Demolition: Beyond Cabinetry & Countertops

Publication Date: 03-22-2023

When planning the layout for a new kitchen, your ideas may be bigger than your current square footage. Is it time to update your space to an open floor plan?

Breaking Free From These Walls

Contractors in the Kitchen & Bath industry have the knowledge and capability to either move an existing wall or remove it altogether. Each home and each wall is unique and obstacles associated with the demolition of a wall may have their own set of challenges. If the wall contains any ductwork, electrical lines, plumbing, or is a load bearing wall, the situation becomes more complex, requires specialized knowledge, additional labor, and thus the cost to either move, or remove that wall can be significantly higher.

Additionally, the demolition of any wall leaves a void on the floor which will need to be patched and covered with flooring. When a wall houses electrical wires, duct work, or plumbing, those will need to be rerouted. If the wall is load bearing, you will need to find an alternate support which is usually either a steel or laminated lumber beam that runs along the ceiling.

What Lurks Behind the Soffits?

Soffit removal can be another area where demolition prices can vary. Rising in popularity in the 1960s, kitchen soffits were an easy way to conceal unsightly utility pipes and wires. Today, soffits are rarely used in new construction of higher end homes. Older kitchens with soffits can make a kitchen feel enclosed and outdated.

Opening up more space in your kitchen may mean you want to remove those unsightly soffits. Depending on whether there is nothing contained within the soffit, or if there are existing pipes, ducts, or wires, will determine if there may be any additional labor and material costs to reroute those structures.

Luckily, with soffits, we can usually tell if there is anything concealed within before beginning demolition. A seasoned contractor will use a small camera on the end of a flexible wire, called a borescope. A small hole is created and the camera is threaded through to reveal potential any of these obstacles without removing the soffit walls. Your contractor can then determine if there will be any additional costs in its removal.

Don’t Be Afraid To Branch Out

Regardless of whether you want to remove a wall or soffit, there may be mechanical structures that are an obstacle for remodeling your kitchen. Discuss with your designer or contractor any concerns you may have. In turn, they will help create contingency plans for the project in order for your kitchen remodel to go as smoothly as possible.