done similar.

Who should I get to install the dishwasher? I'm guessing some sort of appliances/kitchen fitting company would be able to do the whole thing? Obviously there will be some plumbing work involved to connect it to the pipework under the sink, and there is a socket in the wall above the cupboard so I assume it could be plugged in there, with the cable coming up through a small hole in the worktop. I would really like an integrated dishwasher though, so how do I go about finding a front to match the rest of the cupboard doors? The kitchen units are cream gloss so nothing out of the ordinary, but I don't know where they are from. It would be great to know how others have gone about this.

I also have no idea what to expect in terms of installation costs, so if you wouldn't mind sharing how much you paid to have something similar done it would be much appreciated.

The washer doesn’t fit in the cupboard, it’s fitted and a false door front is attached, so you will have to source the false front from your kitchen unit manufacturer.
The socket sounds as if it’s possibly too near the water source so I’d check with an electrician first. Fitted appliances are usually connected to a permanent non plug electrical source .

A dishwasher can be plugged into a single socket. Ovens are often hardwired because of their ratings, although some can be plugged in, in which case they will come with a plug attached to the lead.

First, speak with a plumber. He will need to do the plumbing for the space.

You will need to remove the cupboard - dishwashers stand on the floor, not on the cupboard bottom. The back of the cupboard will also need removing, for the plumbing but also so that the dishwasher doesn't stand proud of the units.

What door you need depends on what sort of machine you get - some have the control panel on the front at the top and you need 2/3 size door, others have then on the door on the lip so you use a full door. If the cupboard you are removing to put the dishwasher in has a door you can get conversion kits to attach it to the dishwasher. Otherwise you'll need to go to a kitchen shop and try and match best you can. Without knowing the brand of kitchen you may not get an exact match.

Thank you, this is really helpful. Sorry, I didn't explain it very well but I realised that we would have to remove the base and back of the cupboard. The cupboard has a door and I didn't realise it might be possible to convert it, so I will have a look into that.

Remember that integrated appliances cost more and are often smaller/worse quality. Plus there is that annoying heavy door.

If you go for free standing you will have more choice. Remember to allow enough space to get the thing in - our kitchen designer was a bit dim and thought that a 600mm appliance fits in a 600mm space.

Do you have a Euronics shop near you? Phone them and see if they will pop in and evaluate. They should be able to coordinate the plumbing and electrics or advise accordingly, and fit with a door. Their labour costs are very reasonable.

They sometimes have some great deals on appliances but they can also source most machines.

Aside from that, some random things:
Dishwashers are sometimes plumbed off the same water as kitchen sink (probably not ideal)
They can be plugged in. (our current rental actually as a plug right under the sink which I didn't think could be legal!)
Check all your manuals and units carefully to see if you can find where your kitchen was from.
Measure up, particularly on depth. try and see machines in the flesh as sometimes they can have sticky out bits.

If you can't easily integrate, you could look at a freestanding machine with a smarter front. e.g. I was looking at house recently which had an old kitchen as I was thinking as a temporary fix I'd paint the cupboards navy blue and have a freestanding stainless steel dishwasher which would look quite smart.

Do measure carefully though as I for one find it off-putting when I look at photos for sales and rentals where the freestanding machine is sticking out!

Thanks for all the tips; I feel a bit less clueless now! I have just had a look at Euronics' website and we do have a shop nearby, so I will start there.