Kitchen Demolition in Gilroy

Kitchen Tear-Outs in Gilroy Homes

A kitchen demolition is mostly a matter of order. Appliances go first, then the countertops, then the upper and lower cabinets, then the soffits, backsplash and flooring. If your remodel opens the kitchen to the family room, the partition wall comes out last, once the plans and the framing above it have been checked.

Gilroy kitchens come in a few common forms. The 1990s and 2000s homes in Northwest Gilroy and Glen Loma Ranch often have oak cabinets, tile or laminate counters and builder-grade vinyl or tile floors. Older homes and farmhouses may have site-built cabinets, plaster walls, several layers of linoleum and a mortar bed under the tile, which takes longer to break up.

Utility Shutoffs Before Kitchen Demolition

Kitchens hold the most utility connections in the house, so this step matters. A qualified trade closes the range's gas supply and caps it. Circuits for the range, dishwasher, disposal and lighting are turned off at the panel. Supply lines and the drain are shut and capped, and the refrigerator water line is closed.

In houses on wells, the water side can be a little different. Pressure tanks and filters sometimes sit near the kitchen or in an attached utility room, and we trace what feeds what before cutting anything, so the rest of the house keeps running water during the remodel. On propane homes outside town, the tank valve is shut before the range line is disconnected.

Asbestos in Older Gilroy Kitchens

Older kitchens are a common place to find asbestos. Sheet vinyl and the black mastic under it, nine-inch floor tiles, textured ceilings and some old joint compound can contain it. An asbestos survey is done before demolition, and anything that tests positive is cleared by certified abatement specialists we book, before our crew begins.

Newer kitchens built after the 1980s are less likely to have it, but some products still turn up, so the survey is the only way to be sure. Lead paint on trim and window casings in pre-1978 homes is handled with lead-safe methods.

What Kitchen Demolition Costs in Gilroy

Kitchen demo is priced by the work, not a flat rate. Size and layout matter, but the materials matter more. Stone counters are heavy and slow to move out. Tile set on a mortar bed takes longer to remove than tile on backer board. Multiple layers of old flooring add hours.

Other factors include how far the kitchen is from the nearest exit door, whether we can park a truck in the driveway or need a bin, whether any walls are coming out, and how much of the old cabinetry you want saved. Abatement, if needed, is a separate cost from the abatement contractor.

Timing with the rest of the remodel also matters. If cabinets are on order with a long lead time, it can make sense to wait on demolition so the family is not without a kitchen for weeks. We can schedule the tear-out close to the install date your contractor gives you.