Kitchen Demolition in San Jose

Kitchen Tear-Outs in Older San Jose Homes

Kitchens in San Jose have been remodeled over and over, and each round leaves a layer behind. In a Willow Glen bungalow we might find a 1990s laminate floor over 1960s sheet vinyl over the original fir. In a 1950s Cambrian ranch, a dropped soffit hides old duct runs and a fluorescent light box. Taking it all out cleanly means peeling back those layers one at a time and knowing what each one is made of.

That is why the asbestos survey matters so much for kitchens. Old vinyl flooring, the black mastic underneath, joint compound, and the textured ceiling are the usual suspects. Anything the lab flags is cleared by a certified abatement crew before our people touch the room. We set that up and start our demolition once the area is cleared.

Plaster walls in pre-war kitchens come off in heavy chunks, and tile backsplashes from the 1940s and 1950s are often set in a thick mortar bed. Both take longer and fill more bins than modern drywall and thinset, which is something we account for when we quote. Old upper cabinets are sometimes nailed straight into the plaster lath and come off with it.

What Comes Out in a San Jose Kitchen Demolition

A full kitchen demo removes upper and lower cabinets, countertops (laminate, tile, granite or quartz), the sink, range hood, built-in appliances, flooring down to the subfloor, backsplash, soffits and any walls marked for removal. If you are opening the kitchen into the family room, the wall comes out once your engineer confirms whether it is bearing and how it will be supported.

Stone countertops are heavy and awkward, so we cut them into manageable pieces or lift them out whole if you plan to reuse them. Appliances that still work can be set aside for donation or resale. Cabinets in good shape can be removed carefully instead of smashed, if you tell us ahead of time that you want them saved.

• Cabinets, countertops and backsplash
• Flooring and underlayment to subfloor
• Soffits, ceilings and non-bearing walls
• Sink, hood and built-in appliances
• Gas, water and electrical capped or made safe

Gas, Water and Electrical Before Kitchen Demolition

The gas line to the range, the water supply and drain at the sink, the dishwasher connection and the kitchen circuits all have to be shut off and capped before cabinets come out. We do this in coordination with your plumber and electrician, or handle the simple shutoffs and caps ourselves as agreed. Nothing is left live behind a wall that is about to be opened.

If the house is going to be occupied during the remodel, we can set up a temporary utility sink or leave a circuit live elsewhere in the house so you are not without power or water for weeks. These details come up during the site visit. Refrigerators are moved out with the refrigerant intact for proper recycling.

Kitchen Demolition Timing, Dust and Debris in San Jose

Most San Jose kitchen demolitions take one to three days once any abatement is finished, depending on size, plaster versus drywall, and whether walls are coming down. We seal the kitchen from the rest of the house with plastic, protect the path to the exit, and haul debris off every day so the driveway stays clear.

Kitchen remodels usually fall under the building permit your contractor pulls, and the demolition is part of that scope. We work to the timeline your remodel crew needs, so cabinets, counters and flooring are gone and the room is swept before framing or rough-in begins. Metal, appliances and clean wood are separated from the mixed debris for recycling.