Property/DIY
Installing a dishwasher - cost?
LaSevillana · 25/03/2023 10:57
I live in London and would like to install a dishwasher, as I'm sick of washing up multiple times a day! It looks like I'll need a slimline one to fit in my kitchen (small flat), which seem to be around the £300 mark, and I'm wondering if anyone had a ballpark idea of how much it would cost for a plumber to install it for me? I think they'd need to redo some of the pipes to connect it (not sure of the technical term here, sorry).
I plan to ring around and get some quotes, but I just wanted to have an idea of what a reasonable cost would be.
donttellmehesalive · 25/03/2023 15:42
I bought mine from John Lewis and they install. I can't remember how much but it felt reasonable. Certainly less than £100. A friend bought from AO and they also installed. I expect places like that have the installation cost on their website. I don't know how much an independent plumber would be.
LaSevillana · 25/03/2023 15:55
Thanks for the info! I'd definitely rather pay a professional just to absolve myself from liability should anything go wrong - I'm in a flat with people below me, so definitely don't want a flood or anything like that!
It seems like ordering from John Lewis, AO or similar and getting it installed by them would be the least faffy option...happy to pay slightly more to cut down on faff and reduce the number of people needing to come in.
CasperGutman · 25/03/2023 16:23
In my experience the installation services offered by retailers will only include hooking up a new appliance to connection points that are already there.
Adding new pipework and perhaps a new electrical socket, or adding/removing/rearrangeing kitchen units is a whole different matter. You will need to pay someone to do this before you can think about installing (which for a freestanding appliance really means little more than plugging in!) a dishwasher.
LaSevillana · 25/03/2023 16:35
CasperGutman · 25/03/2023 16:23
In my experience the installation services offered by retailers will only include hooking up a new appliance to connection points that are already there.
Adding new pipework and perhaps a new electrical socket, or adding/removing/rearrangeing kitchen units is a whole different matter. You will need to pay someone to do this before you can think about installing (which for a freestanding appliance really means little more than plugging in!) a dishwasher.
Yes, I think I may well need new pipework, so looks like I might have to get a plumber in first. I think I probably do need a new electrical socket too...is that something I need an electrician for? I'm very clueless about this stuff as I rented for many years!
Pangolin23 · 25/03/2023 16:56
I had this done a couple of years ago in London. Should be about £150 (two hours labour plus parts) for a plumber to add the connection for a dishwasher under the kitchen sink, and to connect it to the existing water feed.
This is assuming there is already a plug socket, if there isn’t then double that.
Also maybe it will need an isolation switch at worktop level (like you will have for your oven)? If so that’s another expense but you could get away without.
Elieza · 25/03/2023 17:08
Do you have somewhere near the sink to fit it?
mine is on the other side of the room and is on about a 2.5m outflow. Which isn’t ideal as the motor has to pump the water all out if that and sometimes it doesn’t work effectively. It’s new and the plumber was tutting. His opinion was no more than 1m pipe. So next to the sink or next to the washing machine for me. But no room there unless I take out a cabinet and then a joiner would be required…….
decorecor · 25/03/2023 21:00
We had a socket near enough already so just for the plumber (extending pipes under the units, taking out a unit and connecting it all) was £150 (very recently). I got a slimline Bosch from John Lewis which has been great, and they took all the packaging away too.
LaSevillana · 25/03/2023 21:19
Pangolin23 · 25/03/2023 16:56
I had this done a couple of years ago in London. Should be about £150 (two hours labour plus parts) for a plumber to add the connection for a dishwasher under the kitchen sink, and to connect it to the existing water feed.
This is assuming there is already a plug socket, if there isn’t then double that.
Also maybe it will need an isolation switch at worktop level (like you will have for your oven)? If so that’s another expense but you could get away without.
Thanks for the info. What does the isolation switch accomplish?
I think I will need another plug socket, unfortunately. The only feasible place for it to go is next to the washing machine, and there's no socket near there.
LaSevillana · 25/03/2023 21:21
Elieza · 25/03/2023 17:08
Do you have somewhere near the sink to fit it?
mine is on the other side of the room and is on about a 2.5m outflow. Which isn’t ideal as the motor has to pump the water all out if that and sometimes it doesn’t work effectively. It’s new and the plumber was tutting. His opinion was no more than 1m pipe. So next to the sink or next to the washing machine for me. But no room there unless I take out a cabinet and then a joiner would be required…….
The space I have for it is where an existing cabinet is (should be able to get a relative to remove this for me free of charge), next to the washing machine. The washing machine is right next to the under-sink cabinet, and the dishwasher would then be on the other side. Maybe a metre or so, max?
LaSevillana · 25/03/2023 21:23
decorecor · 25/03/2023 21:00
We had a socket near enough already so just for the plumber (extending pipes under the units, taking out a unit and connecting it all) was £150 (very recently). I got a slimline Bosch from John Lewis which has been great, and they took all the packaging away too.
Thanks for the info! Are you in London too? I'm also looking at a slimline Bosch, as space is a bit limited.
