Demoing a kitchen costs $800 on average, depending on the size and complexity. Most homeowners spend between $300 and $3,000.
If you’re planning a kitchen remodel to transform the heart of your home, you first need to strip away what’s already there. The average cost to demo a kitchen is $800. However, you could spend just $300 to clear out old kitchen cabinets or over $3,000 to have the pros demolish a complex, spacious kitchen. The cost could be even more if significant structural work is involved in the demo project. Your final budget depends on your kitchen size, the extent of the demo, the materials involved, and whether you tackle any of the work yourself.
The cost to demo a kitchen is wide-ranging. How much you spend depends on various factors. Take the following into account when setting a budget.
It makes sense that the bigger the kitchen, the bigger the cost. The average cost to demo a kitchen ranges from $5 to $12 per square foot. Demolishing a small kitchen requires less labor and equipment, and hauling away the waste won’t require such a big dumpster.
According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, the average kitchen size is 161 square feet. You could pay between $800 and $2,000 to demolish a kitchen of this size.
Some companies will charge a minimum flat-rate fee for kitchen demo work or an hourly rate. So even if your kitchen is small or you’re only doing a partial demo, they might charge more than the minimum price-per-square-foot estimates. Below are some estimated price ranges for common kitchen sizes.
| Common Kitchen Size | Average Price Range |
|---|---|
| 100 square feet (small) | $500 – $1,200 |
| 161 square feet (average size) | $800 – $2,000 |
| 238 square feet (large) | $1,200 – $2,800 |
The materials used and the complexity of construction influence demo costs. Heavy marble counters might require specialist equipment or extra labor to remove. Waste disposal fees for heavy or non-recyclable items can also be higher.
Most contractors charge by square foot, but some use hourly rates. Expect to pay around $50 to $100 per hour, and always ask about minimum flat-rate fees.
A complete tear-out isn’t necessary for some kitchen remodels. You might only replace cabinets and countertops or remove a wall to create an open-plan living space. Whether you’re doing a partial or complete kitchen demolition makes a big difference to your budget.
Check out this breakdown of common kitchen fixture and fitting removal costs to help achieve a more accurate cost estimate.
Bear in mind these costs refer to demo costs of the individual elements. The costs will be less when contractors carry them out as part of a bigger kitchen demo project.
The cost to remove tiles ranges from $2 to $4 per square foot. If you’re hiring a professional tile remover, check they include tile disposal as well as removal in their quote.
If you plan on ripping up the flooring in your kitchen, laminate or carpet removal costs $1 to $5 per square foot. It’s usually on the lower end of the scale unless stairs or tricky access are involved.
Sometimes, stripping out cabinets is enough to give your kitchen a major makeover. Professional cabinet removal costs typically range from $300 to $500 depending on the number of cabinets, their material, and the complexity of their construction. You might recoup some of your costs if you can sell vintage cabinets in good structural condition.
Fireplace removal costs are high because of the complexity of this structural project. If this is part of your kitchen demolition project, expect it to add $500 to $2,000 for partial demolition and an average of $7,000 for full demolition. You’ll also need contractors experienced in this type of work.
The average cost to remove a wall is $300 to $1,000 for non-load-bearing and $1,200 to $10,000 for a load-bearing wall. Removing a wall in your kitchen to change the layout or create an open-plan living space isn’t a straightforward kitchen demolition project. This structural work needs specialist contractors and often permits.
If you're just replacing your fixtures, you could pay $50 to $300 per sink, door, HVAC unit, or window. Disposal costs are higher for things like HVAC units dealing with refrigerant and hazardous waste.
If you want to get rid of your appliances, expect professional junk removal costs to be between $60 to $600 to dump your dishwasher and fling your fridge. Costs vary depending on the number of items you're dumping, their size, and whether they are classified as hazardous waste.
Replacing those scratched and faded kitchen countertops can freshen up your space. Expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $300 for countertop removal. The size and weight of the countertop affect the price, as do any complex plumbing workarounds.
As well as the standard costs to demo a kitchen, you might have to factor in other expenses as part of the project.
It’s easy to overlook, but always check if you need a permit for your kitchen demolition project. Rules vary by state, but anything involving structural work or interferences with utilities typically requires a permit before work commences.
The cost for a building permit ranges from $50 to $500 (or more for major structural demolition), depending on the local regulations and what the project involves.
