Changing Cooker Hood without Replacing Kitchen? - Updated - DIY Win!!

pinkteapot

We've decided not to replace our kitchen after all, and are doing a cosmetic touch up. The cupboards, cooker etc are all in good condition so there's no point ripping them out. Going to give it all a deep clean, repaint, and change the ancient-looking yellowed light fitting.

Anyway, there is one thing that lets the fitted kitchen down... It has a white cooker hood, the front of which has yellowed - piccie:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45711141@N05/5573248507/

Does anyone know how easy it is to change a cooker hood without damaging the surrounding cupboards and tiles? We wouldn't DIY it; we'd get the hood and find someone to do the work.

Firstly, is this possible?

Secondly, I assume that, since we don't want to re-tile, my best bet is to buy a hood that matches as closely as possible all the dimensions of the existing one. If I can't get an exact match, I should get one fractionally bigger rather than smaller (?), so that any mankiness behind the old hood doesn't show.

A quick google reveals that white cooker hoods are cheap, so that's good! We wouldn't go stainless steel as there's no other stainless steel in the kitchen. Any tips on brand/models?

Finally, who would we get to install it, if this is possible? Is it a sparky's job since it's an electrical item? One of our friends is a sparky and will be doing our light fitting swaps, so would he be the one to talk to?

ormus

if you cannot get an exact size match, id leave it well alone.
any larger and you will need to move all the units etc.... seems like a lot of work for not much gain.

pinkteapot

ormus wrote: »

if you cannot get an exact size match, id leave it well alone.
any larger and you will need to move all the units etc.... seems like a lot of work for not much gain.

By larger I just meant in height. It's a standard 60cm width product.

ormus

theres a minimum height requirement, above the hob. you need to check the dims carefully.

pinkteapot

ormus wrote: »

theres a minimum height requirement, above the hob. you need to check the dims carefully.

I'm aware of that. What I meant was, if the current hood is 15cm in height (in its dimensions) say, some of the slimline ones that are 12cm thick wouldn't work as there would be a 3cm gap that isn't tiled (currently the tiling goes up to the hood).

ukmaggie45

pinkteapot wrote: »

. We wouldn't go stainless steel as there's no other stainless steel in the kitchen. Any tips on brand/models?

Actually I think stainless would look rather good as would match your stainless handles on the cupboards. And it wouldn't yellow like another white one would eventually.

Edit: if you wanted to change things a bit without redecorating maybe you could change electric sockets and switches to stainless to match your new stainless oven hood! :rotfl:

pinkteapot

ukmaggie45 wrote: »

Edit: if you wanted to change things a bit without redecorating maybe you could change electric sockets and switches to stainless to match your new stainless oven hood! :rotfl:

My husband won't thank you for finding me more ways to spend money. :rotfl:

It needs redecorating - the wall paint is pretty tired so repainting will give it a good spruce-up.

olias

If you do get one, then don't spend out for a tradesman to fit it. If you can wire a plug and take 2 screws out then you have the skills to do it yourself, and save the £50+ a tradesman would charge to make it worth his while for such a small job.

Olias

Steve_the_fitter

As said its a pretty easy diy job to fit. If the old one is plugged into a plug all you have to do is take the filter off the bottom of the old extractor and remove the screws holding it up. They will either be going into the unit above and maybe going into the units at the side. Then simply get your cabling from the new extractor to your plug socket and screw the extractor in.
You should at least have a quick look at doing it yourself before calling someone out.

dander

I've diyed one very much like that - in my case I took the cupboard out above as well. Mine was just plugged in to a socket inside one of the cupboards, so definitely no need for an electrician! The original hood itself was not screwed to the wall, just screwed to the cupboard above. If you fit a new one just to the cupboard above, there should be no problem if it's deeper than the old because it can just sit in front of the tiles. Smaller, as you say would show a gap.
Go on, DIY it!

olias

Even if it's hard wired, the electrics are no more complicated than changing a plug. Just turn off the electricity at the consumer unit undo the wiring on the existing unit, rewire the new unit into the same terminals, turn electric back on.

Olias