A Step By Step Kitchen Remodel Timeline
How long does a kitchen remodel take? Remodeling your kitchen is a sizeable investment and takes time to complete properly from beginning to end. With thousands of previous kitchen projects under our belt, of all budgets & sizes, we can confidently say that the true timeline of a kitchen remodel can vary greatly from project to project – from just a few weeks up to a year!
To give you a realistic idea of how long your project may take, we have put together a step-by-step kitchen remodeling timeline to guide you through each step of the process on your way to a successful renovation!
Step 1: Planning – 1 to 2 weeks
Proper planning is the blueprint to a successful kitchen remodel and can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. In this phase, you are:
Setting Project Goals
Will you replace just cabinets & countertops, or does the whole room need an update? Are you adding a sink, or removing a wall? Will you hire a contractor, or DIY? You are taking your dream and turning it into realistic goals, separating the “must-haves” from the “nice-to-haves”. The more decisive you can be during the planning process, the faster you can move on to the next phase with your kitchen designer.
Creating A Budget
Regardless of how much you want to spend, having a budget is important in keeping you on track with your project goals. If you are waiting for a tax return or a yearly bonus to remodel your kitchen, your kitchen remodel timeline will increase as you wait for these things to come.
Researching Contractors
If you have decided to hire a contractor for your renovation, set aside to interview and receive quotes from at least three. The earlier you start this process the better, as many qualified contractors book kitchen remodeling projects several months out.
Step 2: Design Your Kitchen – 2 to 4 weeks
Schedule a design consultation to speak with an expert kitchen designer. Your designer will help you transform your ideas and goals into a full-fledged kitchen design & estimate. Depending on how many revisions are needed and how many companies you receive estimates from, this process could take anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months before you are ready to place your order.
Step 3: Ordering Materials – 1 to 8 weeks
The length of this step largely depends on the products you decide to order and their current lead times. If you ordered stock cabinets or other stock items, these are already available in our warehouse and could be delivered to you within a week. Custom kitchen cabinetry orders, appliances, and some tile and flooring products can take up to 2+ months to arrive. Supply chain disruptions, weather, and other factors can affect the timeline of your order, so try to give yourself a buffer to allow all your items to come in prior to installation.
Step 4: Construction & Kitchen Installation – 3 to 8 weeks
The size & scope of your project will determine how long you spend in the construction phase of your kitchen remodel timeline:
- Kitchen demo & disposal – up to 1 week
- Permitting – varies
May or may not be needed. Depending on the project and the municipality, permits could take a couple of weeks or a couple of months, so plan accordingly.
- Structural changes – 1 to 2 weeks
Installing new windows, doorways, or removing/adding walls.
- Installing cabinets – 3 to 5 days
Cabinet installation, leveling & crown/base molding.
- Countertop template & install – 2+ weeks
Stone countertop fabricators typically take a week from when the cabinets are installed to template your new countertops, and then another week to schedule your installation. This timeline can vary based on what material you choose and the current workload of the fabricator.
- Plumbing, mechanical & electrical upgrades – 3 to 5 days
Disconnecting/reconnecting your sink, installing your dishwasher, adding/updating outlets, and more depending on your project scope. If you are unfamiliar with today’s building code, taking the time to hire a professional is strongly recommended.
- Install flooring – 2 to 3 days
Tile and hardwood are typically more labor intensive to install than laminate or vinyl plank.
- Punch list items – 1 to 2 weeks
Touch ups, hardware installation, or any other outstanding workmanship issues. Can take longer if parts need to be ordered.
- Install backsplash – 1 week
Can take longer depending on the complexity of your chosen style.
- Clean up – 1 to 2 days
Sweeping up dust & debris, wiping down cabinets & countertops and hauling away any trash.
Start Your Kitchen Remodel Timeline
Norfolk Kitchen & Bath is New England’s largest family-owned kitchen showroom, with 6 locations in MA & NH. Norfolk is proud to offer kitchen cabinetry for all remodeling budgets & timelines, from in-stock to custom cabinetry, countertops, hardware & more. We also offer professional delivery & installation, as well as project financing for qualified customers. Start your remodeling journey today by scheduling your free expert design consultation!