Resources and Helpful Advice on Installing a Dishwasher

We have been talking dishwashers during this second week of Kitchen & Bath Month, and we wanted to stop and talk about installation for a minute. Dishwasher installation looks complicated and scary, but with a little good advice it's something you can do yourself.

Expect to pay at least $100 for a plumber to come and install a dishwasher for you. You can save that cash, though, and install a dishwasher yourself — and if this is a model you've picked up cheap or free off Craigslist then you're getting a really cheap new appliance.

We haven't installed a dishwasher yet (though hoping to soon!). Here are some resources and good tutorials that we've been studying on the topic.

• How to Install a Dishwasher - Photo tutorial at This Old House
• How to Install a Dishwasher - Video at at This Old House
• How to Install a Dishwashe - From Danny Lipford
• Installing A New Dishwasher - At Hammer Zone

These all look fairly straightforward: Make sure the opening is large enough, and make sure the ground is level. Hook up power, water, and drain, and slide into place. (More or less. We know how these supposedly "simple" tasks often go!)

Now, these basic instructions don't cover some specialty models — we've heard that premium brands like Miele and Bosch are tricky to install, and let's not even talk about dishwasher drawers. But if you've spent a couple thousand dollars on a high-end model then you are probably going to want to get a plumber anyway.

We'd love your advice, too! Have you ever installed a dishwasher yourself? Was it worth it, or do you wish you had shelled out for a plumber's expertise? Any tips or things to watch out for?

(Image: Kolin Smith/This Old House)

Comments (5)

I hope y'all talk about counter top and wheel away dishwashers.

I'm in the market for a counter top one, since we rent and have no way to install a normal dishwasher, and no place to hide a roll away near to full sized one.

The Miele, Bosch, and Asko brands are an entirely different animal. We charge about double the standard fee to install one because of some of the connections needed, and they will also usually require an outlet to be installed (vs hard wiring). I would not recommend doing one of these unless you know what you are doing.

A standard install really isn't that difficult if you are somewhat handy. The width is pretty standard but be sure to check the height, and if you have stone or any solid counter tops without a plywood underlay you'll need a set of side mount brackets (some brands include them).

Oh, and, MAKE SURE YOU TURN THE POWER OFF!

Dishwashers have exactly three connections--water, power and drain.
AFIK, they all come with install directions. In the case of portable dishwashers, they come with use instructions and from what I've seen, always connect to your sink spout via a screw fitting.

I have a Bosch, installed by me. IIRC, there was nothing unusual, extra time consuming or difficult about it. I read the directions and did what they said. I cannot speak for brands other than Bosch, but the idea that there is some kind of dark art involved with installing the Euro brand dishwashers seems pretty absurd. Slightly different, yes, hard, no. My guess is it's another case of idiot plumber disease, the erroneous assumption that they would be exactly the same as American dishwashers, and failure to read the directions.

When we moved into our house last year there was NO dishwasher, and therefore no handy hook ups for us. We got price estimates for a carpenter and a plumber to do the job, but in the end my husband decided he could handle it. So, he wired the electrical, re-routed the plumbing from the sink, and took out the cabinets to make space. It saved us about $800 and it looks great! Here are before, during and after pics...the overlapping door has since been fixed and looks quite professional, if you ask me :)

We installed our own dishwasher (a cheapie from Home Depot). It was totally doable, but it was a pain, and I think spending $100 for an expert is money worth spent if you can afford it.