Fitted washing machine replacement

I’m trying to help a woman on her own whose washing machine has just broken down. I’m not up to repairing one of them, so put her in touch with a local appliance repair specialist. Anyway, long sorry short, he says the electronics are knackered, and she’ll have to get a new one we think. They don’t sell appliances, to he’s not trying to put one over on her.

Trouble is, the existing one is one of those built-in ones, which gives rise to two problems:

1. They can’t figure out how to get the kick board (or whatever you call it) off at the bottom – he pulled it quite hard, but no joy. It has LEDs under lights in it, if that’s relevant. I thought these things were on kind of spring clips which just snap in and out, but what do I know…

2. Are the fittings for the wooden front universal, ie can be fitted to any machine, or is it complicated? I’m fairly competent at DIY (except plumbing), but have never tried to do this before…

Just want to help her out a little if I can – thanks everybody.

Roger, please be aware that 'No good deed goes unpunished'.

The plinth should pull off, unless the floor was tiled after the kitchen was fitted as they might of tiled up to the plinth. Or it would be a very tight fit, sometimes they break when being removed.

It might be better for the home owner to order a new machine where they will also fit it, it will cost more because it is integrated.

Andy

HERTS P&D said:

Roger, please be aware that 'No good deed goes unpunished'.

The plinth should pull off, unless the floor was tiled after the kitchen was fitted as they might of tiled up to the plinth. Or it would be a very tight fit, sometimes they break when being removed.

It might be better for the home owner to order a new machine where they will also fit it, it will cost more because it is integrated.

Andy

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Thanks Andy, yes, I've been around long enough to know the consequences of doing good... I've been down to have a look now myself (those were her pictures) and of course the plinth has been fitted first, then the skirting boards at each end, so there's no way of getting it off without breaking.

If she gets a new machine, do they come in integrated variations, or will he have to drill the door and attach those brackets?

If the machine is the same make then the brackets should be in the same place, different makes have their hinges at different distances. But if you order from a high street retailer and they come to fit then they will cut in new hinges to the door.

Andy

It looks like their is a joint in the kicker board under the drawer unit, has it been screwed through the carcass either under the drawers or in the cupboard unit between that & the washer? I would have thought there should be movement of the board even if it is tiled up to it & with the skirting holding the ends. As you say they are normally held in place by brackets that clip on to the carcass legs.

jj4091 said:

It looks like their is a joint in the kicker board under the drawer unit, has it been screwed through the carcass either under the drawers or in the cupboard unit between that & the washer? I would have thought there should be movement of the board even if it is tiled up to it & with the skirting holding the ends. As you say they are normally held in place by brackets that clip on to the carcass legs.

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Yeah… I took the drawer above the joint out, but there’s a false floor underneath it FFS, solid, won’t move, so can’t get to the back of the plinth that way.

Sore back now, will report back when I’ve had another go… I’m thinking maybe drill a little hole in the middle of the plinth, big ignorant screw in, and pull. The skirting board is very shallow, so if I can bend it out a bit in the middle, the board wouldn't have to bend much to come out at the ends I reckon, as it’s very long (the whole length of the kitchen) so should hopefully flex easily…

She’s going to have to get a new machine, but we want the kitchen to be ready for the installers to just take the old one out without hassle, and put the new one in – I reckon this is all we need to do, really.

HERTS P&D said:

Roger, please be aware that 'No good deed goes unpunished'.

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Well, of course you were right, Andy… after all that (and subsequent researching various machines, delivery/installation costs etc, and sending her a lengthy email giving her all her options), she brightly announced “Ooh, the engineer got back to me – his mate has a new circuit board for this one, and he’ll supply and fit it for £65, so I’m going to do that!”

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… Wimmin… GAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!

He will have the same problem in getting the machine out to replace the pcb so perhaps you had a lucky escape