The kitchen remodel is the best home improvement you can make. It improves your space’s functionality and design. It increases your property value. However, the success of your renovation depends on more than what tiles you pick or what appliances you choose. It primarily depends on how you choose the right kitchen remodeling contractor. When your timeline is clear, realistic, and organized, you will mitigate stress, budget overruns, and the potential for your project to stall out.
We at Unik Construction know homeowners are looking for a managed renovation experience. This is why we have created this guide to help you navigate through the process of planning your kitchen remodel timeline and working with your contractor.
Key Steps to Planning Your Kitchen Remodel Timeline with Your Contractor
Below, we’ll explore the key steps to planning your kitchen remodel timeline with your contractor so you can enjoy a stress-free renovation and a beautifully finished kitchen.
- Define Your Goals and Budget
Before your kitchen remodeling contractor can establish a realistic timeline, you need to identify your remodeling goals. Are you upgrading your countertops and cabinets only, or are you conducting a full remodel with plumbing and electrical work? The scope of your project will determine the time involved.
Just as important, you need to develop a clear, reasonable budget from the outset. Your budget will help your contractor figure out how to allocate the time and resources so the project runs smoothly.
- Choose the Right Contractor
A remodel timeline will only be as reliable as the remodeler you hire. That’s why learning how to choose a kitchen remodeling contractor is an important first step. You want a licensed, insured contractor with experience specifically with kitchen projects.
Get references, read online reviews, and look at their past work to ensure that they have similar quality standards to your vision. An honest kitchen remodeling contractor will help you establish a reasonable timeline and be frank with you about delays, permit requirements, and the order of doing work.
- Plan the Design Phase
The design phase is usually undervalued when it comes to scheduling. Finalizing your design, selecting materials, ordering fixtures, and appliances can take a few weeks. A contractor who is proficient at project management will navigate you through this stage as well as prevent mistakes, such as selecting a material on back order that may delay your project.
Tip: Finalizing all of the major design decisions before demolition has started is a great benefit. Shifting elements mid-stream is a major reason for the extended timeline process.
- Account for Permits and Approvals
Kitchen remodeling projects in Massachusetts typically require building permits, particularly if you are changing the structure, plumbing, or electrical systems. The specific amount of time it takes to obtain a permit can vary based on your municipality. An experienced kitchen remodeling contractor should know the proper process to apply for permits, and likely will consider this when preparing your remodel timeline.
- Set a Realistic Construction Schedule
Once the planning, design, and permits are complete, your contractor will provide an overview of the construction phase. Here’s a basic breakdown of the approximate time for each construction phase:
- Demolition: 2 – 5 days
- Plumbing & Electrical Rough-In: 5 – 10 days
- Framing (if applicable): 2 – 4 days
- Inspections: 1 – 3 days (depending on your city/town)
- Drywall and Painting: 5 – 7 days
- Cabinet Installation: 3 – 5 days
- Countertops and Fixtures: 5 – 7 days
- Flooring and Finishing work: 5 – 10 days
In general, most kitchen remodels will take approximately 6 – 12 weeks, depending on the complexity of the work. Your kitchen remodeling contractor will amend this schedule to suit your specific project, and there are a lot of variables that adjust each project.
- Build in Flexibility
No matter how you plan, you may run into unexpected issues; maybe there’s water damage you weren’t aware of, there are supply chain delays, or perhaps the specialty trades can’t make your schedule work.
An experienced contractor will plan for things to go wrong and will give you a timeline with that buffer time included. This is another part of why knowing how to pick your kitchen remodeling contractor is important, because an experienced professional will disclose when and where there might be delays, and keep you in the process to help keep it moving.
- Maintain Open Communication
Communication is always going to be the lifeblood of a remodel timeline. Make sure you set up regular meetings with your contractor and check in on site about progress, what’s to come, and any other concerns you may have. A transparent contractor will supply updates for you every step of the way and will help prevent surprises at the end of your remodel!
Request a detailed calendar of tasks from your kitchen remodeling contractor to be able to see the timeline and your agreed-upon expectations for the remodel overall. Seeing a timeline is helpful to track progress.
- Conduct a Final Walkthrough
Once the project is almost finished, schedule a final walkthrough with your contractor. This is your chance to go through each aspect of the remodel, verify that everything is acceptable, and compile a punch list of any minor items left to finish up. This step helps to ensure that a successful and polished deliverable will be the final step in the timeline.
Why the Right Contractor Makes All the Difference
Regardless of how clear your remodel timeline is, one thing that the success of your project still relies on is the professionalism, experience, and reliability of your contractor. Knowing how to choose a kitchen remodeling contractor will give you confidence and peace of mind that you have made the right decision for your project.
We at Unik Construction deliver kitchen remodels that look beautiful, and we help to ensure our projects are completed on time and budget. Our team works with you at every step of the process: planning, permits, construction, and finishing touches to help ensure that your experience is as effortless as possible.
