I think equally spaced faucet holes will look balanced and normal, and what I would prefer even with an offset drain.

What dw are you installing? Miele and others don't get a counter air gap.

dan1888 - it is a Bosch however the plumbing store has told me that because we are CA it still must be installed.

sherri1058 - thank you so much. i don't feel like I have been able to "breathe" for the last month! This is the second countertop installation within a 3 week period - the first was a botched install. So - I seriously don't want to make a huge mistake when I have them drill the holes!

Yep, you're fine. Ask whoever installs the plumbing to get it as space-saving as possible and maybe you'll get an extra inch. For the air gap, call your city building department and ask them if you can skip the air gap if the manufacturer says it's not required. Apparently that works in some municipalities. Not in mine though! :)

It is true that in CA you have to install the air gap regardless of the fact that it's unnecessary. It also true that after inspection you can replace the superfluous air gap with a handy-dandy soap dispenser. Our accommodating plumber plopped the air gap (<$5 at HD) in the hole without hooking it up.

good points about replacing it after the fact --- however, this is probably a silly question - but what happens when the dishwasher actually does back up and the air gap is no longer installed? pre-remodel - we would have water expelled out of the air gap everyone in a while. without that - does the water just go all over the floor?

I've wondered that too! I think it just backs into the DW again, but it won't if installed with a "high loop". I've had the backup too, but never with a newer DW (probably because they are installed with a high loop). I think the air gap regulations are out of date.

But really, some folks have reported being able to get a waiver on it. It's worth a phone call or email.

Busymom03 - air gaps are not needed because dishwashers today come with a "high loop" hose which serves the same function as the air gap (and some say actually functions better than the air gap). It prevents the backwash of dirty water back onto your dishes in the DW. The high loop hose is why there is no longer a requirement for an air gap except for 3 states.

Here are a couple videos by inspectors that discuss the high loop hose placement. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S_0OWuFVLNw

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EmYhzKgjmZo

The air gap is not there to prevent the washer from backing up. It is there in case the sink backs up and fills full. It then prevents the dirty water in the sink from coming backwards into the DW. The water level would have to be above the top of the sink in order to flow back down the line. And if it is that high, you have a much bigger problem than dirty dishes.

weedmeister - thank you. I am obviously clueless about the plumbing side of this. LOL! I wonder why I have had water spewing out of the air gap in the past then…. I thought that was it's purpose :) I will put in a call to my city to see if they do the waiver like Fori suggested. For some reason (knowing my city) it won't be waived - but will try.

The air gap is designed to be taken apart. The silver cap either pulls or twists off, then the plastic cap inside unscrews. Then you clean it out. Solids from the DW draining can get stuck inside that plastic cap, so it is a good idea to clean it every once in a while for the reasons you understand already.

We ended up doing five across for our 33" Silgranit sink with a right offset drain: left to right filtration, disposal air button, main faucet, dishwasher air gap, soap. I wouldn't change a thing. I like having the soap dispenser above the offset drain.

We installed a Miele DW, no airgap in CA (LA County). No issues.

I have lived in CA my entire life and never had an air gap.

DW isn't required for an occupancy permit/final inspection. So install it after.

I live in CA and we replaced the air gap w/a soap dispenser after inspection.

I rarely advocate for people to subvert the code. This is one of those times.