Most oven installations go smoothly when three things are sorted before the new oven arrives: it fits the space, it suits the gas or power connection you already have, and you know what a standard installation covers. Get those right and installation is usually a straight swap. Get one wrong and you can be left with an oven in a box while the benchtop, cabinet or connection is sorted out.
Know what kind of oven you’re replacing
Ovens come in three broad types, and each is installed differently:
- Wall oven: built into a tall cabinet at chest or eye height.
- Under-bench oven: built into the cabinetry below a separate cooktop.
- Freestanding stove: a single unit with the oven below and the cooktop on top, sliding into a gap between cupboards. A dual fuel stove has a gas cooktop and an electric oven, so it needs both a gas and an electrical connection.
Replacing like with like (a wall oven with a wall oven, a gas stove with a gas stove) is the simplest job. Changing type, for example swapping a freestanding stove for an under-bench oven and separate cooktop, usually means cabinet and benchtop changes as well as new connections.
Measure the space before you buy
Oven sizes are not standard across brands. A 60cm oven is the most common width, but the cut-out (the opening in the cabinet the oven slides into) a new model needs can differ from your old one by a few millimetres, and that is enough to stop it fitting. Before you choose a new oven:
- Measure the width, height and depth of the opening, not the old oven itself.
- Find the installation dimensions for the new model. They are in the installation guide, usually downloadable from the manufacturer’s website.
- Compare the two, including any gap the manufacturer asks for around the oven for ventilation.
- For a freestanding stove, measure the gap between the cupboards and check that the new stove’s height lines up with the benchtop.
- Check the oven door can open fully without hitting a wall, handle or island bench.
If the numbers don’t match, it doesn’t rule the oven out, but it does mean the cabinetry will need work before or during installation.
Check how your current oven is connected
The connection matters as much as the size. A gas oven connects to a gas point; an electric oven connects to the power, and electric ovens either plug into a power point or are hardwired, meaning wired straight into the home’s electrical circuit. A new electric oven may also need a different power supply from the old one. The installation guide for the new oven will say what it needs.
You can find out what you have without pulling anything apart. The rating plate (a sticker listing the model number and the gas type or power rating) is usually on the frame around the oven door, visible when the door is open, or in the drawer below a freestanding stove. Your old appliance manual will also say. Take a photo of the plate; it answers most of the questions an installer will ask.
Don’t slide the old oven out, unscrew it or disconnect anything yourself. Behind it are gas fittings or live wiring.
Gas and electrical work is for a licensed tradesperson
In NSW, connecting an oven is not a DIY job. The NSW Government says that only licensed gasfitters can do gas repairs or renovations, including replacing a gas appliance, and that the gasfitter must give you a certificate of compliance when the work is finished. It also says that electrical installation work must be done by a licensed electrician. Many appliance retailers deliver an oven but don’t connect it, so plan for installation separately.
What a standard oven installation covers
Our installation pricing covers a like-for-like swap: the new oven goes in the same place, on the existing connection. Anything beyond that is quoted first, so you know before the work starts. That includes:
- moving the oven to a different spot in the kitchen
- a new gas point or power point, for example when switching from gas to electric
- a change to the cut-out in the cabinet or benchtop
This is also why installation quotes vary between homes. Two ovens of the same size can be very different jobs if one is a straight swap and the other needs a new connection. See the oven and cooktop installation page for what we install.
Getting ready for installation day
- Have the make and model of both the new oven and the old one ready when you call, plus the photo of the rating plate.
- Wait until the new oven has been delivered before locking in the installation. Deliveries slip, and a booked installer with no oven to fit helps no one.
- Keep the new oven in its packaging until the installer arrives, and check it for transport damage when it’s unboxed.
- Clear the benchtop and the floor in front of the oven, and make sure there is a clear path from the front door to the kitchen.
- Keep the new oven’s manual and installation guide handy.
Repair or replace?
Not every oven that stops working needs replacing. A failed element, fan motor, thermostat or door seal is a common repair, and it is often worth having a fault diagnosed before you buy something new. Our guide to an oven not heating up covers the usual causes, and the oven repairs page lists the faults we fix. Replacement makes more sense when the oven is rusting through, parts for the model are no longer available, or you want a different type or size anyway.
Landlords and property managers
Replacing an oven in a rental is the same job, with one more person to coordinate. Give the installer the tenant’s contact details so they can arrange access, and pass on the make and model of the old oven if the tenant can read the rating plate. Agencies can see how we work with them on the real estate and strata page.
Oven Installation FAQs
Can I install a new oven myself?
Not the connection. In NSW, gas work must be done by a licensed gasfitter and electrical installation work by a licensed electrician. You can measure the space, choose the oven and get the kitchen ready.
Will a new 60cm oven fit where my old 60cm oven was?
Often, but not always. The cut-out each model needs can differ by a few millimetres, so compare the new oven’s installation dimensions with the opening before you buy.
Can I swap a gas oven for an electric one?
Yes, but it isn’t a like-for-like swap. The electric oven needs a suitable power supply, so a new power point or circuit may be needed. That work is quoted before it starts.
What affects the cost of an oven installation?
Mainly whether it’s a straight swap. A like-for-like replacement on the existing connection is the standard job; moving the oven, a new gas or power point, or a cut-out change is quoted first.
We come to you across the suburbs on our service areas page. To arrange an oven installation, call (02) 9067 3131 with the make and model of your new oven.