TradeCalculator.co.uk
Kitchen Strip-Out Calculator
Calculate waste volumes, labour hours, and skip requirements for a complete kitchen strip-out including units, worktops, tiling, electrical, and plumbing.
Total base + wall units to remove
Total run of worktop to remove
Splashback and wall tiling area
Cooker, hob, extractor, sockets etc.
Hot, cold, waste, gas connections to cap
Oven, hob, dishwasher, fridge etc.
Floor area if also removing flooring
Your team's hourly labour rate
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How We Calculate This
This calculator estimates waste volumes and labour requirements for a complete kitchen strip-out. It breaks down the work into individual elements for accurate planning.
Waste estimation
Units: Each kitchen unit (base or wall) produces approximately 0.12 m³ of waste when dismantled. Modern MDF/chipboard units are relatively light.
Worktops: Volume calculated as length × 600mm depth × 38mm thickness (the UK-standard laminate worktop thickness). Stone worktops are significantly heavier than laminate.
Tiling: Area × 12mm average tile and adhesive depth gives volume. Ceramic tiles have a density of approximately 2.0 t/m³.
Labour rates
Typical trade labour estimates (not a published standard — treat as a planning guide and adjust to your own daywork norms): 0.4 hrs per unit, 0.3 hrs per metre of worktop, 0.15 hrs/m² for tiling removal, 0.5 hrs per electrical disconnection, 0.75 hrs per plumbing cap-off, 0.3 hrs per appliance, and 0.1 hrs/m² for flooring removal.
Budgeting the job rather than the labour hours? See how much a strip-out costs for indicative kitchen, bathroom and whole-house price ranges including labour and waste disposal.
Frequently Asked Questions
A typical medium kitchen (10-14m²) with 12-15 units takes 1-2 days for a 2-person team. This includes removing all units, worktops, tiling, disconnecting electrics and plumbing, and clearing waste to a skip. Larger kitchens or those with extensive tiling/flooring may take 2-3 days.
Yes, you should have a qualified plumber cap off water and gas supplies, and a qualified electrician isolate and make safe any electrical connections before strip-out begins. In England, kitchens were removed from Part P's 'special locations' in April 2013, so disconnecting or making safe existing kitchen circuits is non-notifiable; notification is only needed for a new circuit, a consumer-unit replacement, or work in a special location such as a room containing a bath or shower (note that in Wales kitchen electrical work still requires notification). Gas disconnection must always be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
A medium kitchen typically generates 2-4 m³ of waste. Kitchen units are bulky but relatively light. The heaviest elements are stone/granite worktops and ceramic tiles. This calculator sizes to 8-yard skips (about 6.12 m³ each), so a single 8-yard skip is usually sufficient for a complete kitchen strip-out — though dense rubble or stone worktops can hit the skip's weight limit before it is full by volume.
Yes, if in reasonable condition, kitchen units can be donated to reuse charities, sold, or given away. MDF/chipboard units that are damaged or swollen are not recyclable and go to general waste. Worktops (particularly wood or stone) and appliances can often be reused or recycled.
It depends on the new kitchen design. If the new floor buildup will be different, remove the old flooring. Vinyl and laminate are quick to remove. Ceramic tiles on screed take longer and produce heavier waste. If the existing floor is level and sound, some fitters overlay directly on it.
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Last updated: March 2026
Verified against UK standards · estimates only, confirm with your supplier.