Can I replace a rental laundry tub to install a dishwasher?
Swapping out a rental property's double laundry tub for a single one to fit a dishwasher is physically achievable, but plumbing complexity often intimidates tenants and makes the modification uncertain. Without knowing if the landlord permits alterations or if the drainage lines align, renters risk violating lease terms or getting stuck mid-project.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Learn how to do dishes manually without a dishwasher.Did this help you?
- 2Reading instructions included in the boxDid this help you?
- 3Borrowing books from the public libraryDid this help you?
- 4Watching YouTube tutorialsDid this help you?
- 5Checking PDF instructions on retail websitesDid this help you?
- 6Involving building maintenanceDid this help you?
- 7Keeping all removed parts for reversal at move outDid this help you?
- 8cleaning it with CLR or letting it soakDid this help you?
- 9replacing the tub spout yourself using an Allen keyDid this help you?
- 10messaging or emailing the landlord to handle itDid this help you?
- 11Unscrewing the existing shower head from connection point 1 or connection point 2 and applying teflon tape.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Id be so deathly afraid of trying to take that off. Old corroded shit has a way of turning a 2 minute job into something major”source ↗
“We're moving in to a rental shortly. The laundry has a double tub, which I'd like to replace with a single tub.”source ↗
“Is this a ridiculous idea, or totally achieveable (with or without professional help)?”source ↗
“somehow plumbing is intimidating to me.”source ↗
“I am moving into a new rental shortly and want to replace this shower head with one that is moveable, for ease of showers for our child.”source ↗
“As a renter I can't recommend you go forward without involving the building maintenance.”source ↗
“Don’t try to replace it yourself. If you try and fail it’s your responsibility to fix it. It *should* be an easy job, but shit happens and small jobs turn into big projects real easy.”source ↗
“I rent. Moving into a new place and the shower head looks like this. In previous rentals, I’ve been easily able to screw off the existing shower head and replace with one like the second photo.”source ↗
“Can I do the same with this kind, and if so do I remove from where I marked 1 or 2?”source ↗
“Hi just moved into an apartment and was deep cleaning it when i noticed the bottom of the bath tap looks like this. It is an old apartment, is this normal? Or is this something i need to address with the landlord.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 4Double vanity plumbing slope and drainage issues
- 2What happens if acetone gets poured down a rental sink?
- 6Why do older houses have no outlets?
- 50How to fix a leaky plumbing valve that doesn't fit a new faucet
- 2Converting a bathtub to a shower with a 1 1/4 inch drain
- 5How to vent a relocated plumbing sink or drain