Moving Kitchen Plumbing Is A Serious Operation

Renovating or remodeling other parts of a home is usually straightforward. You may want to add carpet or remove it, repaint walls and ceilings, or change light fixtures. Once that work is done, it’s just a matter of moving out the old furniture, like beds or chairs, and putting in the new, such as a home theater system and sofa. But with a kitchen, this is a much more comprehensive job. If you want to change the color, you may be able to do this yourself, but if you want something more, such as new plumbing or moving plumbing fixtures, you should talk to Crofton kitchen remodeling contractors. Here’s why.

Permanent Fixtures

The kitchen is not a “blank” room the way a living room or bedroom is. These other parts of the home have their function defined by the furniture a homeowner decides to place there. A kitchen, however, is characterized by permanently installed fixtures. Cabinets, for example, are built into walls to last for decades. A sink, once installed, is designed to stay where it is.

This means that, unlike a coffee table or sofa, you can’t move a kitchen sink or a dishwasher back and forth around different parts of a room to see what looks best. There’s a significant amount of plumbing infrastructure involved in sinks, dishwashers, and even premium refrigerators, so more care must be taken.

Demolition Is Involved

Deciding to move a kitchen sink to a different part of the kitchen or adding an island counter with a sink is a significant commitment. Anyone that wants to move plumbing around or add new plumbing must understand that this will involve modifying the existing water and drain pipe network. That’s something that professional Crofton kitchen remodeling contractors should only undertake.

Depending on the plumbing layout and the location of moved or new fixtures, the floor must be torn up, and it’s possible the walls must be as well. This is especially true if other appliances, such as natural gas burning stoves, will also be moved. Water, drainage, and gas pipes must all be rebuilt to ensure a connection with the fixtures.

Careful Planning

There’s an enormous amount of careful consideration, planning, and placement involved in deciding to move or add appliances of this nature. A continuous supply of water or natural gas must be ensured, and a proper removal system for wastewater. Depending on the age of a home, and its plumbing, it may even be advisable to consider tearing out the existing plumbing and replacing it with modern materials.

Older homes, for example, can now have cast-iron drainage pipes that are 100 or more years old. While iron is a durable material, a pipe that has been draining out water for a century or more is well past the reliable lifespan of service. Newer materials are easier to cut, shape, and install and because they are made with plastic-based compounds like PVC and are less likely to rust.

If you’re remodeling your kitchen, get it done right. Talk about Crofton kitchen remodeling contractors about moving your plumbing.