First of all, this is not really a DIY question, it's more like a "how do I have someone else do it for me" question.

We purchased a dishwasher and "cord kit" yesterday. The salesperson who sold it to us said that we can simply plug the dishwasher into the refrigerator outlet and hire a plumber to connect the water and drainage (we do not currently have a dishwasher hooked up). Well, after doing some research I've found that this might not be correct information, and some sources even suggest having an electrician run a separate line to the dishwasher.

Can we actually plug it into the refrigerator outlet? We have a different outlet that the plug might reach, can we plug it in there? Is there any way that we can avoid paying an electrician, while still having the dishwasher be safe and up to code? We do plan to sell the house in a couple of years, so I don't want to run into any issues when it's eventually inspected.

Anyway, if we do need to have electrical work done, could we get away with hiring a handyman who can do "light electrical and plumbing" (according to his website)? He's licensed and insured.

By the way, we do plan on removing the cabinet ourselves. It's 24", as is the dishwasher. We have peel and stick crumby tiles and cheap cabinets that you can literally buy off the shelf at home depot, so I'm not anticipating any issues with that. Also, it will be installed right next to the sink, so that should simplify things for the plumber.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much in advance!

Oh, and if you could keep it in laymans terms, that would be even better. Thanks!

 

Welcome to the forums! Salespeople "sell", that's it. Their job is to get it out the door. Sadly many stand outside in the rain looking up, so bad advice is expected. Is this a portable dishwasher? If not, no you can't plug it into your refrigerator receptacle. Current wiring practices call for a receptacle to be installed in the dishwasher cabinet cavity. The cord kit merely allows you to plug it as opposed to having to hardwire it. You'll need to fill us in on what wiring exists as well as the plumbing. Is there hot water available at the location?

 

Up to code? The code requires you follow the installation instructions. I have yet to see a built-in dishwasher that didn't strongly suggest a dedicated circuit.

 

Thank you for your response. My husband said that there are three 20 amp circuits in the kitchen, not including the stove or lighting. One is for the refrigerator, the other two are for the outlets. The plumbing is the plumbing for the sink, which is right next to where the dishwasher is going. It's pretty basic and there is hot water. We do not have a garbage disposal.

 

Is this something that is very expensive to have installed? Our circuit breaker is on the other side of the house (1700 SF house). Is this considered to be "light electrical work" that a handy man can generally do?

 

It appears you do not have an area under a counter dedicated to a dishwasher, but are planning a new installation. Hot water can be derived from a valve being installed on your hot water line. The drain setup will need modification to accept the drain of the dishwasher. Electrical...someone will have to run a circuit to a receptacle in the space where you plan on having the dishwasher. Expense?? It really depends on how far the circuit needs to be run, the ease with which it can be done, and what your electrician's rates for labor are.

 

It's not terribly expensive, but it does require a permit/inspection by the local AHJ and generally only a licensed electrician would have the proper license to take out the permit. Some areas in NY have additional requirements as well such as all wiring in conduit. Only someone who holds an electrical license would know all of those requirements.

 

Thank you, we just watched a youtube video on how to hook up the hot water and drainage, and it looked fairly easy, so we're going to attempt to do that ourselves. I honestly think we'll be able to handle it, so now we just need an electrician. I feel like we're getting somewhere, thank you so much!

 

In that case, I'm just going to save myself the headache and hire a licensed electrician. My husband realized that there is actually an additional 20 amp circuit that runs to wall that we are putting the dishwasher on which isn't being used. It was for an old pool that used to be in the backyard before we bought the house, but no longer exists. Hopefully they can just use that line, and maybe keep the cost down since it's right there. Thanks for your help!

 

That spare circuit (the old pool circuit) sounds ideal for the dishwasher. Do you want to try installing the receptacle yourself and avoid the electrician?

 

Probably not, it makes me very nervous to consider it. My husband is an electrical engineer, so I'm sure he could figure it out, but he's never done any electrical work in a home before.

 

It cannot use the circuits that serve the countertop receptacles.