Question for kitchen fitters.

[skipdiver]

Done lots of kitchen fitting in my time but not done any for a good while now and i have one to do for my sister. Since i've been away from fitting, it seems integrated microwaves have become de rigueur and i'm having a job finding one that will fit in a Howden wall unit without paying them a ridiculous amount of dosh for a crappy Lamona branded pile of rubbish. Howdens units being only 290 deep doesn't leave much scope for others but there are one or two around that i can squeeze in with a bit of jiggery pokery. My question is that i have seen on a couple of the ones i've looked at that they say minimum 850 mm from the floor and i don't know why, so can someone enlighten me? My sisters kitchen is very narrow with a lot of windows and hardly anywhere i can fit wall units and nowhere to fit a tall unit of any description. I am fitting a run wall units down one side at base unit level and was going to put the micro in there, which will be under the worktop, so not very far from the floor. Is there any reason i cannot do this with reference to the 850mm distance i mentioned above. Been trawling the internet and can't find anything concrete. Any help most welcome.

 

[Doug71]

I'm not a kitchen fitter and only guessing but could it be to do with part M of the building regs and accessibility?

Or maybe if it's any lower you may hurt your back bending down to look in it and make a claim against the manufacturers because it would obviously be their fault :?

 

[pcb1962]

I'm not a kitchen fitter and only guessing but could it be to do with part M of the building regs and accessibility?

Or maybe if it's any lower you may hurt your back bending down to look in it and make a claim against the manufacturers because it would obviously be their fault :?

How long before the washing machine and tumble drier have to be 850mm from the floor so you don't have to bend down :roll:

 

[Rorschach]

Every microwave I have owned has always specified minimum distances for ventilation, are there special models for integration to overcome this?

 

[skipdiver]

Every microwave I have owned has always specified minimum distances for ventilation, are there special models for integration to overcome this?

Yes there are. They have a trim kit around them and all the ventilation is at the back of the unit. I have fitted a couple in tall units which are 600 deep but never one in a wall unit which are only 300 deep and have scant room in them but they must be designed to work in such an environment. My overriding feeling is that a microwave that is only 300 deep externally will be tiny inside and more of an ornament than a usable bit of kit, but my sister wants one and wants rid of the perfectly usable one that is currently sat on her worktop. Fashion will prevail over functionality.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Keep the old one for the transformer -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwrIPgqMSPI

 

[Trevsf1]

Baumatic or Baunecht aavailable from AO. Check the measurements as they manufacture Lamona brands. Direct at 1/4 the price of Howdens

 

[skipdiver]

Cheers Trev, i fitted a Baumatic one in my nephew's kitchen but that was in a 600 deep cabinet and a simple task. Not many around that fit in a Howdens wall unit, which are shallower than most.

 

[doctor Bob]

Neff do a wall cabinet one fits into a 300mm deep cupboard no problem, may fit a 290.
Its one which either fits a 500 cabinet or you can fit a trim for a 600 cabinet.

Black or steel

think Bosch do one as well

http://www.neff.co.uk/product-showr...microwave-ovens/H53W50S3GB.html?source=browse

 

[skipdiver]

Thanks Dr Bob, just been looking at them and it seems expensive for something you can't fit a full size plat in at around the £300 mark. No ideas why built in micro's are so expensive compared to stand alone types, except for the fashion value. I'm going to have a rethink and try to talk her out of it because they seem to be a lot of faff and expense for little reward.

 

[gregmcateer]

Howdens wall unit, which are shallower than most.

We had to fit a deeper unit once, so b**tardised a base unit to make it shallower, but not as shallow as standard wall unit. Bit of a faff, but you sound more than up to the task, sir.

HTH

Greg

 

[skipdiver]

Howdens wall unit, which are shallower than most.

We had to fit a deeper unit once, so b**tardised a base unit to make it shallower, but not as shallow as standard wall unit. Bit of a faff, but you sound more than up to the task, sir.

HTH

Greg

Yeah, i can do that but i haven't got the space. Kitchen is only 1.9 metres wide, so standard base units down one side and wall units as base units the other only leaves a metre in the middle, which is on the narrow side for opposing doors clashing. Can't really go any wider. The room also has two windows on one side and another right across the end, so nowhere to get a tall unit in. It's a right struggle fitting in all the appliances, so i think the microwave will have to be put in the understairs cupboard if she wants to clear the one she has off the worktop.

 

[prem]

I would bring the wall/base units off the wall by 30mm, buy a base end panel to hide the gap. Then you can buy most wall microwaves, neff and hotpoint are 300/305. Is the wall dot and dab? or thick plaster, i have taken the plaster board out before to get appliances in. Then seal the back space with a good sealer so the air circulation won't blow debris out, i have used spray varnish which seals it for good ( mask on ).

 

[skipdiver]

I would bring the wall/base units off the wall by 30mm, buy a base end panel to hide the gap. Then you can buy most wall microwaves, neff and hotpoint are 300/305. Is the wall dot and dab? or thick plaster, i have taken the plaster board out before to get appliances in. Then seal the back space with a good sealer so the air circulation won't blow debris out, i have used spray varnish which seals it for good ( mask on ).

I'd already come to the same conclusion of packing off the units and buying base end panels but the microwaves need to be vented at the top of the unit by 18mm, which is what the gap on most wall units is. Unfortunately, in this instance, there will be a worktop over the gap and i have suggested a worktop vent to my sister and she's not keen. Looks like the whole idea is being scrapped now and she is putting the micro she has in the understairs cupboard. Cheers for the post anyway.