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Replacing integrated dishwasher

(33 Posts)
winterwhite Tue 09-Oct-18 18:13:39

Just moved to a house with 8-yr old fitted kitchen. Builder now retired. Design fine, units fine but appliances were bottom end of market (in a brand commonly used by kitchen designers) and need replacing, esp the dishwasher.

Worry is not what to choose but how to be 100% sure that the dimensions will fit. Appliances are meant to be standard sizes I know, but it seems risky to me - could be a several hundred £££ blunder if installer can't fit it. Has anyone done this? Any advice re using installation service of AO or JL (I had a bad trip with JL once over a washing machine) versus a local plumber / electrician.

DH not 'handy' to this extent. SILs leave too far away.

Hope to hear that it's easy peasy and I'm making a meal of this.

Many thanks for any help.

Greyduster Sat 13-Oct-18 09:03:37

We had an integrated dishwasher put in with our new kitchen a few years ago. The fitter muttered that it was such a tight fit getting it in that he hoped he wouldn’t have to be the one to take it out!! ?.

Blue45Sapphire Sat 13-Oct-18 08:17:10

We replaced our integrated dishwasher with a normal size one, really easy. Just removed the integrated one and its door plus kick-guard/plinth, measured the space and a normal non-integrated one fitted perfectly.

nana2006 Thu 11-Oct-18 09:51:41

The current appliance should have a serial/model number. If you Google that you will be able to get dimensions.

jeanie99 Wed 10-Oct-18 23:07:44

Have I understood correctly you are keeping the kitchen but replacing the integrated units?
So you have the doors for the integrated units and are concerned the new appliances might not fit.
I personally would take out the appliances and take measurements. you can't go wrong if you do this.
Most integrated appliances fit into a 600 wide space I believe non standard are usually American appliances.

Lazigirl Wed 10-Oct-18 19:03:42

I was worried about replacing our fitted dishwasher because it was badly fitted in the beginning by the builders and it was a bottom end appliance, not our choice. I was concerned that it was too big for the space and was catching on adjoining units, which caused fascia door to keep falling off. Had local shop to survey, check the space, and bought from them and they fitted. They had no trouble apart from cutting a small piece out of the kick board at base of the units, because dishwasher has an ingenious light that shows timing on the floor when dishwasher operating. Brilliant, and door no longer falls off. Only downside so much more expensive than freestanding.

MrsJamJam Wed 10-Oct-18 18:46:52

JI did ours and did a really good job. It was all much less complicated than I had been expecting and the new one is so much better that I wish we had done it ages ago.

Lilyflower Wed 10-Oct-18 17:52:09

Get the handyman who is going to plumb in the machine to order one that will fit the space.

dogsmother Wed 10-Oct-18 16:09:32

I have a beautiful kitchen but.....from the moment my gas hob went in I hated it and wanted it changed!
I have been terrified to own up to this since probably 6/7 years now. I am prompted by this post to start Checking out replacing it and if it might be a standard size I cannot tell you how happy today I will be ?

FlexibleFriend Wed 10-Oct-18 14:13:50

Can't say I'd ever have free standing appliances after having integrated ones they make the kitchen look cheap which I find off putting and when another appliances goes wrong trying to match colours even white is impossible never mind silver or graphite etc.

gmelon Wed 10-Oct-18 14:07:35

I'm interested in this thread.
I'd not thought of taking out The cupboard door and having freestanding.
Seems a good option?

EthelJ Wed 10-Oct-18 13:49:38

I've replaced an integrated dishwasher and it was fine. I measured the cavity and checked the size of the washer I bought and also took advice from the fitter who had a list of dishwasher sizes so could advise on the brand to buy. I like you was worried it wouldn't fit but it was OK

winterwhite Wed 10-Oct-18 12:59:14

Thanks very much for the advice and tips.
AO seem to come out well, but how to tell the size of the overall spacee when current d/washer still in it that is the problem - width of door on current machine is a few mm narrower than any other dishwasher known to man so far as I can see. Yet inside it seems a bit wider than a Bosch Slimline I had in the old house.
Maybe the answer will be to have the current taken out and manage without until we find a new one,

jamtart27 Wed 10-Oct-18 12:51:18

AO were excellent, I ordered a gas cooker checked dimensions and booked their fitter. On arrival was told gas regs had changed and it meant the only way to fit it legally was to dismantle part of the fitted kitchen ! The only other option was an electric oven , they took away the new gas oven and my old one as it would have been illegal to reconnect it, customer service rang to discuss electric options to make sure I chose one that fitted . New oven delivered and fitted within a couple of days and fitter showed me how to use it . I also got a refund as the electric one was cheaper.

MeltingMacaron Wed 10-Oct-18 12:45:58

I bought a replacement dishwasher from a local independent who checked that the new model I chose was the same standard size as the very old model I was replacing. Their installers did the plumbing work and took away the old machine. The only slight problem was that the door, when opened, caught slightly on the plinth. The installers said they did not carry the tools to do carpentry work. I was loathe to pay a professional to come out for such a small job so tackled it myself with a Workmate and a jigsaw.

newnanny Wed 10-Oct-18 12:36:06

They are standard sized and easily fitted. You are worrying needlessly on this occasion.

David1968 Wed 10-Oct-18 11:45:10

Might it be possible not have an "integrated" dishwasher, but simply to have one that's "on display", so to speak? DH (the cook) and I have never seen the point of integrated appliances and thus we don't have them in our kitchen. Talking with others, it sounds as though replacing integrated appliances always seems to be much more problematic and costly than replacing the "slip in" type. A kitchen is a "workroom", after all!

vickymeldrew Wed 10-Oct-18 10:44:18

Kitchen units would usually outlast appliances so white goods are standard sizes. £80 might sound a lot to fit a gas cooker, but actually is not. Presumably they have to be qualified to work with gas and they have travelling time etc to factor into their quote. I always buy from John Lewis (never knowingly undersold) and their installation service is excellent with reasonable prices.

Purpledaffodil Wed 10-Oct-18 10:16:38

Just done similar in a new kitchen , replacing designer’s suggested appliances with ones I chose. Worth checking dimensions very carefully. Dishwashers are smaller than a few years ago and integrated microwaves are a minefield with only a few models fitting the space in the tower.
I have found AO very useful but not used their fitting service.

DoraMarr Wed 10-Oct-18 09:29:16

Just check the dimensions and you should be fine. I had an integrated washer/dryer fitted by JL and it was efficient and cost effective.

Teetime Wed 10-Oct-18 09:27:44

smile

Teetime Wed 10-Oct-18 09:27:32

This is all good news I'm sure mine will give out soon as its 8 years old - Hotpoint though but I do flog it mercilessly.
Framilode you're my kind of woman [smile.

aggie Wed 10-Oct-18 08:59:47

DSs integrated dishwasher stopped working after a short time , turned out that the door couldn't close properly due to it not being " shoved "(technical term grin )in far enough

kittylester Wed 10-Oct-18 08:54:53

Surely it has to fit the same 'hole' though.

Coolgran65 Wed 10-Oct-18 00:34:49

Not integrated meant we got a machine with a bigger capacity.

Coolgran65 Wed 10-Oct-18 00:33:38

We had to replace our integrated dishwasher recently. Didn't even look at integrated. Dh took off the door and installed a standard machine. Partly because the kitchen might be replaced in the near future.