Kitchen remodels have always been, and will most likely always remain, one of the most popular home renovations. And why shouldn’t they be? The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the entire house. It’s a high-traffic area that catches every scent and stain known to man, and so it needs to be constructed for both beauty and endurance.
If you want to start renovating your kitchen, you might wonder, “How long does it take to remodel a kitchen from start to finish?” Here are some factors that will affect your renovation timeline.
How Long Does It Take to Remodel a Kitchen?
So, how long does it take to remodel a kitchen? As with every renovation project, the answer is, “It depends.” Every kitchen remodeling process is different. The amount of time it takes to complete the remodel depends on a variety of factors. These can include, but are not limited to:
- Availability of parts and materials
- How in-depth the remodel will be
- If anything needs to be demolished or removed
- How many different contractors are working on the job (and how well-coordinated they are)
The average estimated timeline is between three and six months. However, the length of your specific project depends on the steps of your kitchen remodeling timeline. Let’s examine each of the steps, and how long they may take, in greater detail.
Step One: Designing Your New Kitchen
Before you begin any major home remodeling project, you need to first sit down with a professional and design your new space. You should take around two weeks to brainstorm and refine your design with your remodeling company before you begin. An element you love in theory might not work so well when you consider your family’s practical needs. Remember, your kitchen, above all other rooms in the house, must marry form and function.
Step Two: Demolishing the Existing Structure
This step will, paradoxically, take less time with more demolition work. Demolition of the existing kitchen structures can wrap up within three to five days. This process speeds up when the demolition team doesn’t have to worry about preserving cabinets, sinks, appliances, or other existing structures. Hiring a demolition company like alliedbeandemolition.com is always a better choice, especially if you don’t have the luxury of time
Step Three: Rebuilding and Roughing In the New Structures
This phase of your kitchen remodeling timeline involves making any massive changes to your kitchen’s layout. This can include building new walls and installing new windows and doors. It may also include building new islands, bars, and other kitchen structures. This period of the project will take around two to five weeks.
Step Four: Painting, Flooring, and Drywall Changes
While this phase and the previous can be combined, you obviously won’t be able to do much to the walls and floor until the new structures have entered the picture. This period is where your new tile or hardwood kitchen floors will get installed. This process takes around two weeks to complete before you can move on to the “fun” parts of the remodel.
Step Five: Building and Installing Cabinets and Countertops
If there’s one feature that defines a kitchen, it’s the cabinets and countertops. It may take several months for these elements to get measured and constructed the correct way, depending on whether you’re using pre-fabricated or custom-made cabinetry. However, once every piece is constructed, the actual installation takes three to five days.
This only applies to cabinetry, as countertops have a more specialized installation process. They must be cut to accommodate your appliances and sinks. This can take several weeks to fabricate and seal correctly.
Step Six: Fixture and Appliance Installation
If you’re re-using the appliances you already own, then installation will go by quickly. If your appliances have all arrived and are ready for installation upon delivery, they may even be done before the end of the afternoon. Cabinet handles, lighting fixtures, drawer pulls, and other common fixtures can get wrapped up in around a week at most.
Step Seven: Final Cleanup
The best remodeling companies you can hire will handle the cleanup process for you. They’ll make sure your new kitchen is food preparation ready within a few days of finishing the project. All the trash and excess materials will need to get hauled away, but once that’s done, you just need to unpack your pots and pans. Then, you’re ready to cook in your brand-new dream kitchen!
What Adds to the Timeline
All of the above steps assume that your kitchen remodeling process goes smoothly from step to step. However, there are a host of factors that can interfere with this process and cause major delays. These include, but are not limited to:
Material Shortages
If you’re ordering custom cabinets, specialty tiles, or countertops made from an expensive material, you may encounter material shortages. If this happens during your project, you may need to expand your timeline or reconsider the materials you’re using for your project.
Poor Communication
One of the greatest kitchen remodeling tips we can offer is to make sure the lines of communication remain open between you and the contractors you hire at all times. One of the biggest causes of delays is when either side goes radio silent on the other, leading to misunderstandings and project phases not completing on time.
Design Changes
Look, we understand. People change their minds. Maybe you reconsidered a major element of your kitchen’s design due to practical concerns. However, if you change your kitchen’s design midway through your remodeling project, you’ll set your timeline back by weeks or even months. Make sure you know what you want before you invest.
The Kitchen Remodeling Timeline: Reviewed
Let’s take a moment to review. How long does it take to remodel a kitchen? On average, around three to six months.
However, this timeline may get pushed back depending on the depth of the remodel and any potential complications you encounter. As long as you’ve done tour research beforehand, and have a clear vision in mind before you begin, your kitchen remodel should go smoothly.
If you found this article on the kitchen remodeling timeline helpful and would like to read more like it, check out our blog each day for more content like this!
