Remove Your Old Kitchen Cabinetry To Reduce The Cost Of Kitchen Renovations
Posted on: 27 April 2018
Kitchen renovations are never cheap, but there are certain elements of the job that you can do on your own to reduce the cost. One thing you can do is remove the old kitchen countertops and cabinets to prepare the space for the new custom cabinets you're having installed. Here, you'll learn how to do just that.
Think Safety!
Safety should always be the first thing to consider when taking on any type of home improvement project. Before you begin working, put on safety glasses and work gloves. This may seem like a harmless project, but when you begin pulling and prying things off of the walls, debris can fly and hit you in the eyes. It doesn't take much to cause serious injuries to your eyes, so be prepared.
Countertop Removal
The first step is to turn the water off to the kitchen. You'll have to disconnect the dishwasher, garbage disposal, and the drain pipes, so the water will need to be shut off and you'll need to have a few buckets ready to catch any water that runs out of the lines. Once you've shut the water off, disconnect and remove the appliances, waterlines, and drains.
Open up the cabinet doors and get a flashlight. Look for the screws that hold the countertop in place. Remove the screws with a drill or screwdriver. Make sure to look carefully at the corners so that you don't miss any.
Now, run a utility knife along the edge of the counter – you need to cut the seal between the wall and the countertop. Tuck a pry-bar behind the counter and begin working the countertop loose. The countertop should come off of the cabinetry relatively easy at this point. If you're having trouble, take another look underneath to make sure that you didn't miss any screws.
Lift the countertop off of the base cabinets and remove it from the space.
Cabinet Removal
You're going to need a second set of hands to remove the upper cabinets safely. Once you have some help, start removing the screws that hold the cabinetry in place. You will find screws on the back of the cabinet holding the cabinets on the wall, as well as on the inside of the cabinets holding the different sections together.
Make sure that the cabinets are supported by your helper as you work to remove the screws. Once the screws are out, the cabinets should come right off the wall and can be carried away.
Removing the lower cabinets may be a little trickier since you'll have some plumbing to deal with, but you should be able to get this task completed without much help. Remove the screws, and then, remove the cabinets.
This work will save you the cost of having the work done professionally, but if you aren't comfortable taking on a project such as this, discuss your options with your custom cabinetry contractor.
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