Kitchen Remodel: How Much It Actually Costs To Move A Sink

If you are researching ideas to remodel your kitchen, you've probably seen plenty of articles that explain why these types of renovations often go over budget. Any time you have to deal with moving electrical or plumbing in a kitchen renovation, your costs could end up higher than expected. Plumbers and electricians sometimes may find structural issues and items that are not up to modern codes, necessitating replacements that you didn't include in your expense plan.

Because you cannot be completely certain what you will find behind the walls, it's difficult to accurately predict the costs for any kitchen remodeling projects that include plans for things like moving a sink. That said, our estimate for the average cost of moving a kitchen sink in a renovation project at between $500 and $1,000. However, you could pay quite a bit more, as some estimates place the cost as high as $5,000. Although this is pricey, finding the perfect placement for your kitchen sink can be a key component in using your new space effectively.

Remember, these estimates do not take into account the cost of a new sink or new fixtures, which can range from $150 to $750, depending on the design that you select. These costs assume that you are simply moving your existing sink to the new location in the kitchen layout.

The primary cost for moving a kitchen sink when remodeling will have to do with adjusting the existing plumbing infrastructure. Expect to pay at least $500 to move the sink up to three feet. Moving the pipes more than three feet can cause the price to increase quickly. The further you must extend plumbing for water sourcing and for drainage, the more you will pay.

Additionally, you may need more permits from your local building and safety department to make these changes. Your contractor may already have a permit for the physical remodeling work, but you might need an extra permit for the plumbing work, which could cost up to a few hundred dollars, depending on the regulations in your area.

Moving your kitchen sink may have a ripple effect on other aspects of the space. It's important to understand these items before you start the remodeling project, as they may add to the overall cost. For example, moving the sink may require the contractor to build new support framing to handle the weight of a sink filled with water. You also may have to repair flooring that is now exposed after you move the sink. Understandably, many of these items might be part of the original renovation project, so you may already have them figured into your budget.

Unfortunately, some problems with moving a kitchen sink are difficult to anticipate. If the plumber discovers after starting the project that the existing supply and drain lines cannot be extended to reach the new location because of blockages, meaning they must be fully rerouted, this will raise the cost of moving the sink. If the professional must work around electrical wiring or outlets while moving the pipes, the price likely will be higher than average. In the worst-case scenario, the plumber may find that your existing infrastructure is out of date or will not work with the new sink. You may find that the professional must do extensive work to bring everything up to code, increasing the cost of the process by quite a bit.

Perhaps the best advice is to reach out to a few plumbers and have them give you estimates on the cost to move your sink during the kitchen remodeling project (and understand that some plumbers don't offer free estimates but will give you a discount on the cost of the project equal to the cost of generating the estimate). The plumber may be able to spot potential complexities with your project during the inspection, helping to give you an accurate estimate. Of course, plumbers cannot fully guarantee that they will find all of the potential problems before they begin digging into the process.