putting a water supply into my garage for washing machine

hi, I've searched the web to find any help on this with no joy except in US and their rules and regs are different so need UK advice.

I'm renovating my first home, a 1930's 3 bed semi and I'm literally starting from scratch now as I've gutted it.

I've knocked through the wall from kitchen to dining room to make one open plan space but still feel pushed for room for cupboards etc so I want to put the washing machine outside in the detatched garage. It's approx 4 meters from my patio doors off the kitchen.

There is already an electric supply out there (although I am getting it tested as it probably needs an upgrade) but no water, and I don't think there are any other drains except the ones off the kitchen and bathroom against the house and a mains cover fairly close to the garage.

What would i need to do it plumb in a washer out there? Is it even do-able? Do I need planning permission?

I'm literally stuck and I wanted to get advice on here first before i go seeking quotes from builders and plumbers so I can be prepared to what is entailed so they dont rip my eyes out.

Many Thanks in advance.

MC

What would i need to do it plumb in a washer out there

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well you will need at least a cold water supply pref buried out to the garage

drainage is another problem

is there a drain anywhere near ?

I suppose if you treat it like a new incomming supply you couldn't go wrong. As far as I am aware it should be blue mdpe pipe insulated and buried in say guttering down pipe and buried 600mm down. Come to think about it I have been thinking of how to do this myself to my own garage and never thought about doing it this way. So thanks for getting my brain into gear!!
For drainage couldn'y you put it out to gravel after all they are alays banging on a bout putting water back into the ground ( new drive way regs)??
No plamming permission required unless you need to extend your garage to accomodate the washing machine!!
I doubt you would need building regs either.

tony_m said:

For drainage couldn'y you put it out to gravel after all they are alays banging on a bout putting water back into the ground

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what a washing machine waste

that'll do the ground alot of good.

yeah use "green" detergent

MC - I used to live in a house where the previous owners had plumbed a washing machine into an outbuilding and it was nothing but hassle in the winter.

The outbuilding was made of concrete panels and was 1m from the house. Even though the pipes were insulated, they would freeze regularly when the temperature dropped and they burst on more than one occasion.

I'm fairly sure the current owners would have had a couple of weeks without a washing machine when we had that severe cold spell back in January this year.

I guess I'm just saying you might want to think about all the pros and cons before deciding.

No amount of insulation round pipes etc. will stop them freezing in extended cold spells - it just delays the process. You would need to heat the area to keep it above freezing, or add trace heating to the pipes.

That's one reason water supply pipes in this country are generally buried at least 700mm below ground level. At that depth they are kept from freezing by the general mass of the earth, as frost doesn't usually penetrate to more than a foot or so.

Waste pipes generally don't freeze as they are usually 'dry', except for short periods when waste is discharging into them. Discharged water is generally well above freezing point, and flowing so fast it doesn't have time to freeze in the waste pipe.

Exceptions are when a dripping tap (or condensate from a boiler) allows a continuous slow dribble of water to run to waste, or poor installation leaves water standing in the waste pipes or drains.

Hmm never really thought about the pipes freezing etc, so thanks for this MikeJ.

If I could dig them lower into the ground, say more than 600mm, would it then be more protected from freezing? Or is there some kind of insulation I could use around the pipes for extra protection?

The garden is going to be more or less dug up so it makes no difference.

It is still the drain issue however for the waste. I think there is a man hole cover near by but with piles of bricks, very tall weeds/grass I can't see at the moment . I was planning on emptying it this weekend (fingers crossed as weather looks awful) so I'll have to take a look into it.

I've also got a coal shed which is built into the back of the house, kind of like an understairs cupboard but on the outside, perhaps I could plumb it into there? It would easily fit a machine (not much else bar powder etc) and I could perhaps insulate it so it kept the warmth in more and put a better door on?? With it being built into the main house it is bound more heat to it than the garage.

This might work better actually as we're putting in a new waste right next to it for the downstairs WC so the pipes etc will be a doddle.

I'll take some pictures of my project and upload to an album so it is easier to explain.

Thank you all so much so far though.

MC

I did exactly what you are proposing about 2 years ago, my garage is 10 metres from my house at bottom of garden, i ran blue mdpe(?) pipe spuring from cold main in kitchen to garage and ran it in 40mm waste pipe underground to garage

I also ran 40mm waste from garage back to the main drain by the house and buried it underground, I was dubious this would work as the waste is practically horizontal throughout it's run but the force of waste water expelled from the WM is enough to send it back all the way.

Only problem as mentioned is winter, the water does freeze and during cold snap in Jan and Feb I couldn't use the WM for over a week at one point, I am going bury the water pipe deeper at some point.

But overall having the WM in the garage is a godsent, more room in kitchen, no noise in house, can wash at any time day or night without disturbing anyone, go for it!!!

Excellent, just the feedback I was after. Thanks Murphy4869.

We've just got the shower and bathroom plumbed in so we're buzzing with excitement at the mo.

I'm making an album now of some of the pics i have taken so far.

Thanks