Replacing a Gas Hob: Checks Before You Order

You’ve found a new gas hob you like, the width looks right, and the basket is ready. Before you press buy, it helps to know that two hobs with the same advertised width can need quite different installation arrangements. The worktop opening, the space underneath, the extractor above, and the gas supply all have to suit the exact model you choose. A few checks now can save a wasted fitting day and keep the gas side of the job safe.

This guide covers what to gather before you order and where we can help, from gas safety checks on your cooker and hob to gas leak detection and kitchen plumbing. One boundary from the start: disconnecting, capping, or connecting a gas hob is work for a Gas Safe registered engineer, never a DIY job.

Start with the hob you have

Look for the make and model on the paperwork or on a label you can see without moving anything. Don’t pull the hob out or unscrew panels to find it. If the label’s hidden, that’s fine. Just tell the engineer, and they’ll deal with it on the day.

Take a few photos from normal standing height: the hob from above, the worktop around it, the wall behind, and the extractor. If you can open the cupboard or look at the oven below without disturbing anything, photograph that too. You’re showing the layout, not uncovering pipework.

It also helps to write down why you’re replacing it. A hob swapped for a newer look is a different conversation from one being replaced because it’s misbehaving. Gas Safe Register’s advice on checking your gas appliances lists warning signs such as lazy yellow or orange flames and black marks or staining around an appliance. If you’ve noticed anything like that, stop using the hob and have it checked before you worry about the replacement.

Read the installation instructions

A hob’s overall width isn’t the same as the cut-out it needs. Download or ask the retailer for the installation instructions for the exact model and variant you’re looking at. Two hobs from the same range can have different requirements, so make sure the document matches the product code on the listing.

Those instructions are the manufacturer’s requirements for that appliance, not general figures you can apply to any hob. They’ll usually cover the worktop opening, the distances to nearby surfaces, and how the gas and electrical connections are made. Keep a copy with your order, because the engineer will want to see it.

Please don’t enlarge the worktop opening in advance of delivery. If the worktop needs altering, agree who’s doing it and when. Cutting a worktop is joinery, not gas work, so booking a gas engineer doesn’t automatically mean the worktop is included.

Look above, beside, and below

A new hob has to suit its surroundings as well as the hole in the worktop. Check where it sits in relation to wall cupboards, shelves, the splashback, and any nearby window. The manufacturer’s instructions set out the clearances that apply, and they may differ from the hob you’re replacing.

What sits underneath matters too. A built-in oven, a drawer, or a cupboard can affect the room available for the new hob and its connections. A hob that fits perfectly from above can still have a different underside from the old one.

If you’re also changing the extractor, choose it alongside the hob rather than separately because the finishes match. Ask whoever is coordinating your kitchen to confirm the combined arrangement before either item is ordered.

Gas type and electrics

Homes on the mains gas network use natural gas, but some hobs are sold set up for LPG (bottled gas). Check which gas the model is supplied for before you order. Don’t assume a hob can be converted, as that depends on the manufacturer and must only be carried out by a suitably qualified engineer using the correct parts.

Many gas hobs also need an electrical supply for the ignition. The instructions will say what’s required. Ask who’s responsible for any electrical work, because a nearby socket doesn’t settle whether the arrangement is suitable.

Check who’s doing the gas work

By law, anyone paid to work on gas appliances in your home must be on the Gas Safe Register. Registration alone isn’t the whole story, though. Every registered engineer carries an ID card that lists the types of gas work they’re qualified to do, and cookers and hobs are a category of their own.

The HSE explains how to check an engineer is registered, including checking the back of their card. Ask to see it on the day and make sure it covers cooker work. It takes a moment, and it’s one of the simplest safety checks you can make.

When you get in touch with us, tell us the model you’re looking at and share your photos. We’ll talk you through the gas safety side of the job and be straight with you about which parts we can take on.

After the new hob goes in

Ask the engineer to show you how the controls work, and keep the user guide and any paperwork from the job. Store the model details somewhere easy to find for future servicing or manufacturer enquiries.

A gas safety check looks at your gas appliances, pipework, and ventilation, and it covers cookers and hobs as well as boilers. Our gas safety certificates page explains what’s involved for landlords and homeowners. It’s a sensible check for any home, particularly if you’re unsure about older pipework in the kitchen.

When the kitchen is changing too

A hob replacement often comes as part of a bigger kitchen refresh. Our plumbing services cover jobs such as sinks and washing machine or dishwasher connections, so the water side can be planned alongside the gas side.

As an illustration, imagine a homeowner in Swinton choosing a wider hob during a kitchen refit. The kitchen fitter needs to adjust the worktop, and the gas engineer needs the new model’s instructions. If nobody agrees the order, each could turn up expecting the other to have finished first. Put the sequence in writing so everyone knows who does what.

If you’d like help with other parts of the heating or plumbing in your home, our services overview shows the full range of work we do across Salford, Worsley, Pendlebury, and nearby areas.

Questions about replacing a gas hob

Can I buy a second-hand gas hob?

Talk to whoever will connect it before you buy. They’ll want to know its condition, which gas it’s set up for, and whether the installation instructions are available. A seller telling you it worked fine in their kitchen doesn’t mean it suits yours.

What if the hob is sold for LPG rather than natural gas?

Mention it before you order. Some hobs can be converted using the manufacturer’s approved parts, and some can’t. Only a suitably qualified engineer should make that call and carry out any conversion.

I rent my home. Can I arrange the replacement myself?

Speak to your landlord or letting agent first. Gas appliances in rented homes are usually the landlord’s responsibility, so they’ll need to agree who arranges and pays for the work. Get their permission in writing before anything is ordered.

I’m a landlord. Does a new hob affect my gas safety record?

Your annual gas safety check needs to cover all the gas appliances you provide, and a new hob is one of them. The HSE’s guidance for landlords sets out your duties. Keep the installation paperwork with your records and make sure the hob is included at the next check.

Should delivery and fitting happen on the same day?

It’s usually easier if the hob arrives first. That gives you time to check it’s the right model and undamaged before anyone’s booked. A late or wrong delivery on fitting day can leave you without a hob for longer.

Who takes the old hob away?

Check in advance. Safe disconnection, removal from the kitchen, and disposal can be separate arrangements, and buying a new hob doesn’t always include taking the old one away.

What should I do if I smell gas?

Don’t use the hob, open windows and doors, and avoid operating electrical switches or anything that could cause a spark. Turn off the gas at the meter if it’s safe to do so, then leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. Once the emergency service has made things safe, we can help with gas leak detection and repairs.