Saga of the washing machine

As some of you know, I purchased a new washing machine recently and when it was delivered, it did not fit down the stairs to the basement.

I know I have a narrow staircase. When I bought my first washing machine back in 1991, the salesman very wisely asked me if I lived in South Minneapolis. When I said yes, he advised me to check the width of my basement staircase. With his advice I purchased a 24" washing machine that was still a full-size washer nonetheless.

The dryer was also a special size with the narrowest dimension being 25 1/2 inches.

So when I went looking for new washing machine, I knew I needed a narrow unit. I don't really need a new washer but wanted to buy something big. Most washers are 27 inches wide. That would never do. I did my research and came across the Fisher-Paykel brand washer. This is the same brand of dishwasher I have.

I bought the Fisher-Paykel dishwasher because it, too, is a special size and fit exactly where I wanted it.

The Fisher-Paykel washing machine is 25 1/2" wide so I thought it would be fine. I measured the staircase and to be honest it was a little less than 25 1/2" but...what the heck, the dryer fit 16 years ago.

Well, when they delivered the machine, there was no way it was going down those stairs. Ugh. I searched on the internet and the dealer I had purchased from for a 24" machine. When I checked those out, they were all so small and front loaders. I did not want a front loader with the cats around. I was afraid of them getting into it.

So I went to plan B. The Fisher-Paykel just had to fit. I borrowed a circular saw, masonry blades, cold chisel and big hammer from my neighbor. I cut grooves into the concrete wall on the side of the stairs that is the basement wall.

I took a hammer and chipped off the plaster from the other wall of the stairs which is the living room side. I got the tape to measure a 25 12" opening and rescheduled the delivery of the Fisher-Paykel.

Two different delivery men came. The darn thing still didn't want to go down the stairs. I signed an agreement that they could scratch it. Basically the shoved, pushed, pulled and got it down the stairs. We had to chip more away from the plaster wall and the poor thing has a pretty good scratch from some piece of metal that caught.

BUT it is in the basement and washing its first load of laundry. And just so everyone knows and because I'm an eco-freak, the Fisher-Paykel top-load is EnergyStar compliant and is almost as efficient as a front-loader.