The kitchen is the heart of the home and one of the most popular rooms to remodel. Remodeling your kitchen is a great way to enhance its appearance and add functionality through new structures and fixtures.
Of course, the first question homeowners might have is: how long does it take to remodel a kitchen? After all, your kitchen will be out of commission for some time, and you need to have a schedule to plan around.
With that in mind, the team at Kitchens by Woody’s is here to answer your burning questions about kitchen remodel timelines and related issues. Contact us today to discuss your next kitchen remodel in West Virginia!
How Long Does Kitchen Remodeling Take?
So, how long does it take to remodel a kitchen? It depends heavily on the scope of the remodeling and the size of the kitchen. Kitchen renovations usually take longer than other rooms due to the large amount of labor required.
Assuming you’re doing a full kitchen remodel and replacing all structures and appliances, you are looking at a timeline of three to five months. Smaller renovations, such as changing the backsplash or replacing cabinets, can take a few days to a week. Mid-intensity projects, such as installing a new kitchen island or installing new lighting, usually take between four to six weeks.
These estimates do not include planning and preparation time, which can add one to two weeks to your timeline. Other factors that can influence a kitchen construction schedule include labor conditions, supply chains, and kitchen access conditions.
Major Aspects of Kitchen Remodeling
Kitchens are one of the more complex areas of the home, so kitchen remodeling involves several distinct types of work, including but not limited to those listed below.
Demolition
Unless you are doing a new build, you are going to have to demolish your old kitchen before remodeling. Demolition usually progresses quickly but can take longer depending on the design of your already existing kitchen. You can expect the demolition phase and material removal to take about a week at most.
Structures
Remodeling structures is the next major step of kitchen remodeling. This step will take about a week unless you are making significant structural changes to the layout and floor plan of your kitchen. For example, if you are adding a new island, you may have to remove or move structures that are in the way of the center of the floor. Kitchen designs might also involve adding or removing a wall, which can take additional time.
Utilities
If you are keeping the same general layout of your kitchen, contractors shouldn’t have to do much utility work. If you are changing appliance locations or adding new appliances, you’ll most likely have to add new water, gas, and electric lines. Installing utility lines doesn’t take much time, but you may have to have the utility crew over multiple times while other contractors work on different parts of the kitchen.
Floors
The time spent on flooring depends on the type of flooring and the floor size. All other things being equal, laminate flooring takes the least amount of time to install, while wood flooring usually takes the longest. If you have a floor layout with complex geometry, laying down flooring is going to take longer. Average floor installation takes between a few days to a week.
Paint
Paint comes later in the process of kitchen remodeling but is also one of its most important aspects. Your choice of paint and color scheme can pull the disparate kitchen elements into a cohesive whole. You want to paint before you install cabinets, though you may still have drywall work to complete after that. Depending on the size of your kitchen, painting will take a day or two.
Cabinets
Most kitchen remodels involve cabinet replacement or refurbishment. If you are simply switching to something higher quality but the same style, cabinet replacement can take just a few days. Switching to new cabinet types will take longer, depending on the space you are working with. If you are getting custom-made cabinetry, it could take as much as six weeks before they are shipped to you.
Appliances
The good thing about appliances is they come to you pre-assembled, so you don’t have to build them. It should take about one to two days to get all your appliances and install them, assuming you have all the necessary utility hookups. If you are getting custom, built-in appliances, it will take longer to design and install them.
How to Streamline Kitchen Remodeling
The amount of planning and coordination affects how long it takes to remodel a kitchen. We’ve performed hundreds of kitchen remodels, so we’ve got some tips on how to streamline the process and make it easier on yourself.
Work With a Qualified Design Team
Many homeowners understandably want to design their kitchens on their own. Enlisting a qualified team for the planning phase and design phase ensures that your ideas get translated into practical and tangible designs. A design team not only provides design advice but can also connect you with licensed and insured construction teams.
Create a Budget and Stick To It
A big pitfall for homeowners is when their ambition exceeds their wallets. A good strategy is to add up the tentative costs of remodeling and add 20-30%. It’s much better to overestimate a budget than to get halfway through the project and run out of money. Be sure to get all contractor quotes in writing, too.
Don’t Forget About Storage Space
Storage space is a must for any kitchen, so take time to plan out how you are going to organize your home kitchen. Measure your pots and pans to make sure any new cabinets or shelves will have enough space.
Consider Clearances
Clearances prevent bottlenecks in your kitchen when opening doors or using appliances. For example, if you have an island in front of the fridge, you need enough space so you can open the fridge door without hitting the island.
Build Around Your Kitchen Workflow
The strategic placement of kitchen appliances should match your workflow. Think about how you move around your kitchen and place appliances and fixtures in their logical position. For example, your dishwasher should go on the opposite side of the sink as the oven range so the flow of kitchenware when cleaning up makes sense.
Plan Your Lighting
Kitchen lighting can be direct or ambient. Direct lighting directly illuminates a space for doing tasks, like a countertop or range stove. Indirect or ambient lighting is more about setting a mood in your kitchen. Ambient lighting can also make a kitchen seem larger by bouncing light off surfaces.
Plan Your Schedule Around Construction
Your kitchen will probably be out of commission for a good chunk of the remodeling process, so you need to plan around not having access to it. Think about handling meals and make sure you clear space if you need to move through your kitchen to access other parts of the house.
Award-Winning Kitchen Remodeling
So, how long does it take to remodel a kitchen? The answer is that it depends on a lot of factors. The best way to ensure a smooth remodel is to hire an expert like Kitchens by Woody’s. We can help you turn your dream kitchen into a reality with our award-winning remodeling services.
Reach out to us online or give us a call at (304) 814-2268 today to discuss ideas for a kitchen upgrade!
