How to Remove a Kitchen Sink UK

If you know how to turn off the water supply, you’ll already had completed the hardest part of how to remove a sink. My Job Quote claims that the average cost for a kitchen sink can cost up to £400. You can cut this cost down by knowing how to remove a kitchen sink and performing the job by yourself. Removing the sink will allow you to lift the kitchen counter which is another part of our kitchen removal guide.

How to Remove a Kitchen Sink – What You Might Need:

Step 1 – Initial Checks

The first action you should make is to turn off or remove any electrical items near or under your sink. If there is anything that is supplied by the mains you should isolate this via your fuse box. If you are unsure about this step or on how to turn off the water supply, you should contact a professional.

If you have a cupboard under your sink you should remove any items as there may be a little bit of leaked water involved when removing a sink.

Step 2 – Disconnect Water Supply

Before you get to the actual removal and lifting of the sink you will need to shut off the water supply.

A very common setup will be hot and cold-water supply pipes which will have their own shut-off valve. These valves may have a handle or can be turned via a screwdriver. Be sure to turn your sink on via the tap to let any remaining water out of the system, water may continue to run for a couple of minutes.

If water does not stop coming out of your tap it means water is still being supplied from elsewhere. The best way to amend this is to try to locate your water supply stopcock. In a lot of modern setups, this will also be under the sink or somewhere in the kitchen.

You can then fully disconnect the water supply leading to the sink by undoing the nuts that hold the connection in place. This can be a difficult task to be performed by hand so you may require a wrench.

If you are not reconnecting a new sink for a while you should look at blocking off your water supply pipes with caps.

Step 3 – Detach Drainage Pipe

You will most likely have to remove the drainage pipes to properly access the underneath of your sink. Most drainage pipes can be unscrewed by hand and removed. Be careful as these pipes may have some wastewater left inside them.

Step 4 – Remove Sealant, Clips and Screws

To loosen your sink from the countertop you will have to locate the clips underneath it that clamp the sink in place. Once located you should be able to unscrew them and pull them out.

Most sinks will also be attached to the countertop with a sealant which also creates a waterproof barrier. If you carefully run a utility knife across this area you should break the sealant, you may also have to use a tool like a scraper to get underneath the sink to prise it up a little further. Be sure to be gentle as to not damage the countertop.

Once enough of the sink is exposed you should be able to grip it and pull it out. You will want to use work gloves as the edges of the sink and raw edge of the countertop can be sharp.

Kitchen Sink Disposal

Once your sink is free you may be left with a piece of bulky waste that you need to get rid of. Our disposal options include skip bags which you can fill in your own time, ‘Man & Van’ collection that can promptly collect everything at once and much more. Materials such as the stainless steel used in kitchen sinks can also be recycled. We aim to reuse as much waste as possible and manage to recycle 95% of the waste we collect. Check out with Clearabee today and we may be able to clear your waste on a same-day basis.