Kitchen Cabinet Removal: Salvage, Donate, or Haul?

Old kitchen cabinets leave one of three ways. Sound, newer boxes can come out carefully for reuse in a garage, basement, laundry room, or rental unit, or they can be donated. Worn, water-damaged, or broken boxes get broken out and hauled. The choice changes labour time, not the haul tier.

Homeowners in Toronto, York, and Durham use this when a kitchen is being replaced. General contractors, kitchen installers, and property managers use it when a suite or condo kitchen swap needs the old boxes out before install day. This guide is cabinets only. Full kitchen tear-out pricing, including counters, backsplash, flooring, and stone, is in the kitchen demolition cost guide.

The City of Toronto lists installation of cabinetry and millwork among work that does not need a permit, and it says that list is not exhaustive. Confirm the scope with Toronto Building or your contractor, since this is not a permit decision.

Salvage cabinets for reuse

Careful removal means unscrewing the boxes from each other and from the wall, keeping the doors and hardware on, and stacking them. That takes longer than breaking the boxes out. Uppers come down before lowers. Counters come off first.

Sinks, dishwashers, ranges, range hoods, and anything that is plumbed, wired, or gas-connected must be disconnected by a qualified trade before we touch them. We do not do plumbing, electrical, or gas work. The work stays interior and non-structural.

Donate cabinets in saleable condition

Habitat for Humanity GTA's ReStore accepts kitchens and cabinetry in saleable condition. Its public donation pages say items must be in saleable condition, and that it does not accept stone kitchen countertops. Donations are assessed from photos submitted through its donation form, and drivers can still refuse items on pickup day. Confirm the current rules on habitatrestore.ca before demo day.

Furniture Bank lists cabinetry as not accepted. The furniture donation pickup guide covers that list. The homeowner arranges any donation. When you ask ahead of time, we can set sound boxes aside, or bring them to the driveway or the curb. We do not deliver donations to a charity, and we do not promise that any charity will take them.

Break out and haul the rest

Boxes that are swollen, mouldy, broken, painted over badly, or simply not wanted get broken out. They go as light mixed renovation debris, priced by how much of the truck they fill. Particleboard boxes bulk up the truck more than people expect.

If a very old kitchen has suspect material behind or under the cabinets, have it tested by a qualified professional before tear-out. Junk 'Of' Urs does not test for, handle, or remove asbestos or any hazardous material.

What drives the quote

The quote follows the number of boxes, including uppers, lowers, and pantry or tall units, whether the removal is careful or a break-out, whether counters and appliances are already out or disconnected, house or condo access, and how full the truck is. Elevator bookings, a loading dock, stairs, and a long carry all change the visit. Photos beat guesswork. There is no price per cabinet and no price per linear foot.

Every figure below is before HST. HST is extra. Junk and debris are priced by how much of the truck the pile fills, not by the hour. The hourly rate is only for tear-out labour.

Light mixed renovation and demolition debris, before HST, is a small pile at $99 to $150, an eighth of a load at $150 to $220, a quarter at $250 to $400, a half at $400 to $550, three quarters at $550 to $700, and a full load of about 15 cubic yards at $650 to $850. Each full load includes 60 to 90 minutes of loading and tear-out time.

Tear-out labour after that included time is $100 to $150 per hour for a two-person crew. Careful removal for reuse uses more of this time than breaking the boxes out. The work stays interior and non-structural.

Stone counters are a different line. They go on the heavy schedule: a call-out of $300 to $450, then about $100 to $160 per tonne after the allowance. The kitchen demolition cost guide covers a full kitchen, including stone.

Stairs, a basement, or a long carry to the truck add $50 to $150 or more. Boxes that are already out and at the curb or driveway can take a curbside-ready discount of 5 to 15 percent when it applies.

Condo kitchens and suite swaps

On a suite turnover or a condo kitchen swap, the old boxes need to be gone before the installer arrives. One crew can remove the cabinets, set donation boxes aside, and haul the rest in the same visit. A house with the truck at the driveway is the simple path. A condo usually needs a booked elevator, a loading dock, and the building's hours. Get those rules from the property manager before you book.

For general contractors and property managers, the room should be clear when the installer walks in. We're not a junk company. We're your site-clearing crew. Stop renting a bin. Hire a crew.

Photos that get a written price

For a fast quote, send a wide shot of the whole kitchen. Add close-ups of box condition, including water damage near the sink and any swelling. Mark which boxes to save. Note what a qualified trade has already disconnected, and what the counter is made of. Show the path from the kitchen to the truck: stairs, an elevator, or the loading area.

We confirm volume, access, and weight from those photos, then in writing, before anything is removed. Send them for a written price at https://junkofurs.com/quote. Great projects start with a clean slate.

Frequently asked questions

How much does kitchen cabinet removal cost?

There is no price per cabinet. Before HST, light mixed renovation debris is a small pile at $99 to $150, an eighth of a load at $150 to $220, a quarter at $250 to $400, a half at $400 to $550, three quarters at $550 to $700, and a full load of about 15 cubic yards at $650 to $850. Each full load includes 60 to 90 minutes of loading and tear-out time. Tear-out labour after that is $100 to $150 per hour for a two-person crew. Careful removal for reuse uses more of that time. Stairs, a basement, or a long carry add $50 to $150 or more. Boxes already at the curb or driveway can take a discount of 5 to 15 percent when it applies. Photos give the written range.

Can you take kitchen cabinets out for reuse?

Yes, when you ask before the visit. Careful removal means unscrewing the boxes from each other and the wall, keeping doors and hardware on, and stacking them. Uppers come down before lowers, and counters come off first. That takes longer than breaking the boxes out, so it uses more tear-out labour. The haul tier still follows how full the truck is.

Can I donate old kitchen cabinets in Toronto?

Habitat for Humanity GTA's ReStore accepts kitchens and cabinetry in saleable condition. It does not accept stone kitchen countertops. Donations are assessed from photos submitted through its donation form, and drivers can still refuse items on pickup day. Confirm the current rules on habitatrestore.ca before demo day. Furniture Bank lists cabinetry as not accepted. You arrange the donation. When you ask ahead of time, we can set sound boxes aside or bring them to the driveway or the curb. We do not promise a charity will take them.

Do you disconnect the sink, dishwasher, or range?

No. A qualified trade disconnects plumbing, electrical, and gas before we touch a sink, dishwasher, range, range hood, or anything else that is connected. We do not do plumbing, electrical, or gas work.

Do I need a permit to remove kitchen cabinets?

The City of Toronto lists installation of cabinetry and millwork among work that does not need a permit, and it says that list is not exhaustive. This is not a permit decision. Confirm the scope with Toronto Building or your contractor.