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

pinkteapot

You've inspired me...

Took the cover off this morning (pops off to change lightbulbs) and it is indeed just screwed to the base of the cupboard above with four screws. The wire is fed up through a hole in the cupboard to a hard-wired socket. It also looks like the tiles go at least part of the way under the old hood.

So, just ordered a new one from Wickes - £50 incl. Saturday delivery. Our kitchen's not too big so it should be powerful enough.

Going to have a go at DIYing it. If I bottle out of wiring the socket our friendly sparky changing our light fittings on Wednesday can just connect it up for us. He's a mate so it won't add to the bill.

Only fear now is that the position on the top of the hood where the ducting comes out will be different on the old one and the new one. There's a tube that goes up through the cupboard above. If it doesn't match, we won't change it as I'm not going to try to attempt to move the 'chimney' that runs through the cupboard...

olias

Just type 'ducting adaptor' into google or ebay, there are different sorts so you can connect it up easily, even if the ducting is a different size/shape. Even if you can't get an exact match, you can just use ducting tape to seal any gaps (the join will be hidden in the cupboard, so it doesn't matter if it isn't pretty) though I am sure you will be able to get a suitable adaptor - they only cost about £5.

Olias

pinkteapot

Hmmm hadn't thought of that... We'll see what happens!

My concern was more about where the duct out is located on the top of the hood. I.e. our current one obviously has it at the back, in the centre, as that's where the 'chimney' built inside our cupboard is. What happens if the new one has it nearer the front, so it's just going into the underside of the cupboard?

Well, if that happened we'd be returning it and keeping our yellow one.

Thanks for the adaptor tip if needed. Shame I couldn't find the same make/model of hood for sale anymore.

Still, flushed from the success of last weekend's fence building success, a cooker hood won't defeat me.

pinkteapot

Woohoo!

As a reminder, before:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45711141@N05/5573248507/

After:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45711141@N05/5582195521/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45711141@N05/5582781586/in/photostream/

£50.96 delivered on a Saturday (ordered Thursday). :money:

Should have been a 20 minute job. Unfortunately, the nice round 10cm hole cut in the base panel of the cupboard above was the right size but in the wrong position by 1.5cm. Cue cupboard dismantling and an attack with a drill and a saw. But, we got there and it has made SUCH a difference! :j

Thanks to all who said to DIY it. Well worth it. Though MrTeapot who did most of the hard work might disagree with that...

olias

Brilliant - well done. Now you can treat yourselves to a bottle of wine and box of chocs with the cash saved from not getting out an electrician!:beer:

Looks good!

Olias

pinkteapot

olias wrote: »

Brilliant - well done. Now you can treat yourselves to a bottle of wine and box of chocs with the cash saved from not getting out an electrician!:beer:

Looks good!

Olias

When we first moved in I said I wanted to replace the kitchen and utility room completely. Instead we're doing a tart up which we should manage for £300 all in. :money:

Re-painting, replacing the light fittings (discoloured white plastic as well), new cooker hood, new decorative bits (cook-book shelf, coat rack, clock etc).

ukmaggie45

Well done Pink Teapot! :j :beer: :j Looks incredibly much better! Good luck with the rest of your makeover - how about sharing some before and after pictures?

pinkteapot

ukmaggie45 wrote: »

Well done Pink Teapot! :j :beer: :j Looks incredibly much better! Good luck with the rest of your makeover - how about sharing some before and after pictures?

I wish I'd taken before pictures of the paintwork now. We've only gone over it with white and it looks better. Will have to see if I can find any kitchen photos from when we moved in. I'll snap what I can and post once we're finished. It'll be another couple of weeks as we only have one DIY day a week usually.