List every appliance that uses water
Alongside the sink and dishwasher, there may be a washing machine, a plumbed-in fridge or a water-treatment unit you are considering. Note which will be installed now and which are only ideas. Each appliance needs checking against its documentation; generic connections should not be reserved on the assumption that they will suit any model.
Give the same list to the kitchen designer and the installer. If an appliance changes during the process, communicate the new model reference. Its external dimensions may be the same while its connection requirements or the space it needs behind the cabinet differ.
Look beneath the worktop when assessing an island
Putting the sink in an island changes the routes compared with a kitchen arranged against a wall. Before approving the design, ask where the services will run and what work is needed to bring them there. The proposal should account for the existing connection and the areas of the home that will be affected.
The decision can also affect the inside of the cabinets. Ask for a simple section drawing showing drawers, bins, the trap and connections. This lets you assess the genuinely usable storage space, without discovering later that a necessary component occupies the space reserved for something else.
Follow the requirements of the particular appliance
Bosch refers users to the model's manual for dishwasher connections and warns that inlet and outlet hoses must not be kinked or crushed. This needs coordinating with cabinet installation, rather than checking only once the appliance has been pushed into place.
Have the connections made by the appropriate person and define who will carry out the final check. When a kitchen retailer, fitter and installer are involved, each can easily assume that someone else is handling a detail. Explicitly assigning responsibilities reduces that uncertainty.
Do not use photographs of another kitchen as installation instructions. The available length, trap arrangement and manufacturer's guidance need reviewing for the particular combination chosen.
Keep the necessary connections accessible
A kitchen must be usable and serviceable. Check that the intended valves can be recognised and reached, and that removing an appliance will not require dismantling items that were meant to be fixed. Review this against the final drawer and panel layout.
If you add a filtration unit, ask for its consumables and servicing requirements to be included in the proposal. Buying the product first and finding space for it afterwards can reduce storage or make it harder to maintain. An improvement in taste should not be confused with a universal solution to every water problem either.
Check the finished kitchen, not just the pipes
The final check needs to take place with the appliances and furniture in position. A connection that was clear during the work may be affected when a panel is fitted. Ask for the handover to include an explanation of the valves and documentation for the installed equipment.
Aqualaga can help assess the water and drainage connections for a new or renovated kitchen. To prepare for the work, provide the furniture layout, appliance references and photographs of the current condition, noting whether the home will remain occupied during the work.
More common questions
Can I move the sink anywhere in the kitchen?
The supply and drainage routes, available space and necessary work need assessing. A location that looks possible on a drawing does not, by itself, confirm that it will be suitable in the home.
Is leaving a space enough to add a filter later?
Space helps, but it is worth defining the proposed equipment, its connections and access. Future provision needs to be specific so it does not create expectations the eventual model cannot meet.
Sources and technical reading
Some source documents are available in Spanish.