Washing machine during kitchen extension

[mondray]

We’re having a kitchen extension started in the next month or so. Part of this work is building a utility room. The whole build is estimated to take 16-20 weeks and there will definitely be a time when we will not have access to a kitchen and washing machine (as it’s also in the kitchen).

Our builder will try to accommodate us as much as possible but there is only so much he can do.

Now we have a solution for a temporary kitchen, but I am panicking about losing the washing machine.
Is there any way to temporarily plug it in somewhere else? Like our en suite is big enough but have no idea what to do about the plumbing or waste.

Any tips from someone that has done this before?

We left the cold water feed intact (it's in the middle of the new kitchen space) and have the washing machine plumbed into that temporarily. My husband is a plumber so it might not be an easy DIY job but your plumber/builder will be able to sort.

Do you have a water source in the garage? Could plumb it in there and then feed the waste under the garage door to the outside

@Fluffyrug191 That’s a thought. I guess it would be possible to leave it where it is in the middle of the extension for a large part of the time. But they will have to unplug it at some point so they can build the utility room.

@whensmynexthol1day I wish we had a garage. That would be the ideal solution, but unfortunately we don’t.

The only water sources we have that aren’t going to be affected by the building work are either our en-suite or the family bathroom.

I embraced the local laundrette. It was expensive, but a real treat to drop off a large bag of washing on my way to work, and pick it up on my way home all clean, dry and folded. It was worth every penny.

Have you got a neighbour or relative that could do it for you just wash it and p you pick it up to dry etc you could obviously buy the washing stuff and some flowers or something as a thank you too?

We're in the middle of this.

Washing machine plugged in outside / in garage (we have relocated most of the kitchen there!).

Friends'

Laundrette.

Laundryheap or similar apps - pricey, but will collect and deliver clean and dry within 24h. Around £20 for a sack of laundry.

I empathise - of all the issues, not having the washing machine was what I was dreading most. We do 5-7 loads/wk so going to a launderette or neighbour wasn’t practical.
Our builder (or rather his plumber) set up a temporary kitchen in our front room with the sink and washing machine so perhaps along a short run. Both drain out via a common pipe through our front room wall into what used to be the back of our house .

When my mum had her kitchen extension done the builder reconnected the cooker & washer every night before he left until he started fitting the units after the building was done, the walls boarded & plastered, there was probably only 3 days when the washer wasn't available as he was doing the utility room.

The bath for emergency hand washing, friends, neighbours and the launderette. We had 4 weeks of no washing machine.

We managed far better than I expected. It was done in summer so far easier to manage.

We had six weeks on a previous kitchen installation. We made sure we had enough clothes, towels and bedding for a fortnight, did a massive trip to the laundrette at the end of week 2, then again end of week 4. It was self-service so both times I spent quite a while sitting reading in the laundrette!

Also, prioritise. We kept work clothes separate and 'home' clothes were getting filthy anyway due to the building work so we washed those less often. And we pushed towels and bedding to the max and used the stash of guest towels.

We are having a 16 week kitchen and family room rework / extension too - scheduled for later this year. I am absolutely bricking it. It’s causing me anxiety. But needs to be done. Next time I am buying a new build. Following this thread for interest!

We used our neighbour's machine, we have a key to the house anyway and they were happy to help. We did similar for them when they were having work done.

Thank you everyone for all the answers. I really appreciate your help. To answer any questions.

Our neighbours have offered to let us use theirs and we will definitely take them up on the offer. But not practical to do it all the time as we easily do 4-6 wash loads a week.

Someone mentioned laundryheap. This I have looked at as well, but it’s £17 for a 6kg bag. We could definitely pay for it every now and then, but not on a regular basis. Short term this would work depending how long we won’t be able to use it.

There is also a launderette on the other side of town. Unsure how this works as never used one before. Do you have to sit there and watch the clothes get washed or leave until they’re ready? I have 2 small kids who would lose their minds having to stay in a place like that for hours 😂.

I guess I was just hoping for a miracle and wishing there was a way for us to plug the machine somewhere else and still use it as normal. Wishful thinking.

Buy an outdoor shed for the machine and put it near an outdoor drain? Extension lead to outside and fill manually with water?

You've said there is room in your en-suite so you could plumb in there? You only need a cold water supply and connection to the sink waste - just the same as you'd have in the kitchen/utility. Even if you have to pay a plumber it could be a lot less than laundrette costs.

Launderette: you can sit and watch, or set it off and come back when it's spinning - this is cheaper. However most places will do a "service wash". This involves the laundrette staff washing, drying and folding your clothes. We used it during our renovation and yes it was pricey - 25 quid for a large IKEA bag - but completely lifesaving.

Yes, this. Work the cost of a weekly service wash in to your build budget.

Have you asked the builder if you can have kitchen plumbed in with the temporary kitchen? As I said upthread, if you already have a sink plumbed in then it should be straightforward to plumb the washing machine, too.
Much much cheaper and more convenient than a laundrette or any other service .

We are currently having a kitchen extension done and our builder temporarily plumbed in our old sink/unit and the washing machine. They're both located in the building site but we can access the bathroom tap for water and we pop in the building site (aka the back of the house) of an evening/weekend to wash dishes and clothes. If you're happy only having access to it temporarily you should ask if they can accommodate it