Installing an appliance yourself or calling a handyman: when it pays off

Fridges: usually straightforward, but not always

A standalone fridge with no water connection is close to the easiest appliance in the house. Move it into place, leave the recommended gap from the wall for airflow, let it stand upright for a few hours before switching on if it has been transported lying down, and plug it in. Levelling with the adjustable feet matters more than people expect, because a fridge sitting slightly off level can affect how the door seals and how the compressor runs.

Where it gets less simple is a fridge with a plumbed water line for an ice maker or cold water dispenser, which is more common in newer flats and houses than it used to be. That means a connection to the cold water supply, usually via a saddle valve or a proper T-piece off the existing pipework, and a small bore pipe run to the back of the appliance. Done badly, it leaks slowly into a cabinet or through a floor before anyone notices.

Built-in fridges in a kitchen run, where the appliance sits inside a cabinet housing with a matching door panel attached, add another layer: the hinges and door alignment need to be set correctly or the cabinet fronts will not close flush with the rest of the kitchen.

Hobs and ovens: electricity changes the calculation

A freestanding cooker that plugs into a standard socket is not much different from any other large appliance: get it into position, level it, plug it in. The complication starts with induction hobs and built-in ovens, which are usually wired directly rather than plugged in, and which draw enough current that they are often on their own dedicated circuit, particularly in older buildings where the existing wiring was never designed for a modern induction hob.

This is where we would not recommend doing it yourself. Connecting a hardwired appliance, checking that the circuit and fuse rating actually match what the appliance needs, and making sure the connection is secure inside the junction box is electrical work, and it should be done by a qualified electrician rather than guessed at. A loose connection at a hob draws significant current and is exactly the kind of fault that causes problems later rather than immediately.

Gas hobs are a separate case again. We do not do gas work ourselves, and if you have a gas hob or are switching to one, that connection needs a gas specialist regardless of how confident you feel with a spanner.

Washing machines and dishwashers: water and drainage decide it

Both of these need three things done properly: a water supply connection, a drain connection, and levelling. The supply side is usually a standard hose to an existing tap or valve and is genuinely manageable for most people, provided the washer is fitted with a new rubber sealing washer rather than reused, and the hose is not kinked behind the machine.

The drain side causes more problems than the supply side. The drain hose needs to loop up before it goes down, to stop water siphoning back out of the machine, and it needs to be secured at the right height rather than just resting in a sink or standpipe. In older buildings, especially Soviet-era panel flats where the plumbing was never designed with a washing machine drain point in mind, there is often no proper connection at all, and one needs to be added into the existing waste pipe.

Levelling is the part people skip. A washing machine that rocks during the spin cycle will walk across the floor over weeks and put uneven strain on the drum bearings. All four feet need to sit flat and the machine should not rock when you push down on opposite corners.

• Check the water supply hose and drain hose reach without stretching or kinking before you start
• Fit a new sealing washer to the water connection rather than reusing an old one
• Loop the drain hose upward before it runs down to the waste point
• Level all four feet and confirm the machine does not rock in any direction
• Run a short test cycle before pushing the appliance fully back against the wall

What is worth doing yourself, and what is not

Unpacking, positioning and levelling a freestanding appliance with a standard plug is worth doing yourself in almost every case. It costs nothing but time, and the risk of getting it wrong is low. The same goes for simple water connections where you are confident the existing tap and hose fittings are the standard type.

It is worth calling someone in for anything involving a new plumbing connection where none existed before, any hardwired electrical appliance, and any built-in unit where the appliance has to be fitted precisely into cabinetry. These are the jobs where a mistake is not obvious on day one but shows up as a leak, a tripped circuit or a door that will not close properly a few weeks or months later.

If in doubt, our plumbing service starts from 45 € per hour and covers water and drain connections that go beyond a simple hose swap, and appliance installation as a job starts from 55 €, which usually works out cheaper than a call-out plus an hourly rate once the job is fixed in scope.

What we would choose for a typical Tallinn flat

For a freestanding fridge or a plug-in cooker with no plumbing involved, we would do it ourselves and not think twice about it. It takes half an hour, the risk is minimal, and there is nothing here that needs a trade.

For a washing machine or dishwasher in an older building without an existing drain point, or a built-in oven and induction hob needing a new electrical connection, we would call it in. The cost of a plumber or electrician doing it once is smaller than the cost of a leak into a downstairs flat or a re-fitted kitchen cabinet, and our own work carries a 24-month guarantee, which a first attempt does not.