How to remove a kitchen

1. Empty your cupboards

Having a packet of spaghetti fall on you when you’re trying to remove a cupboard door isn’t ideal. Take some time to go around and empty all your cupboards and drawers.

It’s normally at this point that you realise quite how much stuff you have in your kitchen, so stock up on plenty of storage boxes or cardboard boxes to keep everything in.

2. Safety first

Before you jump into any DIY project, it’s important to suit up with the appropriate safety clothing: gloves and goggles are a must for protection, as well as ear protectors if you’re using power tools.

3. Remove appliances

Most of your electricals will be plugged into a socket, so it’s just a case of switching them off and unplugging them. This is usually the case for fridges, washing machines, microwaves, and dryers, but ovens are normally hardwired to the power supply and/or hooked up to a gas line. Jobs like this must be done by a professional, so plan ahead and book an appointment for someone to do this for you.

Make sure you turn the water supply off to any appliances which use it and be sure to mop up any spillages to maintain a safe environment!

4. Remove wall units

Now for the main bulk of the work – removing your cabinets & units. You can make your life easier at this point by having a skip outside to throw everything in – you’d be amazed at how much mess is involved with removing a kitchen!

You can hire skips of any size through our very own wilko tool hire service!

Start with wall cabinets first. These require a little more work, and base units are useful to put tools and motivational cups of tea on!

Take the doors off first by unscrewing them using a screwdriver, and remove any shelves. The tricky part is removing the units from the wall, so we’d recommend getting someone to give you a hand by holding the weight of the unit underneath whilst you use an electric screwdriver or drill to undo any fixings.

Wall units can take a bit of effort to remove, as the fixings are made to take a lot of weight. Take your time and embrace the power of power tools to make your life easier.

5. Remove worktops & sink

Turn off your water supply and run the taps for a few seconds to drain the pipes. Next, unscrew the pipes from underneath your sink, using a wrench if necessary.

Your kitchen worktops tend to be attached from below, so get familiar with your kitchen cupboards and remove any fixings holding your worktops in place.

Remove any tiles which are hindering your progress with a hammer and chisel.

6. Remove base units & drawers

Simply lift drawers up and out of their runners, which may have a clip holding them in place.

Next, you can remove base units in much the same way as the wall units, though you’ll probably find it a much easier job. Unscrew any fixings with your trusty drill and lift away from the wall.

7. Don’t forget to eat

Congratulations, you’ve successfully removed your kitchen, ready for your shiny new one to go in. However, you’re probably wondering where you’ll cook until it’s ready.

It’s a great idea to plan your kitchen renovations in the summer months so you can take advantage of the BBQ! For indoor cooking, use a slow cooker to make hearty meals without the need for multiple frying pans or an oven.

For varied meals, check out our range of mini ovens which can give you cooking & frying options on a smaller scale. Don’t forget you can still eat healthy meals with a bit of planning – check out our blog on 10 ways to eat healthier for some inspiration!