How Long does it take to Remodel a Kitchen?
Living in a house undergoing a kitchen remodel is challenging.
It’s a mess, you can’t use your kitchen the way you want, and it drastically alters your day-to-day life.
You want to know how long you have to endure it before you can enjoy your new kitchen.
As a designer and remodeler who has built kitchens for Lansing, MI residents for over 15 years, we empathize with your frustrations to live in your home during a kitchen remodel.
Depending on the type of kitchen remodel, it can take anywhere from 16 to 44 weeks to go through the design and building process of a kitchen remodel.
In this article, you will learn how long 2 common types of kitchen remodels take to complete and what factors will impact a kitchen remodel timeline.
2 most common kitchen remodel options
There are two common types of kitchen remodels.
The first is called “Pull & Replace”, which is the quicker remodel to complete as it leaves the existing kitchen layout.
And the second is a Complete Kitchen Re-Design. This type of remodel completely changes the existing layout of your kitchen and takes longer to complete.
We are going to dive into each of these individually.
1. Pull and replace kitchen remodel timeline
A pull-and-replace kitchen remodel is when the various elements of the kitchen are updated but left in the existing layout they were before.
This type of kitchen remodel has the fastest timeline of the 2 most common remodel options.
The reason that it has the quickest remodel timeline is that the following design elements remain the same from the old design to the new remodel.
- Cabinet sizes, shapes, and configurations
- Plumbing and Electrical components
- Countertop size and shape
- Measurements and layout
- Flooring size
If you really like the layout of your kitchen, but want to update the look and feel, this type of kitchen remodel is the one for you!
We “Pull” out the old kitchen elements, and leave the layout the same. Then “replace” the kitchen with updated features. Pull-and-replace.
For a pull-and-replace kitchen, from the beginning of the design phase to the completion of the kitchen remodel, it can range anywhere from 16 - 28 weeks.
The designing, planning, and material purchasing of the remodel can take anywhere from 12 - 20 weeks.
The physical construction can take anywhere from 4 - 8 weeks.
The exact time it takes to complete a remodel will be adjusted based on a variety of factors that will be mentioned below.
2. Complete kitchen re-design
A complete kitchen re-design takes the pull-and-replace method and takes it to the next level. This type of remodel completely changes the size, layout, and kitchen features of a kitchen.
The timeline for a fully re-designed kitchen from the beginning of the design phase to the completion of the project ranges from 22 - 44 weeks.
The 22 - 44 week project range is broken up into two distinct phases, the design phase, and the build phase.
The design phase ranges from 14 - 28 weeks and the build phase ranges from 8 - 16 weeks.
In the event the change in layout requires the plumbing, framing, or electrical to be moved, these are all things that will increase the timeline for the project. Each of these components will require inspections for approval as well as
With a full kitchen re-design however, you will improve the overall look and function of your kitchen space if you not only want to make it look better but operate better as well!
Common layout and design changes for a complete kitchen re-design include adding a kitchen island, moving appliances, moving the sink, and re-arranging cabinet locations.
Factors that influence kitchen remodel timeline
There are a variety of factors that will influence the timeline for a kitchen remodel. Some will impact every kitchen remodel and others will only come into play in a special circumstance occurs.
Size of the kitchen
The larger a kitchen remodel is, the longer it will take to complete. The reason is that it requires more materials, more man hours to complete, and more design time.
This reigns true for most home remodeling projects that the larger the space that is being worked on, the longer it will take to complete.
Pull & replace vs complete re-design
As you just read, the timeline for a pull-and-replace kitchen is much shorter than a complete re-design.
To truly know which type of kitchen remodel you fall under, if you are changing the layout and the plumbing needs to be moved, it’s a complete re-design.
If the layout stays the same and the plumbing doesn’t need to be moved, it’s a pull-and-replace.
Availability of materials
During the design phase, you will make product selections of the elements that make a kitchen remodel; countertops, cabinets, flooring, etc.
And, you’ll see those elements on the 3D conceptual design so you know what they look like fully installed. See Below
Depending on the product chosen, there may be a lead time from the manufacturer while they produce it. It can be days or weeks and it is outside of our control.
In the event you are waiting for your cabinets, for example, we will wait to begin construction until everything is ready.
The reason for this is that we don’t want to tear up your kitchen, then have to wait for materials, leaving your family with a torn-up kitchen while we wait for your products.
The goal is to reduce the amount of time your family has to live with a kitchen in mid-renovation.
Change Orders
During the construction of a kitchen remodel, we may encounter things that were not previously agreed upon in the original scope of work. These can be both homeowner-initiated or something unforeseen.
An example of a homeowner change order is when the homeowner wants to add a new element to the remodel that was not originally agreed to. We will accommodate, but the price and design will need to be altered to account for the change.
An unforeseen change order example can include when we tear into a wall and find something like mold. This is an example of something that will need to be addressed during a remodel.
We aren’t going to complete the remodel leaving something harmful like mold behind, that wouldn’t be safe for you or your family.
We do everything in our power to find things like this during the in-home visits, but sometimes, we can only find something once we open up a wall.
These change orders do result in an increase in the timeline but we do everything in our power to be transparent and honest when these happen and to get through them efficiently so we can complete the project professionally.
Next steps to learn more about kitchen remodeling
Having to live in a home going through a kitchen remodel blows.
This is why it’s important to plan ahead and know how long the remodel will take. You now know how long a kitchen remodel will take and what factors will influence the timeline.
A kitchen remodel can take weeks to complete, so take this into account when planning a remodel.
Have questions about kitchen remodeling or want to see if Custom Built is the right company for you? Great! Connect with our sales staff - they would love the opportunity to speak with you!
Not ready to begin a kitchen remodel? You may be interested in learning how much a kitchen remodel costs, and the top 5 components of a kitchen remodel budget.
