Cost is the first question we get about kitchen remodels. Timeline is the second — and the answers people find online are uselessly vague. So here are real numbers from our DMV jobs, phase by phase, including the scheduling gap almost nobody warns homeowners about. The photo above is one of our kitchens mid-project: cabinets set, appliances in place, waiting on countertop fabrication — which is exactly the stage we need to talk about.
THE SHORT ANSWER
| Project Scope | Realistic Timeline |
|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh (paint, hardware, backsplash, counters) | 1 – 2 weeks |
| Pull-and-replace (same layout, all new finishes) | 3 – 5 weeks |
| Full gut with layout changes | 6 – 10 weeks |
PHASE BY PHASE
For a typical pull-and-replace: demolition takes 2–3 days. Rough-in plumbing and electrical runs 2–4 days, plus the inspection where required. Drywall repair and paint, 3–5 days. Cabinet installation, 3–5 days depending on the run. Then countertop templating, fabrication, and install — a 7–14 day wait we'll get to in a second. Backsplash tile, finish plumbing, and finish electrical wrap up in another 3–5 days, followed by the punch list and final walkthrough.
THE COUNTERTOP GAP NOBODY WARNS YOU ABOUT
Stone counters can't be measured from drawings — the fabricator templates off your installed cabinets, then cuts the slab to that exact template. Templating happens once cabinets are set, and fabrication takes one to two weeks. During that window the kitchen looks nearly done but has no counters, no sink, and no backsplash. This is normal. It is not your contractor stalling — it's how stone works. Plan a temporary kitchen setup (microwave, coffee maker, a utility-sink arrangement) for that stretch and the wait is manageable.
WHAT ACTUALLY CAUSES DELAYS
Four things blow up kitchen schedules, in order: cabinet lead times (semi-custom lines run 4–8 weeks from order — this wait should happen before demo, not after), mid-project change orders (every "while we're at it" adds days), inspection scheduling in busier DMV jurisdictions, and surprises inside the walls of older homes — undersized wiring, galvanized supply lines, floors that need leveling before cabinets can go in. The first two are controllable. The last two are why experienced crews assess before demo day.
HOW WE KEEP JOBS ON SCHEDULE
Our rule is simple: demo doesn't start until everything is ordered and the major materials are on site or confirmed in transit. Cabinets, appliances, tile, fixtures, flooring — decided, purchased, staged. A kitchen remodel run this way moves continuously instead of stopping to wait on deliveries, and the timeline we quote at the start is the timeline you actually live through.
If a contractor promises you a full kitchen remodel "in a week," ask one question: what happens when the counters need templating? The answer will tell you everything about how realistic the rest of their schedule is.
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