Preparing a Kitchen for Demo Day: What to Move and What the Crew Handles

One of the most common questions we receive from customers involves what they should move and what our crew will handle when preparing a kitchen for demo. A kitchen tear-out actually moves quickly once the cabinets come off the wall. The slow part of the job is the prep work that takes place first. While this can be time-consuming, we believe it’s important to provide a dustless demolition and leave the job site spotless for the next phase.

Prep work falls into two categories: what the customer clears out and what our crew protects. Making sure everyone is on the same page regarding who handles what can help you to feel more prepared and have a clear idea of how long the process will take.

What to Clear Before Our Crew Arrives

The first thing you need to understand when preparing your kitchen for demo is that the cabinets will come down from the walls with whatever is still inside them. We find that this is often the most common reason for delays on demo day. Far too often, our crew is still standing around waiting for customers to clear out cabinets and fill boxes. Based on experience, we recommend the following steps for a smoother and faster start:

• Clear out dishes, glassware, and pantry items from every cabinet, upper and lower.

• Remove small appliances, knife blocks, and anything still sitting on the counters.

• Take down art, mirrors, and floating shelves on walls that back the kitchen. Vibration carries a lot further than most people expect.

• Take up rugs and runners along the path from the kitchen to the nearest exterior door.

• Remove pet crates, bowls, and litter boxes and move them to the quietest room in the house.

If there is anything that you want to keep — hardware, a farmhouse sink, a light fixture headed for the next kitchen — make sure you set those items aside and that you point them out to our crew before work begins. Once demolition begins, it is difficult to pull something back out of the pile intact.

What Our Crew Handles

When we begin kitchen cabinet removal, we take care of containment first. We are committed to protecting your home and indoor air quality. Plastic barriers seal the kitchen off from the rest of the house and doorways get zipped. We also cover HVAC returns so dust cannot travel through the ductwork. Additionally, the haul path out to the truck is protected floor to threshold.

Next, we begin the process of carefully removing the cabinets, countertops, backsplash tile, and flooring. The exact order in which this occurs depends on the specific remodel you have requested. For instance, older Salt Lake City homes may have kitchen tile set over a mortar bed instead of thinset. In such cases, it may take longer to remove the floor than to remove the cabinets over the floor. Specifics like this are always taken into consideration when we plan the demo process. We also work to coordinate appliance disconnects before the tear-out. Anything that involves a gas or water shut-off will be handled by a licensed tradesperson.

The tear-out is the fastest part of a kitchen remodel. This is also the phase where a clean handoff is critical. Our crew carries the debris out, loads it, and hauls it off the same visit, then sweeps the entire space so that the next trade can walk in and begin measuring without worrying about walking into a messy workspace.

Tips for Living Around a Kitchen Tear-Out in Draper and the South Valley

We understand that trying to live around a kitchen remodel can be stressful. You can rest assured that the rest of your home will remain usable. This is why we seal off the room instead of just draping a sheet across the doorway. We do suggest that you set up a temporary kitchen somewhere else in the home before we begin work. Include a coffee maker, microwave, and toaster on a folding table for preparing simple meals. If the kitchen fridge needs to be pulled for the renovation, fill a cooler or clear a shelf in a basement fridge. Water and power for the rest of your home will remain on throughout the remodel.

Staying on Schedule for Your Remodel

If you’re planning a remodel, the first thing that needs to be booked is the demolition. Request a free estimate, and we will be happy to walk the space with you, discuss containment, and provide you with information on what you can expect for the rest of the process, including what will remain in the room.

Wasatch Tile Removal serves homeowners and contractors across Northern Utah. Call (801) 440-0229 or request a free estimate. See the full scope of our kitchen demolition services.