removal of part of a kitchen unit

meames_2

Hi,

My kitchen is a small galley kitchen, along the window side I have the units that include the sink. Attached to that on the right angled return (if you know what I mean) is a tall unit - 6ft ish). My boiler is snuggled into the gap between the wall and the side of the unit - leaving a 28cm gap between the front of the boiler and the side of the unit. The unit sticks out from the wall 60 cm about the width of the boiler. It has a beam/baton that attaches the tall unit the the low unit that runs along the window wall under the boiler. It looks like the continuation of the low unit is blocked off by the tall unit and doesn't have a finish itself. The work top surface have a metal strip that seems to be siliconed to the tall unit.

i have central heating care and over the last 5 years it has paid for itself! Although often through some grumbling from the engineers. My boiler has several parts that need replacing. According todays engineer the whole thing need to come off the wall and t would be difficult. The engineer went off at 10am saying he would call back to tell me what was happening. By 4pm no response so rang my self, to be told the engineer has said i will need to remove the tall unit, but no call to even let me know what is happening. No need to mention that I have been without heating or hot water since Monday and will now be without it all weekend, I am fairly hardy but I go outside to warm up!

The think is, what can I do, can I remove part of a unit? (its an ikea kitchen I think but been in about 10 years) what could i do to plug the gap on low unit? I need that cupboard but could suppose put a billy bookcase there instead. what damage will happen to the wall? the on customer service fellow said "couldn't I get some one to help me", i can't afford a joiner as I have £0 (or actually -£0's :eek:)

NOt sure what to do, is this going to ruin my whole kitchen?

mart.vader

I can't quite visualise the layout of your kitchen, but I have had to cut standard kitchen units down to size, to fit into a cramped space.

If I was in your position, (I assume you are the owner, not the tenant) I would remove the unit, then get the boiler fixed. When that is done, consider how much space you have, to insert a (cut-down) unit.

If you have reasonable DIY skills, it can be done, though not with £0. You can live with an incomplete kitchen until you can buy some discounted units. Plenty of people do.

meames_2

Thanks for that, I know it can't be done on £0 really, I think I was just annoyed that they didn't bother to get back to me on the day with any kind of plan when its still flipping freezing. Especially as this would taker a fair bit of organising, for me to get the work done and for them to come back and fix the boiler. My work dairy is planned in 3 months in advance and impossible to rearrange without really causing havoc to lots of other people (Tuesdays - Thursdays are completely out, mondays and fridays seem to be the days Eon can never do.).

The kitchen and the boiler were in when I bought the house and I can only assume that the boiler was put in before the cupboards. However this cupboard is essential, it contains all the food, there is no other space in the kitchen, the other cupboards are full - not of unessential stuff or rubbish, and only about 30cm deep.



I am not making exceuses. I am just trying to work out how much damage this would cause and how on earth I can pay for it. I am ok at flat pack furniture, but most other DIY I usually make it worse, if it involves a drill thn I run a mile!

chunkychocky

We have a cupboard in the way of our boiler too. Probably a 20-25cm gap between the front of the boiler and the side of a wall cupboard, though the wall cupboard doesn't stick out all the way in front of the boiler. We ALWAYS have to remove the wall cupboard before an engineer will look at the boiler. Apparently the cupboard is illegal and boilers are supposed to have 1 metre clearance in front of them, which means that if the boiler was on the same wall as the cupboard we would be fine, but as it is on the other wall and faces the cupboard it is illegal.

Bloomin' annoying, but at least you've been lucky to have your boiler serviced and maintained for the last few years without them refusing to do it with the cupboard there as we have had.

meames_2

How do you move it? this it stuck to the wall, there appears to be sealant around it. if the cupboard it joins to had a cover on it then it wouldn't be so bad but it this will ruin the work top which is glued to the tall cupboard.

Canucklehead

Hi.

Usually 600mm in front of boiler for servicing. Not illegal just not to installation instructions, a cupboard is easy enough to take down.

OP

IMO you need to;

Take out contents of cupboard.Lift out shelves.

Take off the doors.

Take off the plinth.

Run a Stanley knife down all the sealant joins at the wall and worktop.

Take out wall fixings and try to move the unit, see where it snags.

Get someone to help you move it away.

Is that a Worcester? (boiler)

GSR.

meames_2

It is a Worcester boiler, what's the plinth? The cupboard sides are single 6ft pieces if that makes a difference, also the back of the cupboard is 10cm away from the wall and is in one solid 6ft piece, so I can't see the fixings.

jennifernil

The plinth is the board under the units and down to the floor. Usually it is clipped onto the feet that support the units, or sometimes screwed in place.

Usually Ikea units are deep and go right back to the wall, other than the appliance housing type units, so possibly not Ikea. If you cannot see fixings at the top inside the unit, have you looked on the outside of the top of it? It must be held in place somehow.

It should not damage anything if you remove it carefully, then you can put it back afterwards.

meames_2

i think this might have been an appliance housing thing that they put sheveles in. I have spoken ti a neighbour and he will help me and i have offered baby sitting duties in return.

meames_2

The only screws I can see are 2 holding it to the other worktop, and a bracket holding it to the wall. I am currently defeated by the doors. The screws are won't turn on the bottom half, it seems the head has been damaged and the screw driver doesn't sit it it proper;y (phillips). I have even tried the electric screw driver and no luck, the bottom one is really rusted, but I can't even get the door off the hinge. Tried WD40, no luck.

off to google about screws!

jennifernil

Can you remove the 2 screws that hold each hinge boss in the door? Then lever the door off the hinges.