Soontobe60 · 25/03/2023 21:25
I have to say I wouldn’t bother for a slimline dishwasher. We inherited one when we bought our house. It was more trouble than it was worth - I had to run it every day, sometimes twice. I ended up just washing up by hand most of the time. I was in heaven when we got a full sized one with our new kitchen
Reugny · 25/03/2023 21:28
Soontobe60 · 25/03/2023 21:25
I have to say I wouldn’t bother for a slimline dishwasher. We inherited one when we bought our house. It was more trouble than it was worth - I had to run it every day, sometimes twice. I ended up just washing up by hand most of the time. I was in heaven when we got a full sized one with our new kitchen
Actually of there is only one/two of you in the house/flat then a slimline is fine.
One of my friends had a full size dishwasher when she lived on her own and then her partner moved in. She had to run it a quarter or half full before it started smelling.
LaSevillana · 25/03/2023 21:34
Soontobe60 · 25/03/2023 21:25
I have to say I wouldn’t bother for a slimline dishwasher. We inherited one when we bought our house. It was more trouble than it was worth - I had to run it every day, sometimes twice. I ended up just washing up by hand most of the time. I was in heaven when we got a full sized one with our new kitchen
I live on my own though, so I think it should be OK? I think I should be able to fit two days' worth of cups/glasses/plates/bowls/cutlery and run it every other day, which would save me so much time! I'd basically just have to hand wash pots/pans. I've been ill recently and it's an absolute pain in the arse having to wash up several times a day.
LaSevillana · 25/03/2023 21:50
CantFindTheBeat · 25/03/2023 21:44
@LaSevillana
A slimline machine is more than enough for a single person.
Good for you, do it asap, it will be a joy every time you load it 🥰
Believe me, I cannot wait! Doing the dishes has always been my least favourite household task!
decorecor · 25/03/2023 22:31
LaSevillana · 25/03/2023 21:23
Thanks for the info! Are you in London too? I'm also looking at a slimline Bosch, as space is a bit limited.
decorecor · 25/03/2023 21:00
We had a socket near enough already so just for the plumber (extending pipes under the units, taking out a unit and connecting it all) was £150 (very recently). I got a slimline Bosch from John Lewis which has been great, and they took all the packaging away too.
Nowhere near London so prices could be a bit different.
About the slimline haters - we are a family of 4 who cook a lot, work from home, basically all 4 having 3 meals at home bar one child's school lunch in term time. I would have loved a full size, and we could fill it, but slimline is all that could fit and it's not too bad. There's always certain pots, trays, knives, travel cups etc. that need to be washed by hand anyway so we basically do 1 load in the dishwasher and 1 by hand every day and that more or less keeps on top of it. 2 dishwasher loads if we've had guests over. For a single person, it'll be great! You could probably run it every other day.
Motherhentoall · 25/03/2023 22:38
I’ve just had a 3 drawer dishwasher fitted. That is a game changer in terms of space. In regards to fitting it is very easy to add a second connection to the plumbing, but you will need a socket for the dishwasher (extension lead is fine) dishwashers are very easy to install 🙂
LaSevillana · 25/03/2023 23:46
MonkeyMindAllOverAround · 25/03/2023 22:42
Frankly, unless you are on your own or are a couple that hardly ever cooks, a slimline dishwasher is not going to reduce the hand washing significantly enough to be worth the expense.
I am on my own and work from home. A dishwasher would mean being able to put a couple of days worth of cups/glasses/plates/cutlery away of out sight and then run it every couple of days rather than three lots of handwashing every day (or the dishes piling up and then having to do one huge lot, which is even worse). It would make a significant difference to my quality of life.
decorecor · 26/03/2023 08:57
LaSevillana · 25/03/2023 23:46
I am on my own and work from home. A dishwasher would mean being able to put a couple of days worth of cups/glasses/plates/cutlery away of out sight and then run it every couple of days rather than three lots of handwashing every day (or the dishes piling up and then having to do one huge lot, which is even worse). It would make a significant difference to my quality of life.
MonkeyMindAllOverAround · 25/03/2023 22:42
Frankly, unless you are on your own or are a couple that hardly ever cooks, a slimline dishwasher is not going to reduce the hand washing significantly enough to be worth the expense.
You won't regret it. Also, with the Bosch, I have a cutlery drawer which means there's more space in the bottom layer as there's no cutlery basket. The second layer can manage more than just cups and glasses, too - it's great for bowls and Tupperware as well.
On an average day, I could have cutlery on the top layer and say a jar lid, second layer has mugs, glasses, plastic kids cups, kids cereal bowls, soup bowls, a peanut butter jar, a large serving spoon, bottom layer a few small plates from toast for breakfast, large plates from dinner, a pot and large baking dish from dinner.
Meanwhile, I'll handwash say the pot from the soup at lunch (not all our pots are dishwasher safe), our good knives, a chopping board, DC's water bottles, some utensils, some recycling (yoghurt pots, milk bottles, tins), but I'm done in 5-10 minutes while the dishwasher is running with the rest.
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.