Waste pipes & water supply for dishwasher in pre existing kitchen

[Pickwickpick]

This one has been bugging me for days so thought would run it by you guys in case I'm missing something really obvious.

Had a call off someone who had bought a dishwasher as a surprise for their wife and wanted the waste and water pipes fitting, only issue is that the dishwasher had to be on the opposite side of the kitchen (see drawing below) and there was already a fitted kitchen in place. He also wanted all the work done in a 4-5 hour window as it was meant to be a surprise for his wife. He sent me some photos and I couldn't think of any way to plumb a solid waste pipe to the dishwasher in that time frame.

After calling him back to turn down the job, he told me he'd had someone off mybuilder who told him it would be doable and was prepared to do it for £120 + parts.

The only way I can think that the mybuilder plumber could have done it in that time frame is by using hose extensions on the waste. There's got to be at least 6m run from dishwasher to the sink, which would require connecting multiple flexis under the kitchen units, surely that's not a sound way to do this?

As I missing something here, is there a practical way to run a solid waste pipe around the U shaped kitchen with units already in place (and a gas oven in the middle)?

 

[Ben-gee]

A different route to an outside gully that wasn’t apparent in the photos you received?

 

[rpm]

Was going to say hose > 32mm push fit > to waste BUT only if the pipe had a fall all the way with no rise at the end.

Then saw the gas oven in the middle so that blows that out of the water.

 

[Pickwickpick]

A different route to an outside gully that wasn’t apparent in the photos you received?

I double checked with him and there definitely isn't, only viable route is around the kitchen units.

Was going to say hose > 32mm push fit > to waste BUT only if the pipe had a fall all the way with no rise at the end.

Then saw the gas oven in the middle so that blows that out of the water.

Yep the oven is bang in the middle of the U shape (should have marked that off on the drawing).

 

[Riley]

They’ll be extending the flexible waste all under the units and hoping the dishwasher pump is man enough I expect

 

[Pickwickpick]

They’ll be extending the flexible waste all under the units and hoping the dishwasher pump is man enough I expect

At least I haven't missed anything glaringly obvious then, they are cutting corners. I'd have thought all that extra head on the dishwasher pump would wear it out considerably faster even if it does initially work?

 

[Riley]

I’ve seen loads done like this. It’s wrong but this is how these people undercut on mybuilder and the like. £120 + parts is good money for half an hours work

 

[Aire]

There isn't a practical way of running the waste round. Over the distance you would struggle to maintain an adequate fall and with the bends it's just going to block up. You can't connect hose after hose either as I'm sure the dishwasher won't be able to pump over that distance. You could maybe do it with a macerator and run a 22mm pipe round the units. Was electrics even mentioned?

 

[Aire]

Id let him crack on with the my builder plumber, his wife will be surprised to start with but then beating him over the head 6 months later when it's cocks up.

 

[Pickwickpick]

There isn't a practical way of running the waste round. Over the distance you would struggle to maintain an adequate fall and with the bends it's just going to block up. You can't connect hose after hose either as I'm sure the dishwasher won't be able to pump over that distance. You could maybe do it with a macerator and run a 22mm pipe round the units. Was electrics even mentioned?

Hadn't even thought of a macerator, something to bear in mind for the future, although I'm sure in this sort of context most would baulk at the idea of spending more on the plumbing than they did on the dishwasher in the first place.

There was a socket above the adjacent counter top.

 

[Pickwickpick]

Id let him crack on with the my builder plumber, his wife will be surprised to start with but then beating him over the head 6 months later when it's cocks up.

It was definitely one of those "I'm not touching this with a bargepole" situations!

 

[Aire]

It was definitely one of those "I'm not touching this with a bargepole" situations!

I agree, some jobs just aren't worth entertaining.

 

[Pickwickpick]

I agree, some jobs just aren't worth entertaining.

Yep, I definitely learnt that the hard way when I was freshly selfemployed!

 

[Aire]

Yep, I definitely learnt that the hard way when I was freshly selfemployed!

How long you been self employed? Looking at taking the leap myself fairly soon.

 

[rpm]

Gentlmen you cant macerate water! 😉

 

[Aire]

Gentlmen you cant macerate water! 😉

Very true, I guess a grey water pump would be required instead then 😉

 

[Pickwickpick]

How long you been self employed? Looking at taking the leap myself fairly soon.

About 6 years, the first year was pretty terrifying, learnt lots of hard lessons, got ripped off a couple of times and worked work for well below minimum wage on some of my first larger jobs after underestimating how long they would take. Then I started to settle into it, trusting my gut was the most important lesson, both with respect to dealing with customers and with timing/pricing jobs. Then towards the end of year 3 I learnt another hard lesson of self employment, you have no security! The missus had a triple heart attack, she was also self employed at the time and we had no income at all for the best part of a month, that was brutal. Managed to pull everything back from the brink and the last couple of years have been good. It can be a real roller coaster, but if you don't mind putting the hard work in its mighty rewarding.

 

[Aire]

Sorry to hear that, pleased you've pulled it back though and all is good now. I'm looking forward to it but I guess, like you, I will have some tough lessons but I'll grow from them and hope to make it a success.

 

[Pickwickpick]

Sorry to hear that, pleased you've pulled it back though and all is good now. I'm looking forward to it but I guess, like you, I will have some tough lessons but I'll grow from them and hope to make it a success.

Thanks. If you're in a position to, stash as much money as you can to one side before making the jump, if you can have a couple of months worth of living expenses put to one side it should make things less stressful. Also especially for jobs that are more than a couple of days worth of work have a contract in place and even with smaller jobs, if in doubt, put things in writing, it can make all of the difference.

One other thing, although this will depend on what terms are in your contract with your employer, if you can spend sometime employed, but also doing a day or two a week working for yourself, it would make the jump less risky.

 

[Harvest Fields]

Edit due to Bad message

 

[WC1]

A couple of my best customers have been ones I've quoted, been undercut and then ive had the call sometime later "its gone wrong, can you help?". Sometimes works in your favour.
@Pickwickpick - glad to hear you all pulled through it. Anyone self employed has tough times but that sounds like a real test.

 

[townfanjon]

@Pickwickpick , sorry to read that about your wife pal , I hope shes ok , stuff like that doesnt half make you think .

 

[Harvest Fields]

@Pickwickpick , sorry to read that about your wife pal , I hope shes ok , stuff like that doesnt half make you think .

And it is always worrying no matter how positive you are all trying to be.