How Long Does It Take To Remodel My Kitchen?

Kitchen Remodel

The 9 Phases To Remodeling A Kitchen

Many people start a kitchen remodel in order to have it finished by a certain date (a holiday, wedding, guests arriving, etc.). How long it will take to complete your remodel certainly depends on the size of the kitchen and how extensive the remodel will be. However, the average kitchen takes between four to six weeks to remodel. This does not include the planning stage where the designing phase happens.
It's important that homeowners take their time to plan and design their new kitchen. There are dozens of decisions to be made from choice of cabinets, to appliances, to drawer accessories. This is the phase of the project where homeowners will make the decisions which will determine the budget. Making changes later may have a drastic affect on the timeline and the budget.
Planning and design will include finding out which products will require a long time period for ordering. According to chicagohome.donatellibuilders.com, products such as custom cabinetry, some tile and stone products, or furniture may require three to four months to build and ship. Semi-custom cabinets take between four to eight weeks, while ready-made cabinets can be on site within a few days of placing the order. It is wise to select the slab of granite desired ahead of time in order to see the color variations in the veining.

It is now time for the actual remodel which has 9 phases:
     1.  Removal of the Existing Kitchen (Approximately 2 days)
This phase will consist of removing appliances, cabinetry, countertops, etc. It is during this time that your contractor will assess the condition of the walls, ceiling and floor. Corrections that need to be made for out-of-level floors or ceilings, faulty plumbing, electrical wiring, etc. will require consulting with the homeowner of where and how to proceed.
     2.  Determine location of Outlets, Light Fixtures and Appliances (Approximately 1 day) During this phase the planning for electrical outlets, lighting and appliance power feeds are determined. This process needs to be exact to be sure that they are correctly placed and not have to be moved later.
     3.  Plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical Installation (Approximately 5 days)
If there is any heating or HVAC ductwork to be done or moved, this may need to be coordinated with the plumbing and electric contractors. This may be specific to the job because of wall removal/construction or range hoods being installed. Time needs to be allotted for mechanical inspections.
     4.  Drywall, Insulation, Priming (Approximately 3 to 4 days)
Installing insulation and sheet rock should take one to two days. Taping and spackling usually takes three days but can sometimes take longer depending on the drying time.
     5.  Flooring Installation (Approximately 3 to 6 days, depending on materials)
A typical wood floor may take one day to lay down, one day to sand and stain it and one more day to urethane. Typically three coats are used so there will be a drying day with each coat. Ceramic tile would include the cement that goes down first, then the tile. Usually the grouting is done on the third day with a drying day, so a tile job may take three to four days. If radiant heat is being laid down under the tile, you have to add two more days to the process because the tarpaper and wire needs to be laid down by the tile installer before the plumber comes back to lay all the tubing.
     6.  Countertop Templating and Cabinet and Countertop Installation (Approximately a couple hours to 10 days)
The templating only takes a few hours, however, it may take a week to ten days for the countertop is made and fabricated off site. The fabricator needs time to laser-measure the granite perfectly, before it is sent to the fabrication crew for slab preparation. It is then delivered and installed at the job site.
Cabinets will usually take five days to set, depending upon the size of the room and details.
    7.  Plumbing and Electrical Hook Up (Approximately 1 to 2 days)
Plumbers come in to hook up the sinks, faucets, dishwashers, and other appliances. The electrician will then install all the outlets and hook up all the appliances.
    8.  Backsplash and Painting (Approximately 2 days)
A tiled backsplash will usually take a day and then be grouted the next day.
Painting is usually last, allowing the for the right amount of drying time in between coats.
    9.  Punchlist
This is the completion of all the final details. The kitchen should be complete. Most contractors have a method which determines the logistics of the way they schedule and coordinate a kitchen remodeling. Of course, the size and complexity of the project will impact this coordination, but the correct planning and design will keep the budget on track and delays minimized.

Harper Construction> specializes in high-end construction and remodel projects in the Charleston, SC area. They have the expertise to answer all of your questions or you can browse their entire portfolio of work on Houzz>.
Their work has been featured in Charleston Magazine and Charleston Style and Design as well as in style and design publications both local and national.

If you found this information helpful click "Like" or "Share" below and post this to your social media pages. Your "Likes" and "Shares" help others like you find the information they need.        We are happy for you to re-publish this article on your website or in your company newsletter with credit to Chris Harper Construction as the author and a link to our website http://www.chrisharperconstruction.com/. The URL for this article is [article URL]. Email us with any questions.