If you’re planning on giving your drab kitchen a complete makeover, remodeling your plumbing can often be an important step.
You can either choose to design the rest of your kitchen around that old stubborn sink set-up, or entirely redesign your kitchen space by moving the plumbing.
However, the idea of cutting pipes, drilling holes, soldering, and installing a brand new sink can seem overwhelming to homeowners.
This leads to one big question – is it possible to move your old kitchen sink to a new location?
It is possible to move your kitchen sink, and can even be so easy that you can potentially do it yourself with the right know-how. Moving your kitchen sink is a great way to transform your kitchen space!
Here’s what you need to know if you want to move your kitchen sink.
The Basics
Before you get your toolbox and tackle your sink, there are some basic tips you should be familiar with when it comes to moving your kitchen plumbing.
The general idea is that the shorter the distance being moved, the easier it is to reposition your sink.
If you are relocating your sink within the radius of the original drain lines and supply, this task should be a breeze.
Depending on the distance being moved, you can either elongate or cut back on the vent and drain and use longer or shorter faucet pipes.
How To Move Your Sink a Short Distance
When moving your sink, the main thing you’ll have to do is elongate the various lines.
Typically, your sink will have two supply lines (one hot, one cold) and a drain (the line going outward).
There may also be double drain lines or a garbage disposal pipeline, depending on your sink’s design.
Most sinks are designed such that it is easy to extend those lines by a bit, and shift your sink a certain distance away.
You can purchase longer water supply lines to elongate the two supply pipes by around 6 inches to 12 inches, and use PEX pipes or push fit-fittings to make the job even simpler.
Drain lines can also be extended with additional pipes, though they are generally not flexible.
If you need to extend your sink’s radius by more than one or two feet, you might have to replace the old lines with longer ones instead of only using extensions.
Moving A Greater Distance
If you’re moving the sink at a greater distance, say, across the room, the process can be slightly more tricky.
You will have to drill a few holes, cut and extend the water pipes, and then deal with the drain and vent pipes.
The main problem that homeowners have to deal with in such circumstances is the venting.
When repositioning your sink, you must ensure that your drain has the proper pitch. This means that there should be at least ¼ of an inch slope per foot for your vent and your drain pipe.
This becomes an issue if there is no way to reposition the sink to maintain proper pitch for the vent.
For example, if there is another room above the kitchen, you can’t have the vent going through the middle of the room.
If you don’t have the proper knowledge on how to relocate the vent and drain pipes in this situation, moving your sink a greater distance can become quite tricky.
When Should You Call A Plumber?
If you have enough plumbing knowledge and are confident you can handle the DIY task on your own, then moving your sink a small distance shouldn’t be that difficult.
However, if you are struggling with correctly repositioning the sink vent and drain pipes, you might have to call in a plumber.
Making great changes to the vent by yourself can result in poor installation, and your sink won’t drain properly.
The repair costs for a broken vent can be pretty high and will involve redoing all of the work you have put into relocating your sink.
Therefore, it may be best to call in a professional to do the hefty work for you.
You should also consider hiring a plumber if your house is on a slab foundation.
While using a flexible PEX pipe makes it easy to reroute water pipes through walls and ceilings in most houses, this becomes difficult with a slab foundation.
You will have to cut and hammer through the slab to correctly position the drain and vent, which is quite a big task to take on.
If your house is built on a slab foundation and you need to remodel your sink, it is best to get the job done by a professional plumber.
Summing Up Moving Your Sink
Simply repositioning your sink can make a big difference in your kitchen’s décor, and is a great way to change up things around your home.
But before you hop on this project by yourself, make sure you are armed with the right equipment and know-how on how to get the job done.
If you find the task is too complicated to handle on your own, make sure to call in a professional.
