Guide
Can you move a kitchen sink, hob or extractor, and what does it cost?
Yes, a sink, hob or extractor can usually be moved, but each move means new services. A sink needs new supplies and a waste run with enough fall, typically £400–£1,000; a gas hob needs a new pipe run by a Gas Safe registered engineer; an induction hob may need a new circuit; and a ducted extractor needs a new route to the outside.
What is involved in moving a sink?
Moving a sink means running new hot and cold supplies and, more importantly, a new waste pipe. Waste water drains by gravity, so the pipe needs a steady fall all the way to the stack or gully outside. Over a long run, or past a doorway, that can be difficult without boxing pipes in, running them through the floor or raising the units.
On a suspended timber floor, pipes can often run between the joists. On a solid concrete floor, the floor has to be cut, the pipe laid to a fall and the floor reinstated, which adds time and cost. The ranges below are national guides including VAT, confirmed after a survey visit.
- Sink moved to a new position: £400–£1,000
- Waste run across a solid concrete floor: £600–£1,500
- Hot, cold and waste to an island sink, run under the floor: £300–£800
- Extra for chasing services into a concrete floor: £400–£1,500
Do the dishwasher and washing machine have to move too?
Usually they follow the sink, because they share its waste and need a cold supply. Keeping them within a unit or two of the sink keeps the waste run short and the connections simple. A dishwasher or washing machine plumbed in is typically £80–£180 including VAT, with a valve, waste connection and leak check.
If the washing machine is moving out to a utility room, that room needs its own supplies, waste and power. New utility plumbing for a sink and washing machine where none exists is typically £400–£1,000, and it is often easier to do at the same time as the kitchen than afterwards.
What is involved in moving a gas hob?
A gas hob can only be moved by a Gas Safe registered engineer, who runs a new gas pipe, tests the installation for tightness and connects the hob. A new gas pipe run to a new hob position is typically £250–£800 including VAT. The pipe route needs planning so it is protected and not buried where it could be drilled or damaged later.
A gas hob also needs the clearances set out in the manufacturer's instructions, to wall units, the cooker hood and anything combustible. A hob directly under a window is usually avoided in practice: curtains or blinds can catch fire, and an open window can affect the flame.
What about an induction hob or electric oven?
Induction hobs and double ovens draw a lot of current and usually need their own dedicated circuit from the consumer unit. A new cooker or induction circuit is typically £300–£700. It is notifiable in England and Wales, so it is certified through a competent person scheme or approved by building control; in Scotland and Northern Ireland it must meet BS 7671 and be certified.
Moving a hob also means moving its cooker switch, which should be easy to reach but not directly above the hob. If the consumer unit is old or has no spare ways, it may need upgrading first, which the electrician checks at the survey before the plan is fixed.
What is involved in moving an extractor?
A ducted cooker hood works most effectively with a short, straight duct to the outside. Moving the hob to a new wall usually means coring a new hole through the outside wall, fitting ducting and an external grille, and making good the old hole. A new ducted hood through an outside wall is typically £300–£900, and an island or ceiling hood £300–£630.
Ducting through a ceiling depends on which way the joists run, as notching or cutting joists needs care. In flats, a new vent through an outside wall may need planning permission and the freeholder's consent. If an open-flued gas appliance is in the room, a Gas Safe engineer should carry out a spillage test with the new hood running.
Do you need permission to move services?
Usually not for a house. Connecting a sink to an existing waste or stack is routine, though a new connection to an underground drain, or a change to how waste water is discharged, involves building control in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or a building warrant in Scotland. Electrical changes follow the rules for each nation, and Wales treats extending a kitchen circuit as notifiable.
In flats, check the lease first. Moving a sink, gas supply or extractor often needs the freeholder's written consent, known as a licence for alterations, and the building may have rules on where new pipes and vents can go. Pipes running through floors can also affect the flat below, so the freeholder or managing agent may want to see the plan.
Is moving everything worth the cost?
Sometimes the layout benefit is worth it: a sink under the window, a hob on an island, a longer preparation area. Often, though, keeping services roughly where they are and changing the units around them gives most of the benefit for a fraction of the cost. Each move also adds time, because it has to be first fixed before the units go in.
Decide early. Moving a service once units are ordered or fitted means repeating plumbing, electrics and tiling. A survey visit shows which moves are simple and which are not, and the written quote prices each one as a separate line so you can choose.
Questions
Can a sink go on a kitchen island?
Yes, if supplies and a waste can be run to it. On a suspended timber floor that is usually straightforward; on a solid concrete floor, the floor has to be cut, the pipes laid to a fall and the floor reinstated. Some situations need a pumped waste. The survey checks the floor construction and the route.
Do I need permission to move a kitchen sink?
Not usually. Connecting a sink to an existing waste or stack is routine work. If a new connection to an underground drain is needed, or the way waste water is discharged changes, building control is involved in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and a building warrant in Scotland. Leaseholders should check their lease.
Can a recirculating hood avoid moving the duct?
It can, since a recirculating hood needs no ducting and is often used on islands and internal walls. It filters grease and smells but does not remove moisture, so in England and Wales another extract fan is usually needed to meet ventilation rules. Its carbon filters also need replacing regularly.
Related services
More guides
- How much does a new kitchen cost in the UK?
- How much space and planning does a kitchen island need?
- Flat-pack or rigid kitchen: what is the difference?
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This guide is general information about kitchen fitting in the UK, not legal, tax, electrical or structural advice for your property. Rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; check with your local authority or a qualified adviser before relying on it.