So, you’ve decided it’s time to update your drab kitchen. A kitchen demo is a big job with numerous considerations before ripping out walls. Your kitchen is a hub for more than just cooking. People always hang out in the kitchen, so you’ll want to be as efficient as possible to limit downtime. Keep reading for tips to help you decide whether to DIY or hire a professional.
Nail Down Your Construction Schedule
When you are remodeling, scheduling is everything. Set up a staging area to receive building materials for your new kitchen. You don’t want your kitchen gutted only to find the new flooring is another six weeks out. Waiting is challenging. But it’s worse if you have no working kitchen. And you have no end in sight.
Tearing Out Load Bearing Walls
How do you know if you have load-bearing walls? The most prudent way is for you to hire a structural engineer to determine which walls are load-bearing. They are more expensive and complex to remove, which may be a consideration in the final kitchen design. Establishing this ahead of time will save you time and money. Tearing out a load-bearing wall may push your budget to the max. It would be best to have wiggle room when calculating how much your new kitchen will cost.
Budget For Professional Kitchen Demo
If you decide DIY isn’t for you, take the time to create a budget that includes a professional demo. Consider all the aspects of the demo. Are you prepared time-wise to complete this project in a timely fashion? Can you schedule enough time to expertly clean up the area at the end of each work day? They remove all the debris at the end of the day, leaving a clean job site. A licensed contractor will also ensure you have all the proper permits.
Prepare A Temporary Kitchen
A temporary kitchen will make meal prep and clean-up easier if planning is involved. You can freeze prepared meals in advance and use a microwave to reheat the food. An outdoor BBQ is an excellent option. Do you have the budget to eat numerous meals a week at a restaurant? Anticipating your family’s needs and lifestyle is essential. Be prepared by adding dining out into your kitchen demo budget.
Tools For DIY Kitchen Demolition
For a smooth demo, you must organize all the tools beforehand. You don’t want to make an unnecessary hardware store run in the middle of the project.
- Dumpster – delivered before you start tearing out walls!
- Ladder
- Sledgehammer
- Hammer
- Pry Bar/Crowbar
- Utility knife
- Pliers
- Screwdriver
- Drop cloth and dust masks
- Appropriate shoes, clothing, and gloves
Preparing For Kitchen Tear Out
There are critical preparations for safety, efficiency, and protecting your valuables.
You must turn off your kitchen’s electricity, gas, and water. Put down drop clothes unless you are replacing your flooring. Use a dolly to relocate heavy appliances. Keep the rest of the house as dust free as possible by sealing off all kitchen entryways. A DIY kitchen demo may not be for you if this sounds overwhelming.
Having your kitchen remodeled is exciting, brings a fresh look, and increases the value of your home. Doing the demo yourself is viable if you have the proper skill set and time. Before you tackle any home demo job, call Easy Hauling Services for an estimate. They can demo and haul away the debris so you can sit back and relax.