Advice on Kitchen stove replacement/remodel

[poordeveloper]

Hi all,

The stove in one of my IP's is about 50 years old and in need of replacement (broken knobs, burners, etc, unable to buy replacement parts). The issue I am having is that it is set in an alcove and the height of the alcove only allows for 400mm clearance between stove top and rangehood (I think regulation is about 650mm). I've attached some photos/diagrams to illustrate as best as I can.

Initially I was thinking of sealing off the alcove and bringing the stove and benches forward. However, that will reduce the room size by quite a bit and doesn't leave a lot of bench space. I would possible then need to extend the bench on the left hand side of the stove however that then takes up the part of the room which is most logically used for a table.

Any other thoughts, tips or ideas? I don't have photos of the external building but from my thoughts are that extending the external alcove would be costly. I had initially planned to do this on the next tenant changeover however the tenants are looking like they will renew and the stove condition is getting worse. So I need to take into consideration that any work will need to be done with the tenants in place.

thanks,
PD

 

[Alabex]

I usually like fixing these sort of problems as i think i am quite good at it.. but sesh this one has had me stumped.

What about if you put in an underbench oven in a cabinet where the current upright is and replace the bench along the top so it all looks neat.

Then install hotplate in the top of the right hand side bench..... which would make probably one or two of the drawers unusable, but that isn't a huge price to pay.

 

[Propertunity]

Consider throwing the entire kitchen in a skip bin.....seriously.

We purchased an almost new kitchen at a recyclers the other day for $1,400. Owners had installed it to sell the home. New owners did not like the colour and ripped it out.

$500 to install + less than $1K for new stainless steel appliances package and you have a brand newy for under $3K - and can all be done in 1 day.

 

[Alabex]

yep Propertunity is right you could easily start again...

Check out Ebay too as you can get complete second hand kitchens quite cheap sometimes...

 

[poordeveloper]

Thanks Alabex and Propertunity.

I'm prepared to replace the existing cabinets as the old ones are not as deep as modern cabinets and wouldn't fit a bench top stove. It's more a question of how will I fit anything into the unusual space constraint.

Alabex, I like the idea of putting a bench top stove on the LHS bench. You got me thinking and I'm considering putting a new bench there with stove top and cabinets up top with a range hood. I could then replace the RHS with matching cabinet and benchtop. I could also put a new cabinet/bench in the alcove although I'm thinking it would look a little strange as the three benches wouldn't be continuous. I'm tempted just to seal it off completely. There would be plenty of cupboard space without it.

If it were a PPOR I would probably think about extending the height of the alcove and moving the kitchen sink over there. At the moment it's right up the other end of the room.

 

[depreciator]

I like those 60s kitchen cupboards and benchtop. If you were in Sydney I'd buy them.

 

[units4me]

OK, here is a cheapish fix solution I saw.

1. Remove stove and take it to the tip.

2. Swap over the entire 2 door cabinet (currently in the alcove), with the 3 door cabinet to the LHS (with the kettle). Going to the RHS could be an option also. Cut to size and put a new length of laminate benchtop, if necessary on top, straight 2400x600mm, abt $100 at Bunnings.

3. Install a new or good used upright gas stove in the resultant gap to the LHS (or RHS) of the alcove. As the LHS looks like an external wall by the pics provided, should be very easy to install a $99 rangehood on the wall above, flued through the wall to the outside.

4. Good luck.