Demolition

Remember to shut off water pipes and disconnect wiring before cutting into the walls and floor.

Stuff an old rag into any drains you expose during the tear-out. That'll keep harmful sewer gases out and prevent construction debris from falling in and plugging the line.

Removing Toilets
After turning off the water, flush the toilet to empty the tank. Soak up any remaining water with a sponge.

Have a bucket on hand to catch excess water and disconnect the water supply line to the tank.

If the toilet is two-piece, unscrew the two nuts under the tank and remove it. Unscrew the two closet flange nuts/bolts anchoring the toilet to the floor.

Firmly rock the toilet back and forth or carefully pry it up from the bottom to break the wax ring seal.

Lift the toilet bowl off the flange and stuff a rag in the drain to prevent sewer gases from entering.

NOTE: In some states it's against the law to resell a used toilet, so if you don't have another place for it, dispose of it properly.

Disassembling Vanity Sinks

Under the sink, undo the compression fittings connecting the trap to the sink's tailpipe and drain pipe.

As you remove the trap, catch excess water in a bucket, then stuff a rag in the drain to block gases.

After turning off both water supplies, detach the hot and cold water lines running to the shut-off valves.

You may be able to remove the sink and faucet together, but if necessary, remove

the faucet by unscrewing each nut under the valves from below.

Pry up on the lip of a self-rimming sink to break the caulk seal holding it to the countertop. Or, if the sink is an "undercounter" model, undo the clips holding it on the bottom.

Loosening Countertops & Cabinets

Countertops are often secured onto cabinets by screws coming up through cabinet framing. After removing the screws, the countertop may easily be pulled off.

Countertops that are glued to cabinet framing can sometimes be pried free. However, some glues are stronger than the frames so be prepared to break or cut the top off.

Cabinets are usually screwed to the wall through a nailing strip and fasten to each other where their frames meet. So remove all those screws to separate them.

Ripping Out Bath Tubs

Tub flanges are generally installed behind finished walls, so they may need to be removed after any wall demolition.

Disconnect the tub drain tailpiece from the trap. Catch the extra water with a bucket.

Remove any fasteners holding the tub to the wall studs, and that should let you pull it away from the wall.

If a tub won't fit through the door and is in poor shape, one solution is to break it into pieces with a sledgehammer.

Tearing Off Wall Surfaces

Removing old ceramic tile and plaster is fairly easy using hammers and flat bars to break through the surfaces and pry away the materials.

For drywall (and some plaster), you may be able to pop off sections at a time instead of breaking it up and creating a lot of dust.

Saws are also helpful for initiating vertical cuts between the studs and minimizing the hammering needed. But be wary of "live" electrical and water lines.

CAUTION: Always wear proper eye, ear, skin and breathing protection to combat all the dust, debris and noise of wall demolition. And always assume there are wires or pipes in any wall you're breaking into and proceed carefully.

Remove any screws or nails remaining in the wall studs. Vacuum or broom out the dust in the room.

Demolishing walls always produces more waste than you expect, so think about renting a small dumpster to easily dispose of waste.

Removing Door Jambs, Pipes &Wiring

Before you begin tearing out any pipes or wires, make sure they're not "live."

Remove door jambs by sliding a reciprocating saw between the jamb and framing, then cut the nails on the top and sides.

The quickest way to remove plastic or metal pipe is to cut it. If you're going to join a cut piece of pipe with a new run, be sure to leave enough of a stub to fit a coupling.

For wiring, disconnect the power to the circuits you're going to be working on and post a sign on the panel box to let others know about it.

Test the wires with a continuity tester to be absolutely sure they're "dead." Cut the ends clean or twist/tape them together and pull them through the framing.