Whether it looks tacky and is in the way depends on the pan you purchased and how it's installed. Want it to look real good you can spend the money and have a tiled enclosure built with a drain. We put in a Mustee Durapan with a removable front dam. The repair guy who was at our house thought it was great as the cheap plastic pans can easily get crushed when trying to move a 200 to 300 lb appliance in place or out for repair.

Thanks all for posting. I have stalled out on the remodel but will be back in action this next week when my carpenter can start. I have a new carpenter coming to appraise the progress of the job and start next week. Long story, but this new carpenter is actually the one I wanted originally but not unavailable so went with someone else (who didn't work out). Here is a plan view as asked for, and an elevation. The two walls that create the corner where the W/D sit are both load bearing walls. The blue square in upper left corner is the Miele W/D stack. The gray square to the right of W/D is the cabinetry and where I plan to access the shut off valve and dryer venting. These utilities will be in the back wall accessible through the shelving inside the cabinet: This elevation shows cabinets to the right of the W/D and will have the shut off valve inside the cabinet, reachable through the shelving. This elevation rendition is not current. Instead, I plan to have doors above counter height, and have the below counter area open, without a door: Shut off Valve: I have a manual shut off valve with the drain hole (all in one box) mounted by the plumber. This will be easily accessible from the side of the set, inside the cabinet. Hoses: I have the Floodchek hoses on site and ready for installation. Overflow Pan: I was thinking of a overflow pan such as this one I have linked below. It has a 5 gal capacity and has a 24x24 outside dimension. Anti-Vibration: I still have not made a platform for the set but was thinking of 2 plywood 3/4" sheets with a sandwiched mass loaded vinyl sheet in between as recommended by Mongoct on the bathroom forum. Otherwise the anti-vibration feet that Deke mentions might work and a lot less trouble. I have see some anti-vibration feet on the Grainger web site for heavy machinery. I might try those. Here is a link: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ecatalog/K-16/N-/No-0/Ntt-anti+vibration+pads?Ndr=textsearchesinbase%2Btrue&sst=subset Dryer Venting: I have been planning to bring it out the right side of the set, and accessible in the back of the cabinet, for cleaning ease. I may not be able to place it in the wall as the studs are in the way of the joist space for the ducting. If I can have the carpenter frame out the stud wall for a dryer vent I will. I want ridged venting, and have it accessible to the side of the dryer (not behind the dryer). If this can't be done within the wall space, I will have to put a hole in the floor in front of the wall for the venting, concealing it behind the cabinet. though this will make it vulnerable to bumping with the laundry basket that I plan to keep in the lower area below the counter. My machines are at the warehouse waiting. Any comments or recommendations are welcome! Thanks again :) Here is a link that might be useful: slide-n-fold pan

If the drains are connected to your sanitary drain system, they should each have a trap. If you can reach your arm in there as you say, they don't. Sounds like you need traps, clean-outs and maybe more. I think calling a "seasoned" plumber in the area would be beneficial.

Though I'm not a plumber, here's my thought: Maybe it is a proper drain that's clogged with dirt, etc. If that might be the case, then get a wet/dry vac and a jug of water. Pour water in the drain as you simultaneously vacuum the wet muck out (this puts the dirt into solution temporarily enough to remove it). Afterward, use a flashlight and see if remaining water stays at the same level (no matter how much you add), which would indicate that it has a trap and is a real drain. (If it seems so, snaking can also help.) But if it's not a proper drain, not much you can do without breaking the floor and installing a drain line connecting to your main drain. Might then be better to install a drain pain under the water heater with a hose attached, and lead it to a sump pit or something. At the very least you could put a water sensor in the bottom of the pan to alert you there's a leak.