Guide 01 · 5 min read
How Long Does a Kitchen Remodel Take?
A kitchen remodel in Scottsdale is a sequence, and the calendar follows the order of the work rather than the length of the wish list. This guide walks the stages in order, from planning through the last piece of trim, so you can see where the weeks go. Questions about your own timeline? Call (747) 243-2089.
Last updated
01Timeline
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
Fixr puts the average full kitchen remodel at 6 to 12 weeks of work, not counting planning, and the answer depends on 3 things: how much is changing, how quickly the selections get made, and the lead time on the cabinets, which Fixr lists at 1 to 2 weeks for stock lines, 4 to 8 weeks for semi-custom and 3 to 6 months or longer for fully custom. Surface updates move quickly. Projects that relocate plumbing or electrical add permit review before the work can start, and inspections along the way. The phase people underestimate is the front end. Design decisions have to be finished before orders go in, and the cabinet order sets the rhythm for everything that follows. Count backward from the date you want the kitchen back, give the cabinet order its head start, and the schedule tends to hold. The full kitchen remodeling page covers what the work involves, and the cost guide covers the numbers.
02Planning
What happens during planning and measurement?
Planning is where the numbers get decided. NKBA, the National Kitchen and Bath Association, publishes the Kitchen Planning Guidelines (opens in a new tab) designers use for safe, effective layouts. The work aisle should measure at least 42 inches wide for one cook and 48 inches for multiple cooks, walkways at least 36 inches, and a doorway clear opening at least 32 inches. Work triangle legs should run no less than 4 ft and no more than 9 ft, and the 3 legs together should total no more than 26 ft. Those numbers are why the room gets measured before anything is ordered. This is also the stage to confirm the layout, choose the cabinet style and finish, pick the appliances so the openings get built to the right sizes, and decide what stays and what moves.
03Cabinets
When do the cabinets and countertops get ordered?
Cabinets are ordered first, because counters are made to fit them. Fixr lists cabinet delivery at 1 to 2 weeks for stock lines, 4 to 8 weeks for semi-custom and 3 to 6 months or longer for fully custom, and that window is the backbone of the schedule. Demolition cannot usefully start far ahead of the delivery date, and the counter cannot be measured until the base cabinets are set. Countertops are templated after the cabinets are installed and leveled, then fabricated and installed, so the counter adds its own run of time after the boxes land. That order matters when you coordinate anything else, from a new range to a tile backsplash. Write the sequence down and give each step a slot: selection, order, delivery, install, template, fabricate, install again. Projects that go sideways usually started with an assumption about when something would arrive. To talk through the order for your kitchen, call (747) 243-2089.
047 steps
What are the stages of a kitchen remodel, in order?
A full remodel usually moves through the same sequence:
Design and measurement, with the layout, finishes and appliances chosen.
Permits and orders, including plan review where the work needs it and the cabinet order that starts the long wait.
Demolition, when the old counters, cabinets and finishes come out and the room goes dark.
Rough-in work
the electrical, plumbing and mechanical changes, followed by the inspection that has to pass before anything gets closed up.
Walls, floors and paint, while the cabinets are being finished at the shop.
Cabinet installation, then countertop template, fabrication and installation.
Backsplash, lighting trim, hardware, appliance hookups and the final walkthrough.
Inspections for permitted work are requested through the city and completed in phases, and those appointments are part of the critical path, not an afterthought. Plan the walkthrough as the last step, with a written punch list.
05Good to know
What slows a Scottsdale project down?
The delays that hurt most arrive after an order is placed. Cabinet lead times run from weeks to months, so a door style change in week 3 can restart the clock. Permit paperwork is another: in Scottsdale, adding or relocating electrical, plumbing or mechanical systems requires a permit, and permits other than Minimum Permits begin with plan review before the work, not during it. Backordered appliances and tile are a third. Changes made mid-project, even small ones, ripple through the trades' schedule. And site surprises happen: opening a wall can reveal something no one could see, and the fix has to be scheduled rather than rushed. The remedy is boring and effective: finish the decisions before demolition, order the long-lead items first, and leave slack between stages.
06Good to know
How do you keep a remodel on schedule?
Decide everything before demolition starts: cabinet style, finish, hardware, counters, backsplash, appliances and lighting. Every open decision is a place the schedule can stall. Order the long-lead items first and confirm the delivery date in writing. Keep a staging area so materials do not pile up in the work zone, and have one person make decisions so there is a single yes or no. It also helps to accept the sequence itself: cabinets before counters, counters before the backsplash, inspection before the walls close up. If you are planning a project in Scottsdale that needs decisions made in a certain order, call (747) 243-2089 and describe the project.
074 questions
Questions people ask
Still have a question? Call (747) 243-2089 and describe the kitchen.
01How long do kitchen cabinets take to arrive?
Fixr lists cabinet delivery at 1 to 2 weeks for stock lines, 4 to 8 weeks for semi-custom and 3 to 6 months or longer for fully custom, and that window shapes the whole schedule. Everything after the cabinets, including the countertop template, waits on them. The exact timing depends on the cabinet line, the door style and the finish, so confirm the date in writing when the order is placed.
02Can we still live in the house during the remodel?
Many families do. The kitchen goes out of service in stages, and the sink and counters are offline during counter work, so set up a temporary kitchen elsewhere in the house with the microwave, coffee maker and a table. Plan for dust control, and keep a route through the house that stays clear of the work zone.
03What causes the longest delays?
Changes after the cabinet order is placed, permits that need plan review before work can start, and backordered appliances or tile. The common thread is anything decided after the sequence is already running. None of these are unusual, and a schedule with a little slack between stages absorbs them better.
04What has to be decided before demolition starts?
Cabinets, counters, backsplash, appliances, lighting, hardware and the layout itself. Those choices drive the orders, and the orders drive the calendar, so a decision made after demolition is usually a decision made too late for the first pass. Write the list down and date each choice as it is made.
