Kitchen and Laundry Plumbing.Done Right.

Planning ahead

Kitchen and laundry plumbing is easiest when it is planned with the cabinetmaker. Sink position, dishwasher space and waste fall all need to be right before the benchtop goes on.

Rough-in and fit-off

We run water and waste to the planned positions, then return to connect fixtures once cabinets and benchtops are in.

Moving things

Relocating a sink or laundry means moving the waste pipe, which needs fall. We tell you what is possible.

Everything behind the cabinets

Kitchen and laundry plumbing covers sinks, taps, dishwasher and washing machine connections, waste pipes, traps, hot and cold water supply and gas for cooktops. These are all hidden behind cabinets, so small faults can cause large damage before you see them.

Renovations

If you are renovating, we plan the pipework before the cabinet maker starts. Moving a sink or adding a dishwasher affects water, waste and sometimes power. We set pipes in the right positions and leave clear access.

Common repairs

Leaking taps and traps, slow sink drains, loose or leaking hoses, washing machine taps that drip and laundry troughs that have cracked or leak at the waste.

New appliance connections

We connect dishwashers, washing machines, filter taps, boiling water taps and gas cooktops neatly.

Quality fittings

Fittings should suit the job, so ask about the options. If you have chosen specific taps, we work with them.

Working out the scope

Moving a sink, adding a dishwasher or relocating a laundry tub changes pipe and drain positions. A new tap or waste in the same place is far simpler. Cabinet makers and plumbers need to agree on positions before benchtops go in. Ask for rough in and fit off to be quoted separately if the kitchen is being rebuilt.

Kitchen jobs and what drives the work

A new sink in the same place is simple. Moving a sink, adding a second bowl or a dishwasher, or changing to a different tap type means changing supply and waste. A boiling water tap or a filter tap needs power and sometimes a new supply line. Waste disposers need an electrician.

Plan the position of every tap, drain and appliance with the cabinet maker before benchtops are cut.

Laundry jobs

A laundry needs two taps, a waste for the machine and a waste for the tub, and sometimes a floor waste. Moving the laundry means new drainage, which is more work. Ask for the waste position to be checked against the fall of the existing drain.

Check hoses on the washing machine every year. Burst hoses are a common source of flooding.

Kitchen plumbing basics

Sinks, dishwashers, filter taps and instant hot water units all connect to water and waste. Dishwasher and washing machine hoses perish with age, so check them and replace if cracked or bulging. Isolation taps should turn freely.

A kitchen waste that blocks regularly is often grease or food in the trap or a low section in the pipe.

Laundry plumbing basics

Washing machine taps, waste standpipes and floor wastes are the main parts. A machine that overflows or drains slowly usually points to a blocked standpipe or trap. Use hoses rated for the job and replace them every few years.

Plan the layout before renovating. Moving a laundry or adding a second sink needs water and waste in the right place.

Planning a new kitchen or laundry

Decide where the sink, dishwasher, fridge water line and washing machine will go before the cabinet maker finalises the plans. Plumbing outlets in the wrong spot are costly to fix after the cabinets are in. Tell the plumber what taps and appliances you are buying.

Waste pipes and falls

Waste pipes need enough fall to drain and a trap to hold water. A long run under a bench can slow drainage if the fall is wrong. Ask your plumber to check the waste when a bench or sink is replaced.

Hot water at the kitchen and laundry

A kitchen far from the hot water system can take a while to deliver hot water. Options include moving the system, adding a small local unit or a return loop. Ask your plumber what would suit your layout and what it would involve.

Instant hot and filter taps

Instant boiling water and filtered water taps need power, a tank under the sink or both. Check cupboard space and where powerpoints sit. Ask your plumber about the water supply and any isolation valves that are needed.

Laundry troughs and floor wastes

A laundry trough drains into the waste through a trap. Floor wastes in a laundry or bathroom catch spills and also need traps. A dry trap can let sewer smell into the room, so run water into floor wastes now and then.

Dishwashers and the sink waste

A dishwasher drain often joins the sink waste. If the sink is slow, the dishwasher may drain slowly or leave water in the machine. Clear the sink waste first.

Planning for appliances

Check each appliance manual for its water and drain needs, and give them to the plumber before the cabinets go in. Appliances with fridge water lines, steam ovens or integrated dishwashers have their own requirements.

Waste and trap sizing

Kitchen and laundry wastes carry grease and lint. Correct trap and pipe sizes reduce blockages. Check the laundry standpipe height.

Tell the plumber about new appliances.

Upgrading taps, sinks and appliances together

Doing taps, sink and appliance connections in one visit saves time. Check the existing isolation valves, waste and hot water supply.

Share model numbers before the visit.

Guides worth reading

• Renovation Plumbing: What to Plan Before You Start

Related plumbing services

• Bathroom Renovation Plumbing: Rough-in and fit-off plumbing for bathroom renovations and new bathrooms.
• Renovation Plumbing: Plumbing for renovations, extensions and layout changes.
• New Home Plumbing: Plumbing for new homes from slab stage to final fit-off.
• Emergency plumbing is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Talk to GSA Plumbing Services

Call 0401 041 103 or send an enquiry on the contact page. We work across Geelong, Melbourne and surrounding suburbs.