Distance between sink and hob

[Blue Mermaid]

Hi Guys

You may remember me from my long posts about my parents kitchen. Well, now I'm here to ask you about mine (well it's not mine but in the rented apartment I'm moving into)!

I'm posting a couple of pics of the kitchen area and would like to know if the sink is a safe distance from the electric hob please? Also, is that socket safe, cos that's really close to the sink too? Pics aren't very good quality, cos taken with my mobile phone.

Thanks in advance.

[big-all]

common sense says to close
i don't think there are specific regulations just guide lines

remember cooker are designed for pans boiling over so splashing not a problem

an ideal distance for a socket is far enough away to stop you filling a kettle plugged in but only a recommendation as far as i know but wait for the experts

[Blue Mermaid]

Thanks Big All

I think splashing would be a problem if you were cooking with oil but then again, I hardly ever do that.

Thought I read something somewhere when my parents were having their kitchen done, about not having the sink too close to the hob.

Don't know what I'll do if the experts here say it's a problem, cos it's not as if the landlord will change it around now.

Thanks again.

[big-all]

i must admit i wouldn't be happy with that set up basic inteligence say its stupid
even reversing the sink to put drainer under socket

[Blue Mermaid]

That's exactly what I said to my mum yesterday, that they could have put the sink the other way around, so at least the bowl was a bit further away.

[Blue Mermaid]

Just realised something else. The only place I could put a microwave is on the longest worktop and underneath that worktop is the fridge and freezer. My microwave is a combi one (has convection oven and grill) and ovens shouldn't be put near fridges and freezers should they?

[wine~o]

Sink to oven spacing looks to be fine, not ideal, but not dangerous. As for the socket, it's not "Illegal" to have it where it is, though as BigAll has said, common sense, would be better the other side of the sink.

As for the microwave/fridge..Not an issue. Hot air rises! If your fridge was housed next to the oven that would be an issue.

[Blue Mermaid]

That's a relief! Thanks very much wine-o.

[marc1106]

as has been said its only guidelines for sinks to sockets, the space either side of the hob is well within MIs at 300mm. and it looks like a modern flat so the electrics SHOULD be RCD protected so if you do have a misshap you wont fry!

[Blue Mermaid]

That's great, thanks Marc.

Yes, it's a very modern flat. For anyone interested, it's in the tower that used to be the European headquarters of Kodak. It was a Hemel Hempstead landmark.

A company called Dandara have rebuilt it, along with some other apartment blocks. See here: http://livetheimage.com/ Don't know if we're allowed to put links in the forum?

I was going for a different apartment there to begin with but this one has a storage cupboard in the hall and somewhere to put a freestanding bin in the kitchen. On the other hand, the original kitchen did have a better layout in other ways. Also, had more worktop space and had views over the countryside (the apartment I'm probably going for now looks out over the piazza). That one's gone to someone else now, so I burnt my bridges there.

[Blue Mermaid]

There's no protection from water etc behind the sink! No upstand/splashback or tiles there. Keep noticing things now!

[Loosenup]

Not an ideal layout but nonetheless within guidelines.
No issue with fridge near any appliance, even oven. modern appliances are designed for this very use.We very often install fridge and oven alongside each other.
general rule of thumb is 300 mm between hob hotplate and any water supply.. common sense prevails with sockets.. both with the user and the installer.
As for water sealing .. any fitter worth his salt would have sealed that worktop run before installing it and then using a sealant like silicone would seal any gaps between wall and worktops.. If it dies fail then it is up to the landlord to sort it out.. However car4 should be taken by user not to leave too much water lying around as you could be blamed for the damage. It would pay you to put these concerns in writing to the landlord so that it has to be noted before you move in to said flat. Cover yourself first.
Phill

[Blue Mermaid]

Thanks for all of that Phil and for the good advice about putting my concerns in writing to cover myself.

I hadn't actually considered the worktop when I said about there being no protection behind the sink but that's a very good point and more important than what I was thinking of. I was thinking there was no protection for the paintwork on the wall and it might end up with water stains/peeling/damage etc, which I would then be blamed for. Though I suppose that would be an easier fix than with a worktop.

I'll be drying the worktop and the wall every time I use the sink!

[royaloakcarpentry]

I wouldn't worry about the lack of upstand or tiling.

You will more than probably have a flood yourself or be flooded by the upstairs flat. Conversions and new build apartments are notorious for them. That is why we have so many developments where we do yearly plumbing checks which are compulsory for every flat.....Saves the insurance company a fortune.

[Blue Mermaid]

Thanks Royaloak.

I went back to kd today. Turned out the original apartment was free again, as the couple who were going to take it decided they wanted a 2 bedroom apartment.

So, I went to view both apartments again to compare. Another turn up for the books, was the apartment I've shown you does have a splashback behind the sink! All along that wall, apart from the stainless steel splashback, is the same material as the worktop! I just assumed it was paint from the pics I took and didn't notice when I was viewing the apartment the first time. Always such a rush with this agency with the viewings, cos they're so busy.

On the left of the socket in question is a switch, which he thinks turns on the under cupboard downlighters. That is really close to the tap. He agreed that it wasn't a good idea putting that and the sockets there. He said he wouldn't use the sockets and would get covers for them if he was living there. He ran the tap and made it splash loads to see how much water got splashed onto the switch for the downlighters (and the sockets) and it was actually hardly anything.

Another guy was going to view both apartments after me but he was giving me first refusal. I had to let him know at 5 pm which one I wanted to go for, as I couldn't decide there and then! Even though, I'd been given a second chance to rent the one with the better kitchen layout, I still couldn't decide between them. Both had the same number of pros and cons.

5 pm came and I hadn't decided! He was getting quite irritated with me by then as you can imagine! In the end, he said he was going to have to phone the other guy and see which one he wanted and I'd have to take whichever one was left, then the decision would be made for me. He thought the guy was leaning more towards the one I've been asking you about but when I phoned back at 6 pm to find out, he'd gone for the other one! So, I'm taking the one we've been discussing. It's more roomy than the other one which is good. Has a hall storage cupboard (good again) and a bigger fitted wardrobe in bedroom (always good to have). Could put a kitchen bin in the space on the left hand side in pic but means I'd have to move it every time I fully opened the dishwasher door. Other apartment had nowhere to put a kitchen bin at all, unless you had one of those ones you put in a cupboard.

Back to your reply...

...I sure hope I don't have a flood!!! Hopefully, they too do yearly plumbing checks on all the apartments!

Thanks for all your help guys. Just like when I posted about all the probs with my parents' kitchen, you've been great! Really appreciate your expertise.

I went up to the 14th floor when I was there, cos agent said there was an apartment open there (I was interested to see what the views were like higher up). Wow, what a view and you can see for miles! There was one going on the fifteenth floor when I first started viewing there but it had gone before I could view it. Would have loved to have that view!