Planning a Kitchen Renovation Timeline
From first measurement to final install, here is a realistic sequence for a kitchen renovation and where the delays actually come from.
The sequence
- Design and measure. Layout, appliance selection, and a full set of measurements. Nothing is ordered yet.
- Order cabinets. Built to order, so this is where the lead time sits.
- Demolition. Strip the old kitchen; confirm the measurements against the bare walls.
- Rough-in. Plumbing, electrical, and any structural work. Under-cabinet lighting is wired now or never.
- Floors and walls. Flooring, drywall repair, and priming, before anything is fixed to them.
- Cabinet install. Base cabinets levelled to the high point of the floor, then wall cabinets, then fillers and end panels.
- Countertop template. Only after the cabinets are in and level. Templating from a drawing rather than the installed run is a common and expensive error.
- Countertop install, then sink, cooktop, and plumbing connections.
- Backsplash, hardware, and appliances.
- Snagging. Door alignment, drawer adjustment, touch-ups.
Where the delays come from
Two steps dominate the schedule, and both involve waiting rather than working: the cabinet build, and the gap between countertop templating and installation. Neither can be compressed by adding people.
Everything else is sequencing. A trade that arrives out of order — flooring before rough-in, backsplash before the countertop — costs days, not hours.
Two things that save weeks
Order the appliances early. They set the cabinet dimensions, and a back-ordered range can hold up templating.
Don't demolish until the cabinets have a confirmed delivery date. A kitchen you can't use is a much worse place to wait than a kitchen you're about to replace.
