Kitchen ventilation (how much, house, buy)

[TheStupid]

How difficult (cost) is it to turn this type of kitchen vent (picture 1) to hooded vent (picture 2)? Behind that stupid microwave, it's the outside wall of the house.

Picture 1
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g9/TheStupid_2006/DSC_0049.jpg (broken link)

Picture 2
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g9/TheStupid_2006/DSC_0098.jpg (broken link)

[Malvie]

Originally Posted by TheStupid

How difficult (cost) is it to turn this type of kitchen vent (picture 1) to hooded vent (picture 2)? Behind that stupid microwave, it's the outside wall of the house.

Picture 1


Picture 2

I don't know, but that sure is a neat-looking installation in Picture 2.

Suggestion: Home Depot and Lowe's have classes on that sort of thing if you want to DIY. Me, I'd hire it done (I'm not good with projects like that).

[TexasTheKid]

I'm guessing by those photos the materials cost somewhere between two and five hundred dollars. Maybe less, but not likely more. The higher end would be because it had to be fabricated if the size is unusual. I'd do it myself (DIY projects are my own personal zen) and wouldn't pay anything extra for the labor, but who knows what kinds of special tools I'd need to purchase along the way. You may come out even just hiring someone to do the work for you.

[TheStupid]

Originally Posted by TexasTheKid

I'm guessing by those photos the materials cost somewhere between two and five hundred dollars. Maybe less, but not likely more. The higher end would be because it had to be fabricated if the size is unusual. I'd do it myself (DIY projects are my own personal zen) and wouldn't pay anything extra for the labor, but who knows what kinds of special tools I'd need to purchase along the way. You may come out even just hiring someone to do the work for you.

How difficult (cost) to punch a hole through the wall? or does it just go all the way up to the ceiling?

[ijk keo]

judging from your picture, you will not be able to go through the ceiling unless you plan on building a box around the exhaust pipe to conceal it. this is based on the vaulted ceiling in your breakfast area, i am guessing the cabinets do NOT touch the ceiling. to get the venthood in your second pic, you would have to remove the micro cabinet and create a hole through your exterior wall and elbow the pipe down to your venthood. also it looks like you have crown molding on your cabinets. many compact venthoods can replace where your microwave is now without removing the cabinet, instead drilling a hole for the pipe. what is the exterior material of your home, brick, siding, stucco?

[TexasTheKid]

Originally Posted by TheStupid

How difficult (cost) to punch a hole through the wall? or does it just go all the way up to the ceiling?

Your current microwave vent already has a hole. Open those cabinet doors above the microwave and you're likely to see the conduit/chimney. I hate to be a Debbie Downer, and I am not intending to sound like a pompous jerk, but if you need to ask a question like that, you should probably either not tackle this project alone, or you should buy an instruction book with extensive details. You shouldn't entrust the results of this job to the spotty advice you'll receive here.

[TheStupid]

The exterior is Brick Veneer, Cement Board - if that means anything to you. How much does punching a hole through the wall cost? Just roughly? would that create other problems for the house?

Originally Posted by ijk keo

judging from your picture, you will not be able to go through the ceiling unless you plan on building a box around the exhaust pipe to conceal it. this is based on the vaulted ceiling in your breakfast area, i am guessing the cabinets do NOT touch the ceiling. to get the venthood in your second pic, you would have to remove the micro cabinet and create a hole through your exterior wall and elbow the pipe down to your venthood. also it looks like you have crown molding on your cabinets. many compact venthoods can replace where your microwave is now without removing the cabinet, instead drilling a hole for the pipe. what is the exterior material of your home, brick, siding, stucco?

[TheStupid]

Originally Posted by TexasTheKid

Your current microwave vent already has a hole. Open those cabinet doors above the microwave and you're likely to see the conduit/chimney. I hate to be a Debbie Downer, and I am not intending to sound like a pompous jerk, but if you need to ask a question like that, you should probably either not tackle this project alone, or you should buy an instruction book with extensive details. You shouldn't entrust the results of this job to the spotty advice you'll receive here.

I don't intend to do this myself. I just want to know a ballpark cost so that i can factor that in my overall cost. Is it a $2000 job or $5000? I know the vent system itself costs about $1000, so is another $1000 enough for the labor?

the microwave has this marvelous recirculating vent - don't know what kind of stupid design that is. there's no pipe or conduit through the cabinet - those are real cabinet on top.

[desertsun41]

The best answer here is as one person said: dont take the spotty advice given here. You could find better advice in the HOUSE and INTERIOR DESIGN forums but there are also a lot of those who try to be helpfull there too but could not explain a can opener.

Your answer is it cost the price of the new hood vent. Are you keeping that same cabinet above? If so I assume the 6" vent pipe is inside that cabinet or maybe you just have recirculating with no vent pipe. The 6" vent pipe is the same on a micro and a hood vent and located in the same spot.

So it sounds like your asking if you can just do a swap from the micro to the hood vent, any hood vent. Yes. Labor should not be over $100 and most appliance companies offer free installation if you buy their appliance. Not cheap stuff and even if it's cheap like a Sharp brand the install cost will be very miminal. Your only issue is the unfinished wall behind the micro which is 16" tall and most hoods are 7" tall.

Why are people talking about punching a hole to the outside? Even if you have a ventless recirculating micro, adding the venting hood duct to the outside is simple and miniumal in cost.

If that micro still works then put it on Craigslist where you can fetch an easy $50.

[ijk keo]

Originally Posted by TexasTheKid

Your current microwave vent already has a hole. Open those cabinet doors above the microwave and you're likely to see the conduit/chimney.

not necessarily. i think if the microwave was already vente to the exterior, 'the stupid' would have already seen it. my guess is the microwave recirculates air instead of venting it.