Establishing Realistic Timelines for Your Kitchen Renovation

HGTV, DIY and other home improvement television shows, social media sites and the Internet are a great source of inspiration. Unfortunately, they also are a greater source of misinformation. Timelines and budgets are entirely unrealistic and often lead to frustration and disappointment among our clients in Pittsburgh. Viewers see the entire home renovated in seven weeks, which is not a realistic timeframe to completely gut and rebuild a kitchen, yet alone re-do a whole house. The processes omitted on home improvement television are the time to select a designer, the design process itself, the development process and decision making. The October 2019 issue of House Beautiful, the magazine’s first-ever kitchen issue, offers a more realistic time frame.

Step 1: Research (3 to 18 months+)

Most of our clients in Pittsburgh spend months researching different styles, products, and design concepts. We encourage this research because it helps to save time once moving forward with a renovation. Create mood boards that identify the types of kitchens, layouts, and products that you prefer Pinterest, Houzz.com or your platform of choice.

Step 2: Select a Showroom and a Designer (1 to 2 months)

An essential service that you should expect from your showroom and designer is to make order out of chaos by discussing your wants, needs, expectations, and budget. Expect your showroom and designer to narrow your product choices based on your needs, preferences, and budget. This process takes time because there are lots of questions that need to be answered to help your designer better envision what you want and develop the perfect solutions for your project.

Step 3: Develop the Design (5 to 6 weeks)

Based on your input, a designer takes your ideas and expectations and uses them to develop drawings, plans, specifications, perspectives, and elevations.

Step 4: Product Selection (4 to 5 weeks)

You should expect your showroom professional to develop a realistic budget and to direct you to products and techniques that represent the best value for your available funds. During this phase of the project, your designer does a deep dive into the details that make all the difference, finalizing material choices and sources and finalizing organization and storage plans.

Step 5: Fabrication and Delivery (2 to 5 months)

The time frame to source and obtain products depends on the design and product selection. Custom-made cabinets take longer to fabricate and deliver than stock cabinets. You should expect your designer and showroom to provide a detailed timeframe for sourcing and obtaining products. Product sourcing should begin before demolition.

Step 6: Demolition and Installation (1 to 9 months)

The timeline depends on the scope of the project. If the design calls for moving electrical, plumbing, ductwork, structural systems, adding additional space, installing new windows and/or doors, the timeframe will take longer than simply replacing what currently exists. You should expect your designer to not only provide a realistic timeline but also offer guidance for creating a make-shift kitchen during the renovation process. The design and product selection should be finalized before demolition begins. Making changes mid-course not only will expand the time necessary to complete the renovation, but changes will also adversely affect your budget.

Step 7: Adding the Finishing Touches (1 week)

This step involves installing window coverings, hanging art on the wall, placing your favorite keepsakes on open shelving, and smiling every time you cross the threshold of your brand new dream kitchen.