Kitchen extraction systems: decide the sale boundary first
- Topic
- Retail and catering
- Reading time
- 3 minutes
- Last reviewed
On this page
Decide what the extraction sale includes before offering any part of the system. A canopy is not the whole installation. Fans, ductwork, controls, fire-related systems and connections to cooking equipment may have separate owners or dependencies.
Begin with the installed system and its documents. Do not assume equipment visible inside the kitchen represents everything that would need to leave.
Draw the boundary from kitchen to discharge
Make a labelled sketch and a component list. Mark the canopy, filters, fan, controls and visible duct route. Record which parts are accessible and which require a specialist survey.
Use these boundary fields:
| Item or area | Question to resolve |
|---|---|
| Canopy and filters | Exactly which assembly and removable parts are offered? |
| Fan and supports | Who owns them, and what equipment do they serve? |
| Ductwork | Where does the included section end? |
| Building openings | What permission and reinstatement work are required? |
| Electrical controls | Are they dedicated or shared with retained systems? |
| Gas interlocks or other linked systems | What does removal affect? |
| Fire-related components | Who must assess their boundary and continued function? |
Do not use the sketch as instructions for disconnection. Its purpose is to show a competent contractor where questions remain.
Resolve permission before promising removal
Read the premises agreement and any installation approval. Ask the landlord or responsible premises owner about the proposed removal boundary, roof access and work to the building. Ownership of a fan does not settle permission to remove its supports or make an opening.
The fixture-permission guide helps organise the records. The landlord and access coordination guide deals with the people who may need to agree the work.
Keep written approval tied to the actual scope. A general email accepting "kitchen equipment removal" may not address external ductwork or roof penetrations.
Ask what must keep working
If the kitchen will continue operating, establish what extraction the retained appliances require. Removing one part can affect equipment outside the sale lot.
HSE's catering guidance explains the role of ventilation in removing fumes and heat, including the importance of adequate air for gas appliances. Its Great Britain guidance is a reason to involve the appropriate ventilation and gas specialists when the arrangement changes.
The gas equipment guide helps prepare those questions. Do not bypass an interlock or operate retained gas appliances on the assumption that a partial extraction system will suffice.
Obtain a scoped survey and quote
Ask the contractor to identify the equipment, assess access and state what the price includes. Separate dismantling, lifting, transport, cleaning, electrical or gas-related work and building repairs.
A useful quote should name its exclusions. For example, a canopy removal price might exclude roof access or a hidden duct section. Record how those exclusions will be resolved before collection dates are agreed.
Preserve design and maintenance records for the offered components. Buyers need to assess their proposed installation separately; an effective system in this kitchen is not a ready-made design for every future premises.
HSE's maintenance guidance supports planning competent work, especially when several systems or contractors are involved. Keep an agreed stop point if the survey reveals an unrecorded connection.
Send UK Auction Group the component boundary, permissions and survey findings. That lets the sale description distinguish a canopy, a set of components and a documented system without overstating what the buyer receives.
Sources
This guide gives general information. Equipment-specific, legal, tax and safety decisions may need a qualified adviser or competent specialist. The guides do not promise sale prices, fees or results.