Installing a sink / Plumbing the sink

The trend for coloured sink has given way to practical stainless steel. Another alternatives is ceramic or Corian acrylic polymer, which incorporates the sink into a seamless worktop. This is favoured where hygiene is a critical issue since it does away with the crevices that can harbour bacteria.

We fit the taps and the overflow/waste outlet to the new sink before we place the sink on position. We then turn off the water supply to the taps and remove the old sink by dismantling the plumbing. We remove the old pipework only if the plan require to adapt the new one.

We install the new sink on its base unit or worktop, using the fittings provided; then, if needed, we seal the rim of the sink. We run a 15mm (1/2 inch) cold-water supply pipe from the rising main, and a branch pipe of the same size from the nearest hot-water pipe. Then fit miniature isolating valves in both of the supply pipes and connect them to the taps with flexible copper-tap connectors. Then, we fit the trap and run a 40mm (1and1/2 inch) waste pipe through the wall behind the base unit to the yard gully. According to the current Water Regulations, the pipe has to pass through the grid covering the gully but must stop short of the water in the gully trap. We can adapt an existing grid quite easily by cutting out one corner with a sharp hacksaw.