[splendorlex]

My wife is really missing the disposal from our old place. I want to try to install one for her, but when I look under the sink I see there is no outlet of any kind down there. There is a dishwasher right next to it that should have some kind of outlet. How "advanced" a job would it be to try to get power going for a disposal? Is this beyond the capabilities of a careful Newbie, should I call an electrician in? If I did that, would it be an expensive job?

 

[Billy_Bob]

That is a thing which you use daily and makes daily life more pleasant. And a switch mounted above the counter for the disposal would make using the disposal so much easier (than a switch inside the cabinet or some hack job).

With that said, electricians have tricks where they can install outlets and switches in already built walls. Not a big deal for them. I would suggest calling an electrician and getting an estimate. Should not be a very big expense and well worth having that disposal to use every day.

 

[joecaption]

If your on a septic system system it's not a good idea to use a disposal.

 

[jeffnc]

The hard parts are
1. getting a good power source
2. getting it hooked up to a switch on the wall

Call your city and see if you can hook up your disposal to your dishwasher electrical line. If so, that's easy. Just drill a hole in your cabinet and run the wire in metal cable to your dishwasher.

Hooking up to a switch on the wall isn't so easy, because fishing the wire behind your wall without ripping up the drywall can be tricky. Consider something like this, especially easy if you already have the hole for a soap dispenser

http://www.presair.com/home_safety_switches.asp

 

[paintdrying]

Jeff, that switch is awesome...

 

[diystephen]

My wife is really missing the disposal from our old place. I want to try to install one for her, but when I look under the sink I see there is no outlet of any kind down there. There is a dishwasher right next to it that should have some kind of outlet. How "advanced" a job would it be to try to get power going for a disposal? Is this beyond the capabilities of a careful Newbie, should I call an electrician in? If I did that, would it be an expensive job?

What's below the kitchen (crawlspace, basement, slab, neighbor, etc?)

 

[gregzoll]

Actually having the switch inside the door Billy_Bob, stops accidental turn on. Time you have two or more switches by the sink unlabeled, and having it right inside the sink base stops this behavior. Plus it means you do not have to fish wire through a wall.