# Amateur Needs Help :) - Kitchen Help for Converted Detached Garage



## Brooke2287 (Jul 7, 2016)

Any help would be greatly appreciative.  We have a detached garage that we bought that has been converted and looking to make it a little bit more functional and cozy.  When you walk in the front door it is our laundry room/kitchen.  Small space.  Right now on the left wall we have a stackable washer and dryer and about a 35 inch gap between the washer and dryer and the hot water heater.  We really need to add a kitchen sink and don't know really where to start.  Do we just find a 35 inch kitchen cabinet base that allows a sink and then find a sink and then a countertop?  If we get a 35 inch cabinet can be get a 20 inch sink and just have a small leftover countertop?  Sorry for the silly questiOns.  Any help and design ideas or links to products would help.  Thank you!

Attached are pics.  Looking to fill the space between the washer/dryer and water heater with sink, countertop, cabinet. Unless someone else has a better layout or idea. Thank you


----------



## nealtw (Jul 7, 2016)

sorry, I posted the wrong cabinet in your other thread.
http://www.homedepot.com/s/30x34.5x24?NCNI-5


----------



## Brooke2287 (Jul 7, 2016)

I am sure this sounds like a silly question but if I go with the cabinet you suggested do is the size sink predetermined or can I get a 20 inch sink and have the left over room as countertop?  Also what is your thought on a bar sink?  Thank you


----------



## nealtw (Jul 7, 2016)

Any sink up to 26" wide would likely fit in a 30" cupboard How it works is you do the rough in plumbing, install the cupboard and then the counter top
With a template that comes with the sink, you cut a hole out of the counter top, the sink is attached to the counter top from below, and the finish the plumbing.
With a 36" counter top, I think the store could cut it to length for you, they com with unfinished ends but you can by the matching ends to finish it yourself.
You could cut it to about 34" and leave it stick over a bit to gain a little more and a bar sink will work if you would be happy with that.
A bar sink could be installed sideways tucked close to one side to give a little more counter.


----------



## nealtw (Jul 7, 2016)

The electrical outlet behind the fridge will likely have to be raised a little and changed to a gfci outlet too.


----------



## Brooke2287 (Jul 7, 2016)

does gfci outlet help support wattage being pumped in or is it a safety issue since a sink would be there.  would raising the outlet be a huge undertaking and expense?  thank you again for your help


----------



## Brooke2287 (Jul 7, 2016)

if this was your project would you go with a bar sink?  this is just a mother in law suite that just need to be for short term stays.


----------



## nealtw (Jul 7, 2016)

Brooke2287 said:


> if this was your project would you go with a bar sink?  this is just a mother in law suite that just need to be for short term stays.



I would go with a 20" or so, bar sink is real small.


----------



## Snoonyb (Jul 7, 2016)

Brooke2287 said:


> if this was your project would you go with a bar sink?  this is just a mother in law suite that just need to be for short term stays.



Several of the appliances that can be found under "efficiency appliances", are designed specifically fo a "mother-in-law"unit, they contain a sink, multi burner cooking appliance and a refrigerator, all self contained.

And are 120V powered, IE, plug-in.


----------



## Snoonyb (Jul 8, 2016)

Your next challenge will be tying the sink into the drain system, and you have a couple alternatives and they depend upon how and where the washer and dryer currently tie in.

The water is pretty straight forward.


----------



## Brooke2287 (Jul 8, 2016)

what do you guys think of a unit like this?

https://www.appliancesconnection.co...34&KW=&pdv=c&gclid=CI-zmfiV5M0CFcMbgQodVeILnA

or do you think they are too expensive and better to just piece together?


----------



## nealtw (Jul 8, 2016)

Brooke2287 said:


> what do you guys think of a unit like this?
> 
> https://www.appliancesconnection.co...34&KW=&pdv=c&gclid=CI-zmfiV5M0CFcMbgQodVeILnA
> 
> or do you think they are too expensive and better to just piece together?


Would you be able to lift the washer and dryer and move it over for a few inches


----------



## Snoonyb (Jul 8, 2016)

This site and appliance NEAL posted on your other thred is slightly smaller;http://www.compactappliance.com/ava...r-coils-white-and-stainless-steel/CK3016.html

And there are others on the site to select from.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It appears from the photos that the W/D are tight to the garage curb wall, so the adjustment may be in the H/W heater both placement and size.

How big can a snowball get, rolling downhill


----------



## slownsteady (Jul 16, 2016)

Brooke2287 said:


> what do you guys think of a unit like this?
> 
> https://www.appliancesconnection.co...34&KW=&pdv=c&gclid=CI-zmfiV5M0CFcMbgQodVeILnA
> 
> or do you think they are too expensive and better to just piece together?



It looks like a good space-saver and sort of ideal for your situation. But I would be afraid that once a component fails, the whole unit would have to be trashed. I doubt replacement parts are easy to get and will be harder as time goes by.


----------



## slownsteady (Jul 16, 2016)

My first instinct was to switch walls and put the microwave table next to the W/D. That would make the plumbing a bit more complicated, but I would feel less claustrophobic standing at the sink.


----------



## Snoonyb (Jul 16, 2016)

Most of the repair parts a locally available.

The space problem still remains.


----------



## nealtw (Jul 17, 2016)

Brooke2287 said:


> does gfci outlet help support wattage being pumped in or is it a safety issue since a sink would be there.  would raising the outlet be a huge undertaking and expense?  thank you again for your help



gfci is just a safety item.
More power would require bigger wires usually. You can add more outlets to the same line but the power supply max stays the same.
AS far as moving it if the wire into it in the wall is from above moving it up would be easy.
How far off the floor is it now?


----------



## nealtw (Jul 17, 2016)

Brooke2287 said:


> if this was your project would you go with a bar sink?  this is just a mother in law suite that just need to be for short term stays.



How short, is the garage a suite?
If it is, rough out a floor plan for us?


----------

