Plumbing advice (again, please!) re: stopcock

[chris]

you can pm me the details if you have any issues you want to talk through mate, I'm only sitting on my tush today, I mean filing....

The main issue was where to put the hob. My new kitchen is 2.8 x 6.24m (kitchen/diner), so it's quite narrow. We had a nice design from an ikea bod, but due to the proximity of a door it just wouldn't work (will show you what I mean when we finally get to meet up !) So from that we couldn't have had a double oven/70/30 fridge freezer - so we had to goto two single ovens (good anyway, I preferred that idea), and move the ovens away from the wall. This in its ownright was a right bugger to sort due to the cabling, and oh man - just take my word for it. A nightmare.

So, now we have a run of worktop down onside, and fall to ceiling units the otherside. Not what I wanted, but hey ho, we're not going to be here for ever - and didn't want to spend stupid amounts of money on it.

I don't normally "do" stress... but ARGH!

*ahem*

[chris]

If it's the mains inlet (and main stoptap) then I think you have to have a certified plumber to alter it.

What you do after I think is your own issue - but like you say if moving the pipe makes that leak you've got trouble.

Do you know where your outdoor stoptap is in the street? And does it only turn your house off?

Yup,it's a single supply to my house, and I know where it is - we've had it off already once before

[Mikey]

None yet, was going real wood, then changed minds. Looking at light walnut for a colour.

I had a quote from sigma3 - 17k + 5.5k to install. B&Q units look cheap, have been all over. Decided to go with Ikea units in the end, which was, erm fun in it's own right - as no service channels at the back.

The only problem with Ikea is their units are deeper than standard, so a normal 600mm deep worktop won't cut it, they do this so they tie you into buying their worktops aswell. Most timber tops come 650mm deep so they are fine, or you can go for the extra deep laminate ones which are 665mm.

The service void is a big issue, that and the fact they don't always edge the backs which are up against the wall allowing possible moisture ingress into the back of the carcasses.

[chris]

That was a concern of mine,but apparently the new units are edged all around. It was one of the first things I noticed actually heh

Their laminates are pretty much £50/m - apparantly llandaff have some suitable, and work out half the price (according to an ex work colleague who had an ikea kitchen and then worktops form them).

My issue is, unless I want a join running up the middle, I need to find somewhere that'll make me a worktop that is greater than 970 wide (small peninsula type thing).. Ikea will gladly do it, but the cost of them doing it (which has to be done in germany for some reason - nowt like clocking up the miles eh?) is crazy.

Their wooden worktops came in at 4.7k, which was the cost of all the units and most appliances. Ridiculous

[Potstubsdustbins]

Chris don't worry about your stop ends if you have bang them on right i.e. pushed on all the way, they wont move.

As to MDPE push fit, it works differently to standard plumbing pipe work and again it will be fine. There are assembly instructions on the site I mentioned.

Colin

[chris]

Thanks Colin.

Quick one - if I left the existing s/c on, would that be fine? Less for me to faff with, less likely to go bang and flood my house- adding a new one would be suitable enough for my needs - just not sure if it conforms to any regulations etc?

[Mikey]

Chris, have you looked at getalit worktops, they are one of the few which still make a laminate worktop which is 1200mm wide, they also do a 5200mm length worktop. There's a place in pontypridd who sell them.

Here's a link for them AC Distribution

[Potstubsdustbins]

Thats done all the time Chris usually where the original is into lead pipe, just make sure its fully turned on before you hide it.

The only problem I could foresee is can you get the existing MDPE to bend into the required position without to much stress on the pipe.

Colin

[chris]

It can lie pretty much flat, Colin - so I'd need to brace it underneath to stop any movement (and thus wear on the pipe), then clip it to a block of wood or similar I think. But if that's done, then I think that's byfar the easiest method

I just thought that perhaps years down the line if the original s/c somehow broke we'd be up the creek! Mind you, thinking about it, so would everyone else heh.

[Potstubsdustbins]

If you intend to go down that route and you would like some insurance against future probs.

But another stop cock, wind out the centre part of the original and wind in the new centre complete with the new fibre washer. Thats all the working parts replaced so like having a brand new stop cock.

Colin