
You are finally tired of that olive-colored refrigerator and gold linoleum floor in your kitchen. It’s time for an update. The home improvement stores are full of beautiful tiles, appliances and countertops. You sit down with a designer and visually plan your new kitchen. It’s going to be beautiful! There is just one big step before you can start building your new kitchen and that is getting rid of the old kitchen.
Whether you do it yourself or hire a contractor, the demolition of your old kitchen will be done in the same order. This order creates the space needed to proceed with the demolition in the most efficient manner.
- Remove Old Appliances. An appliance dolly makes it easier to move the appliances. Refrigerators with ice machines need to have the water turned off and disconnected before moving. For any gas appliances consult with a professional on how to safely disconnect.
- Plumbing. In this step the water is turned off and the sink and dishwasher are removed. (Note: Have a bucket ready when disconnecting pipes in order to catch any water in the P-traps.) Check how the sink and dishwasher are attached to the counters some use screws, others use clips – remove these. A crow bar may be needed to separate a sink that has been caulked.
- Countertops. Check inside the cabinets to see how the countertops are attached. Many countertops are screwed to the base cabinets – remove all the screws. Some countertops are also glued to the base cabinets, if this is the case, a pry bar will be needed to remove the countertop.
- Cabinets. Remove the base cabinets first. This allows for more room to deal with the upper cabinets. Most store-bought cabinets are screwed to the wall and then to each other. Remove the screws to release the cabinets. If the cabinets were custom-made and built on-site, they may have to be pried out or cut apart with a saw.
- Walls. If walls are going to be removed, there are a number of steps that have to be done before the sledgehammer flies. These are all for safety since you never know what you’ll find once you open a wall.
- Discuss your plans with your local building department or a structural engineer. Walls that are load bearing cannot just be knocked down – this could damage the structural integrity of the entire house. If the wall you wish to remove is load bearing, you will be advised on what steps need to be done in order to remove it safely. Even if the wall is not load bearing, there may be other issues that will need to be dealt with such as electrical, plumbing for an upper floor, or vents for heating and cooling.
- Get all necessary permits. The reason for permits is to ensure the remodeling project is done in a safe manner and all changes will be done to professional standards. Permits will require you to explain your project and to submit drawings, if necessary.
- Building codes. Be aware of all building codes in your area. This is a good idea even if you hire a contractor because if there is a violation in code, you will be the one that is responsible in the end. Trying to save money to get around building codes will ultimately cost you more money.
- Inspections. Get all necessary inspections. This is for your safety. Inspectors verify that the work is being done correctly and that it meets all standards and codes.
A good demolition is like wiping a slate clean. Now you can create whatever you want on this clean slate and end up with the kitchen of your dreams.
Atlas Demolition is a professional demolition company with all the knowledge and equipment to do the job right. Contact them today for all your demolition needs.