Moving a Kitchen from One End of a flat to the other...

[jcg76]

Hi there,

I am hoping to buy my first property very soon and am exploring the idea of making some renovations.
The first thing I would like to do is move the kitchen from the back of the property to the front, which as I understand it would involve running the waste pipe up through the property, pulling up floor boards and drilling through joists. I have attached a just about legible ground plan of the first floor victorian flat and would be grateful for any advise as to weather this is possible and if so what should I look out for. I want to cost this out and decide if I want to go ahead with it.

Would be very grateful for any feed back or advice.

Thanks

James

Flat

• jcg76
• 4 Nov 2012
• 1

This a Ground plan of the property I am interested in working on, indicating the first key...

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Waste pipe over that distance would probably need upsizing to 50mm. I doubt you'd get sufficient fall on it to make it work, and secondly drilling or notching joists to accept that size of pipe is a definate non starter!

 

[jcg76]

So, that's a 'Don't do it' then.

One builder, a friend not pitching for the job, said you would have to use a thinner diameter pipe and install a macerator, what do you make of this?

 

[ALEC1]

a joke!


macerators are poor mans plumbing...

 

[jcg76]

So, is there any way to remedy this?

And why are they poor mans plumbing?

 

[denso13]

What is the existing drainage layout/connection in the kitchen? What depth do you have below the floor?

 

[ALEC1]

a new soil stack at the front of the house...connected to the drains, assuming they run under the house to the street...they usually do!

 

[jcg76]

LoL.

Okay, I don't yet own the property but want to get in and do the work as quick as possible, cannot tell you what the floor depth is, I am unsure of what the standard is but its a first floor 1910 Victorian Terrace. Not looked under the sink either yet but you can see on the drawing where the kitchen currently is, so I imagine it goes through the wall outside into the down stairs neighbours garden, well it would really. Now, I could leave it the kitchen there, but if i move it I create a spare room and possibly increase the value of the flat. Also having it at the back like that is a little strange I think.

So, what do you think? I'd love to hear some suggestions. I ma here to learn.

 

[jcg76]

Right, I don't know what a soil stack is?

 

[nickjb]

Firstly, I like the proposed layout, makes good sense for the flat.

A soil stack is the 4 inch pipe that runs from roof to underground and takes all the waste. I suspect yours is in the corner of the yard space near the toilet. As mentioned, you might be able to add another one at the front of the flat if that is where the main sewer is. Another option is to try and hook into the existing one at the back with a drain under bedroom 1, it's not so far. Incidentally it'll probably be quite easy to make bedroom 1 the kitchen if that fits your plan

 

[jcg76]

Interesting. I have no plans to kitchen out bedroom one, I really like the idea of doing it and had thought about it, but I don't think it would add as much value as keeping x2 beds and adding x1 more, let me know if you think other wise.

I also like what your saying about the pipe from bedroom one, if I am correct that takes out a whole lot of work, no going down long corridors and down three steps through the bathroom. But there would be some drilling through an exterior wall and negotiating with the down stairs neighbor about interfering with the waste pipe, if its by the toilet. Good idea, any more like that? And if I explored this idea what do I need to consider?

 

[nickjb]

Simplest I can see would be to put the kitchen units in the top right corner of the lounge with the sink against the bedroom 1 wall close to the door. Run the waste straight under bedroom 1 to the outside wall (if you are lucky the joist will go the right way), then hook into the soil pipe externally. You could also add a hand-wash sink into the bedroom with pretty minimal effort.

 

[jcg76]

Simplest I can see would be to put the kitchen units in the top right corner of the lounge with the sink against the bedroom 1 wall close to the door. Run the waste straight under bedroom 1 to the outside wall (if you are lucky the joist will go the right way), then hook into the soil pipe externally. You could also add a hand-wash sink into the bedroom with pretty minimal effort.

Thanks, Hmm, the kitchen works better in the bottom for me, that way leaving the bay area as a lounge. And really not a fan of sinks in Bedrooms, but I see what your saying