What to expect during interior demolition for kitchen and bathroom remodels. Demo process, disposal, and prep work.
Interior demolition is the first step in kitchen and bathroom remodels. In Kissimmee, Orlando, and Central Florida, we remove old cabinets, countertops, tile, fixtures, and damaged drywall to prep for the new install. Here's what demo includes, how long it takes, and what you should do before we arrive.
Interior demolition costs $500-$2,500 depending on room size, materials (tile vs. laminate), and disposal fees.
Price depends on labor time (tile takes 3x longer than drywall), disposal weight (granite and tile are heavy = higher dump fees), and accessibility (tight spaces or second-floor demo costs more).
We seal off doorways with plastic sheeting to contain dust. Cover floors in adjacent rooms with drop cloths. Turn off water supply to kitchen/bathroom. Disconnect electrical circuits at the breaker if removing wired appliances or light fixtures.
Shut off water valves under sink or behind toilet. Disconnect supply lines and drain pipes. Cap open pipes to prevent leaks. Disconnect dishwasher, garbage disposal, and stove. If you're keeping appliances, we move them to a safe spot (garage, another room).
Start with easy stuff: mirrors, light fixtures, cabinet doors, drawer fronts. Then remove sinks, faucets, countertops, and cabinet boxes. Granite and quartz countertops are heavy—requires two people and careful handling to avoid cracking floor tile underneath.
Use pry bars, hammers, and chisels to remove tile (floor, backsplash, shower walls). Break up large pieces to fit in disposal bins. Tear out water-damaged or moldy drywall. If layout is changing (moving sink, adding island), remove additional drywall to access plumbing and electrical.
Load debris into dumpster or truck. We haul it to the dump same day or next day. Includes disposal fees in the quote. For large remodels (whole-house gutting or multi-room demo), we rent a 10-20 yard dumpster and keep it on-site for the duration.
Sweep and vacuum dust. Wipe down surrounding areas. Remove plastic sheeting. At the end of demo, the room is an empty shell ready for framing, plumbing, electrical, and drywall work.
Tile and stone take longest to demo because they're heavy and require careful breaking to avoid damaging the subfloor or surrounding walls. Laminate countertops and vinyl floors come out fast (1-2 hours).
Florida factor: Many Central Florida homes built in the 1980s-2000s have particle board cabinets and vinyl flooring. These materials break down fast during demo (chipboard swells from humidity, vinyl tears easily). But that also means demo is faster and cheaper than homes with all-tile kitchens or stone counters.
Remove dishes, pots, food, toiletries, cleaning supplies. We can't demo with full cabinets—too heavy and contents get broken. Box everything up and move it to another room or garage.
We disconnect stove, dishwasher, and garbage disposal, but YOU move the fridge (it's not part of demo, and we don't have insurance to move it). Also move toaster, coffee maker, microwave, and anything sitting on counters.
Take down pictures, curtains, and rugs in the demo area and adjacent rooms. Demo creates dust that spreads through vents and doorways. Less stuff = less cleaning later.
Your kitchen will be unusable for 1-3 weeks (demo + rebuild). Set up a temporary kitchen in another room: microwave, toaster oven, coffee maker, mini fridge, and disposable plates. Most vacation rental flips and homeowners use the garage or dining room.
Demo is loud. Sledgehammers, tile breaking, and debris hauling create noise for 4-8 hours. If you have close neighbors, give them a heads-up so they're not surprised.
Interior demo removes old materials and preps the room. But we don't:
After demo, the room is ready for rebuild. Typical sequence:
Total timeline for full kitchen or bathroom remodel: 3-6 weeks after demo, depending on complexity and material lead times (custom countertops can take 2-3 weeks).
DIY demo saves $500-$2,500, but it takes 2-5 days of hard physical work, and you're responsible for disposal (truck rental + dump fees = $150-$400). Pros:
For small bathrooms with no tile, DIY might work. For kitchens or tile bathrooms, the $800-$2,000 cost gets you done in 1-2 days with no disposal headaches.
Kitchen and bathroom interior demo in Kissimmee costs $500-$3,000. We remove cabinets, countertops, tile, fixtures, and damaged drywall, then haul debris. Takes 1-3 days depending on room size and materials. Before demo, empty cabinets, move the fridge, and set up a temporary kitchen. After demo, the room is ready for plumbing, electrical, drywall, and rebuild.
Fast, clean demo for kitchens and bathrooms. We handle haul-away and prep for rebuild.
Interior demo, clean removal, fast turnaround for your remodel.
