The sequence
Choose the size of your project and whether permits apply. Steps that do not belong to your scope dim out, and inspection steps are marked. It is a general order and not a schedule. Your remodeler’s plan is the one to follow.
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Why the order matters
- Rough-in comes before the walls close. Plumbing, electrical, gas and ducting run inside the walls and floor, and the inspector looks before they are covered.
- Paint goes on before the cabinets. The first coats are easy with the room empty. Touch-ups come at the end.
- Cabinets come before the countertop is measured. The fabricator measures the installed cabinets, not the drawings.
- Tile goes on after the counters. The backsplash meets the countertop, so the counter has to be there first.
- Fixtures and appliances are last. They are the easiest things to damage during everything else.
Where the waiting is
The work itself is sometimes the shorter part. The delays in a kitchen remodel tend to come from three places, and each one can be planned for:
- Long-lead items. Cabinets, special tile and some appliances can take a while to arrive. Get a written delivery date from each supplier before demolition starts.
- Templating to installation. The countertop is made after it is measured. Ask the fabricator how long the gap is, and plan a way to live without counters during it.
- Inspections. If the work is permitted, an inspector has to look at specific stages. Ask the remodeler how they schedule them and what happens if one fails.
Ask for a written schedule
We do not publish how many weeks a remodel takes, because it depends on the scope, the house, the suppliers and the town. What you can ask for is a written schedule that shows the order of the steps above and the dependencies between them, with the start date and the completion date from your contract. If something slips, ask which step moved and why.
Related
See living at home during a remodel for how to get through the demolition and the gap without counters, permits in New Haven for which steps involve the building office, and what the contract must say for the dates that belong in writing.
Do floors go in before or after the cabinets?
Both are done. Some installers set floors first and cut around the cabinets, and others set cabinets first and run the floor to them. Each has trade-offs for later changes. Ask for the choice and the reason in writing.
Why can’t the countertop be installed the day after the cabinets?
It has to be measured after the cabinets are set, and then cut and finished. That takes time, and the gap is where the kitchen has no counter.
What if an inspection fails?
The inspector lists what to fix, the trade corrects it, and the inspection is repeated. Ask the remodeler how they handle it and whether it affects the dates in the contract.