How to Demolish a Room for Renovation

Every home remodel has to start with some demolition.

You've decided it's time to remodel. But before you can tackle that project in the kitchen, bathroom or master suite, you'll need to take the room down to its bare bones. But don't believe everything you see on television: taking a sledgehammer to your home is like swatting a fly with a hockey stick. Think of demolition the same as you would a physician preparing a patient for surgery: the less invasive, the better. Besides, if you can remove those cabinets, windows and doors without making splinters of them, you'll be able to donate those important building materials to charity.

Things You'll Need

• Gloves
• Respirator
• Eye protection
• Pry bar
• Utility knife
• Reciprocating saw
• Claw hammer
• Power drill/driver
• Non-contact voltage detector
• Extension cord
• Rags
• Broom and dustpan
• Large waste receptacle
• Emergency phone numbers for plumbers and electricians

Instructions

1. Empty the room. Clothes, bedding, accessories and furniture all must go. For a kitchen, plan on relocating essential appliances such as the refrigerator and microwave to another room in the house. Dedicate another room in the house to a temporary "satellite" kitchen.

2. Remove all trim pieces, including base, shoe and casement molding. Do this with a pry bar and hammer but expect casualties. Depending on how long the molding has been in place, it may simply snap during removal.

3. Start at the bottom if you're going to replace your flooring. Cut carpet into parallel strips about 4 feet wide and roll them to aid in easy removal. Once it's gone, pull up the pad to expose the subfloor or underlayment and remove all the staples.
   For tile floors, use a pry bar and hammer to detach individual tiles.
   If the floor is covered with vinyl or stick-on tiles, consider prying up the entire subfloor rather than trying to remove the floor covering. This will save a great deal of time and gnashing of teeth.

4. Remove cabinetry, shelves and anything else attached to the walls. Overhead cabinets are attached to neighboring cupboards with screws and to the wall with screws and paint. Begin the process by running your utility knife around the perimeter of the cabinet to ensure the grip of the paint has been released. Using your power drill/driver, remove the screws that attach the cabinets to other cabinets. With the help of someone else, carefully unscrew the cupboard from the wall, paying close attention to the weight of each cabinet.

5. Disassemble countertops from the base cabinets or vanity. Check the underside of each for the screw-clamp grips, loosen or remove them and lift off the counter. In kitchens and bathrooms, you'll have to prepare sinks for removal by closing the angle stops and disconnecting the feed tubes. If the drain has been glued in place and cannot be removed by hand, saw through it carefully with the reciprocating saw.

6. Like hanging cabinets, base cabinets are affixed to walls and any neighboring cabinets with screws, but they are also screwed into the floor. Start by scoring any paint adhesions with a utility knife, then hunt for and remove each screw. Once the unit is free, move it with either a friend or a two-wheel dolly.

7. With nothing left between you and your walls, remove any electrical items such as lights, fans, ranges and dishwashers. Begin by shutting off the room's power at the breaker box. Exercise caution whenever you're working with electricity and use the voltage detector frequently to prevent being shocked.
   Electric ranges can easily be unplugged and moved; however, gas ranges will require that the flow of gas to the appliance is safely and absolutely stopped. Even if your range has a gas fitting with a shut-off valve, test for the presence of gas with soapy water after removing the fitting. If you see bubbles, the shut-off has failed. In that case, carefully reconnect the fitting and call a licensed plumber to replace the valve.
   For dishwashers, make sure to turn off the water supply even before you remove the access panel. Then, with the panel off, use the voltage detector yet again to ensure no electricity is present before you remove the unit.

8. Clean the room. It should now be empty, with nothing remaining except sawdust, a collection of discarded screws and nails, broken millwork and untold years of accumulated grime loosened during the demolition process. Sweeping and removing the detritus will not only yield a clean work space but will also disclose areas that require further attention such as staples left in the underlayment or fasteners remaining in the walls or floor.

Tips & Warnings

• Plumbing isn't necessarily hazardous, but a lack of knowledge and proper technique can prove disastrous. If you feel you're in too deep, stop what you're doing and call for help.

• Demolition will frequently disturb previously unseen pests such as insects or vermin. Have insecticides or containers handy to kill or capture the uninvited guests.

• After removing plumbing fixtures, stuff an oversized rag into the drain to prevent sewer gases from entering your home.

• All construction zones are hazardous. Wear gloves and eye protection when doing demolition work, and use hearing protection when working with power tools. Your respirator is critical in preventing you from inhaling the tremendous amounts of dust and dirt you'll stir up during demolition.

• Working with electricity and gas is potentially fatal. If you're unsure of your abilities, call in licensed, professional help for those portions of your demolition.