Removing a gas hob

[Luciferbox]

I'm buying a house that will eventually need gutting. I'm 28 wks pregnant so we are making do for now as cash is/will be tight. The kitchen doesn't have a cooker, just a gas hob on a 'charming' tiled work surface. How hard would it be to remove the gas hob and work surface? I want to take out the cupboard underneath and just pop in a freestanding cooker in the space, probably electric. And obviously replace the gorgeous patterned tiled work surface with a simple wooden one. Obviously we'd get someone in to remove the hob etc, but my DH is convinced it will cost lots. Anyone got any idea how much it could cost? Many thanks.

if money is tight why bother? Cooking on gas is cheaper and more efficient that on electric.

admittedly an oven is useful occasionally, but again it is expensive to run. I have one but it gets used maybe once a month, we eat a lot of stir-fries, chillis etc, and casseroles get cooked in the slow cooker which is much cheaper to run than the oven.

wooden worksurfaces are a nightmare to clean. Tiles are a bit old-fashioned but you'll want to put in something with a wipe-able surface. You'll be too busy soon to be scrubbing and oiling.

to answer your question; contact your local gas-safe people and ask for a quote. Guessing £100 or under. oh, and sell the hob on ebay, it is worth a few quid.

you need a gas fitter to disconnect the hob and cap off the old pipe. Fixed hobs do not (should not) have a flexible gas hose. If you tell him/her what you expect to do, s/he can remove any unnecessary old gas pipe that would be in the way. You will want a supply for your future boiler and cooker, even if you do not like gas cookers the next owner might. Gas cookers have a bayonet connector on the wall behind the cooker.

You will be breaking up the old worktop and pulling it off the wall, which is easy but all pipes and cables must be disconnected first.

Old kitchen usually have tangles of old pipes, drains and cables. You can do it better and more neatly if you start afresh with no kitchen units or appliances in the way, and no new floor or plaster to worry about damaging.