How to Replace a Small Kitchen

In this video, This Old House general contractor Tom Silva and plumbing and heating contractor Richard Trethewey replace a small kitchen.

Pro Tip: On a This Old House project, plumber Richard noted that “probably 50% of a plumber’s bill is in labor nowadays.” If you’re looking to reduce costs, ask your plumber what preparation work you can handle yourself—such as clearing out old cabinets or opening up access to pipes—so the plumber’s time on-site is spent only on the work that requires a license.

Steps:

1. Unplug and remove stove from kitchen. Remove old range hood, too.
2. Disconnect the water-supply lines and drainpipe from sink.
3. Unhook the water, drain and electrical connections from dishwasher; carry dishwasher from kitchen.
4. Pry free the old countertop and remove it from kitchen.
5. Make a template of the countertops and fabricate new solid-surface countertops.
6. Use silicone adhesive to secure countertops to cabinets.
7. Apply epoxy the joint between two countertop sections; clamp the joint closed and wait for the epoxy to cure.
8. Use a belt sander to sand the epoxy joint flush with the counter.
9. Install the backsplash using silicone adhesive.
10. Seal the seam between the backsplash and counter with silicone adhesive.
11. Use a drill/driver and hole saw to bore faucet holes in the counter.
12. Install the faucet to the countertop.
13. Connect the sink’s hot- and cold-water supply lines, drainpipe, and the garbage disposer.
14. Install the range hood to the underside of the cabinet above the range alcove.
15. Set the new dishwasher into place, then connect the copper water-supply tubing to the appliance with a compression fitting. Also connect the electrical cable and the rubber drain hose.
16. Level dishwasher by rotating its adjustable feet, then secure it by screwing into the wood mounting blocks on the underside of the counter.
17. Plug in the electric range, the leveling it, if necessary, by turning its adjustable feet.

Pro Tip: Before disconnecting supply lines under the sink, always test the shutoff valves to make sure they actually hold. As the This Old House team discovered on a recent project, sometimes the shutoffs under the sink don’t hold, and you’ll need to turn off the main water supply to the house and repair those shutoffs later.

Technique Detail: When clamping the epoxy joint between countertop sections, consider using a vacuum clamp system in addition to standard pony clamps. The vacuum pump pulls the clamps tight to the countertop surface, and once they’re adhered, you turn the clamps to draw the two pieces together and level them out. It’s faster, easier, and does the same job as traditional clamping methods.

Tools: