How Long Does A Full Kitchen Renovation Take?
If your house were a body, then your kitchen would be the heart. It is the place where you cook and dine and make memories with your family. Therefore, it needs to convey the right emotions. While decorating the kitchen, one question that always follows the pricing query is how long an entire kitchen remodelling will take place.
There are plenty of people that make their estimates without diving deep into the realities of on-ground work. So let’s unveil the mystery of the time required for the complete kitchen remodelling process.
Scope of Work
Scope of work defines how long your house renovation will take place. For example, some aim for an appearance change without modifying mechanical fixtures and updating appliances, while others want a smart kitchen. The former is considered a short renovation. Short renovation usually takes a few weeks to a maximum of a month.
In contrast, from demolition to countertop installation and flooring and full-length construction, this whole process falls under the umbrella of a complete renovation. The full kitchen remodels process usually lasts about 3 to 5 months. The time can vary between these two extremes depending upon the area of work, type of countertop- either quartz countertops or marble ones-, and flooring material.
In general, changing the area doesn’t considerably impact the time required for process completion. Though a larger area requires more time investment on painting and flooring, cutting the chase leaves us with no significant time change.
Kitchen renovation can be partitioned into two major categories revolving on-ground work:
- Pre-Construction Phase
- Construction Phase
Let’s dive into the multiple stages of these two phases and the time needed to accomplish these tasks.
Pre-Construction Phase of Kitchen Remodeling
In this phase, the scope and design of work are finalized while complying with all legal requirements. This phase generally has five steps:
Design
Before jumping into the construction phase, you need to lay out a proper plan from the current state to the end vision. Most people ignore its importance but later on, changing plans result in delays. There’s no harm in spending some additional time on this phase, as at this stage, your existing kitchen would be completely functional. This includes designing of:
- Floor Plans
- Mechanical plans including electrical, plumbing, and lighting
- Elevations
- Furniture Plan
It’s always recommended to seek assistance from some professional to carry out this stage efficiently.
Material Selection
From electrical appliances to plumbing features, quartz countertops to flooring type, Cabinets to backsplashes, and other essentials. Based on this information, various cuttings and extensions will be introduced.
At this stage, you will get an idea of how much time this kitchen remodel will take. If we only pick one thing out of all, let’s say flooring type, this will decide whether you are adding more days in this process or shortening the overall procedure. Like ceramic tiles will take 3 to 4 days, while wooden flooring may take up to a week. Likewise, choose the plumbing and other materials which will align your time frame.
Legal Contract Requirements and Permits
A lot of people ask for permits before starting kitchen remodeling. It mainly depends upon the type of renovation you are carrying out and the place of execution. As a rule of thumb, any construction involving plumbing or electrical works needs permits from local authorities.
So, a full kitchen renovation usually requires a permit, but your territorial laws can still exempt you from it. If needed, this will take a few working days.
Before making a contract while living in Canada, you need to check a few important points regarding contracting agencies. It’s recommended to check with the local Better Business Bureau or any such business associations for complaints against the company you are thinking of hiring.
Additionally, tradesperson such as electrical and plumber should be certified. This phase generally takes a week but make sure that you have read and understood all requirements of the mutual contract.
Ordering Materials
This step continues to the construction phase. You have to order all the essentials with given requirements well within time aligned with the construction schedule. Once you have enough materials and budget to start work, ask your contractor to start work. Make sure to buy all essentials following schedule to avoid delays.
Construction Phase of Kitchen Remodeling
Demolition
Before demolition, your contractor needs to remove and protect existing materials such as doors and windows- as mentioned in the contract. It usually doesn’t take longer than one to two days. After the protection of essentials, labourers will enter the demolition phase. It includes the removal of existing countertops, cabinets, floorings, and appliances. Depending upon the complexity of the existing design, demolition can take up to 5 to 7 days.
Levelling and Marking
Once demolition is completed, plumbing, electrical, and other mechanical installation markings will be carried out according to construction designs. This process usually doesn’t take longer than 1 to 2 days. During this stage, levelling of the frame will also be carried out.
Mechanicals Installations
After complete marking, the installation phase will start. HVAC, electrical, and plumbing will collectively take 4 to 7 days. Professionals can complete all three simultaneously, so it usually won’t take any longer. However, the size and complexity of work can introduce delays.
Insulation
Before drywall installation, the insulation process is carried out to create a buffer zone between your kitchen and other house areas. This insulation is usually a multipurpose thing, ensuring a quitter, moisture-free, and heatless environment inside the house. This critical process usually takes up to 2 to 4 days, depending upon the level of insulation you want to introduce.
Drywall and Flooring
Make sure that all appliances are perfectly installed, and leakages should be non-existent. Once the drywall is installed, any potential issues of leakages can result in delays ranging from days to weeks and even months. Additionally, it will also cost you a hefty amount of money.
After drywall installation, labourers will move towards the flooring. Flooring is a time taking and essential component of kitchen remodelling. While choosing the flooring material, make sure to pick one which is compatible with kitchen usage. Opting for delicate flooring such as hardwood wouldn’t be wise as it can’t bear rough use. Ceramic tiles are usually preferred as these can take higher traffic while resisting water with any damage.
Professional workers generally take up to one week for a standard kitchen, but it can vary if your kitchen is oversized or you are opting for some complex flooring type.
Cabinets and Countertop Installation
These are two items that are the prime focus of your kitchen’s aesthetics. Their installation primality depends upon the type of cabinets and countertops you have chosen.
In general practice, stocked cabinets take roughly one to two days to carry out the execution process. In case you have opted for custom cabinets, the timer can jump from a week up to 10 days. If you have pre-ordered them at the material ordering phase, delays will marginally reduce.
Likewise, countertop installation also revolves around its type. You can choose from a wide range of materials, including granite, marble, concrete, wood or even quartz countertops.
Quartz countertops are regarded as one of the best attractions for your kitchen. These are aesthetically attractive while toughest to bear any kind of kitchen-related impact. Additionally, quartz countertops are resistant to heat and scratches. Super-easy to clean and keep them safe from germs. Click to check multiple designs and varieties of quartz countertops to keep your kitchen over the top.
It usually takes 2 to 4 days, while granite countertop installation can stretch up to 10 days.
Painting and Finishing
In the homestretch phase of your kitchen remodelling, painting is one of the longest steps. Before applying paint, priming is done to avoid extra-soaking of paint by drywall. Once priming is completed, labourers will start painting your lovely kitchen. It can take up to seven days, depending upon the type of paint and size of the kitchen.
After painting, final finishes regarding plumbing fixtures and cleaning are carried out. It usually doesn’t take longer than one to two days.
The Bottom Line
Plan once and execute, and don’t chase for repeated changes. Keep in mind that localized issues such as labour shortages can also result in delays.
An empty house will speed up the renovation process since distractions from the house members or kitchen usage slow the renovation progress. Additionally, effective communication is the key to the seamless flow of the renovation process. If, after every few days, you or your contract go out of your contract clauses, delays will be unavoidable. Designs, drawings, and models should be self-explanatory without any flaws.
We recommend getting clear and crisp 3D models so that your installer can avoid potential misunderstandings. The entire process of kitchen remodelling will not take any longer than 3 to 5 months as long as both parties stay within the boundaries of the contract.
Best wishes for your newly designed kitchen!
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