When you're demolishing walls or removing HVAC units, you’ll need to shut off water and electricity supplies. And your contractor may need to deal with any wires or plumbing running through the walls. It might be necessary to hire an electrician near you or a plumber to handle this safely and appropriately. The cost to hire an electrician or a plumber is typically between $50 and $100 per hour.
If you're giving your old kitchen a long overdue makeover and doing major demolition work, there's a risk of finding harmful asbestos. It was commonly used in walls, flooring, and plumbing in houses built before 1970. If there’s any doubt, get an asbestos inspection before getting stuck into a wall with a sledgehammer. Professional indoor asbestos removal costs anywhere from $5 to $20 per square foot, depending on the location.
Normal kitchen demolition involves removing the materials without the need to save any of the parts. But if you want to recycle, donate, or reuse parts, the contractors must dismantle the pieces more carefully. This deconstruction service takes more time and can be more expensive—typically from $7 to $14 per square foot. However, it means you will be doing your bit for the environment or a good cause. You could even make some money selling cabinets, fixtures, or building materials.
Sometimes, demolishing a kitchen can uncover problems, like rotten floor beams or leaky plumbing, that need fixing before you get stuck in kitchen remodeling work. Pipe leak repairs cost an average of $500, and the average cost to replace a rotted support beam is $3,250.
| Additional Demo Considerations | Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Permits | $50 – $500 |
| Utility connections | $50 – $100 per hour |
| Asbestos removal | $5 – $20 per square foot |
| Deconstruction | $7 – $14 per square foot |
| Pipe repairs | $150 – $850 |
| Support beam replacement | $1,500 – $5,000 |
You can save big by DIYing your kitchen demo project, provided you have the tools, time, and expertise. For simple jobs like removing cabinets, countertops, or flooring, you don’t need a lot of equipment, and the risk of making a costly mistake is minimal.
If there’s a lot of debris, you might need to factor in the cost to hire a junk removal service near you, which averages around $240, or the cost to rent a dumpster, which is around $380 per week.
For big jobs, you might also need to buy or rent specialist equipment like a circular saw and blades, a sledgehammer, a jackhammer, and more. This could add $100 to over $1,000 more and might not be a good investment unless you know you’ll use these tools for future projects.
Hold fire on swinging that sledgehammer for complex jobs or when you're short on time, gear, or experience.
Big demo projects take up a lot of your time, leaving you and your family kitchenless longer than you might like. A professional demolition company near you or a general contractor will usually sweep in and out much quicker. They’ll also have the right gear for the job, so you don’t have to worry about buying tools.
Most importantly, the pros know what they’re doing. Hiring them is the safer bet for difficult demo projects, especially those that involve pulling down load-bearing walls or working around electrical or plumbing. Plus, they will be familiar with the rules and regulations related to permitting.
DIYing all or part of the project isn’t the only way to decrease your kitchen demo costs.
Deconstruction, not demo. If you can make some cash selling in-demand stone countertops or vintage cabinets, the more costly option of deconstructing can be worthwhile.
Get multiple quotes. Don’t just opt for the first reputable general contractor near you that you contact. Shop around and get at least three quotes.
Bulky uplift. When you are DIYing, you could time your demo with your local authority's annual free bulky uplift. This saves you from renting a dumpster or hiring a junk removal service.
Don’t just demo the kitchen. If you have other home remodel projects planned, consider doing them at the same time as your kitchen. Your contractor will likely offer a better rate for doing a bigger demo job all at once.
Professionals may complete the average kitchen demo within 8 hours. Removing kitchen cabinets might only take a few hours, and a demo involving removing a load-bearing wall could take a couple of days. A full gut-out could take a few days or more if you're just learning how to demo a kitchen.
Renovating an existing kitchen is usually cheaper than tearing one down and replacing it. For example, you can make big savings by refacing or refinishing kitchen cabinets that are still structurally sound. However, if the kitchen materials are old and in a state of disrepair or your kitchen layout isn’t practical, tearing out the old one is likely a more practical long-term investment.
Often, a contractor includes old kitchen demo and removal costs in their quote. However, it always pays to check this before work begins. While it might not be so convenient, you can save on the final bill by doing this part of the job yourself, provided it doesn’t require any complex structural changes.
