“How long will this take?” is usually the first thing homeowners in La Porte, Deer Park and around the Houston Bay Area ask us about a kitchen remodel. The honest answer is that it depends, and anyone who gives you a firm date before seeing your kitchen and your material choices is guessing.
What we can do is walk you through the phases. Once you know what happens at each step and what tends to slow it down, you can plan your life around the project and spot a schedule that sounds too good to be true.
The timeframes below are typical ranges for a mid-sized kitchen remodel. Your project may be faster or slower.
Phase 1: Design and Planning (about 2 to 6 weeks)
This is where you decide what you actually want: layout, cabinets, countertops, flooring, lighting, appliances and finishes. If you are keeping the existing layout, this can go quickly. If you are moving walls, relocating the sink or adding an island with plumbing, expect more back-and-forth.
Our estimator will measure the space, talk through options and put together a written scope and estimate. The more decisions you make here, the fewer surprises you get later. Changing your mind once work has started is one of the most common reasons kitchen remodels run long.
Phase 2: Permits (about 1 to 4 weeks)
Most kitchen remodels that touch plumbing, electrical, gas or structure need a permit. Each city runs its own process. La Porte’s Inspection Services Division takes applications and inspection requests through the city’s online Citizen Self Service (CSS) portal. Pasadena’s Permit Department works out of City Hall. Houston projects go through the Houston Permitting Center, and League City’s Building Department reviews plans uploaded to its online portal. Review times aren’t fixed. They depend on the type of permit, how complete the application is and how busy the office is. Friendswood, for example, says its plan review averages 5 to 7 working days.
A contractor who tells you to skip the permit is not doing you a favor. Unpermitted work can cause problems with insurance claims and when you go to sell the house.
Phase 3: Ordering Materials and Lead Times (about 2 to 12+ weeks)
This phase often decides your real start date. Some items are in stock locally. Others are made to order.
- Stock cabinets are often available fairly quickly.
- Semi-custom and custom cabinets can take several weeks or longer.
- Specialty appliances, tile and fixtures may be backordered.
- Countertops usually can’t be fabricated until the cabinets are installed and measured (see Phase 7).
We generally recommend having the key materials ordered, and ideally on site, before demolition starts. That way you are not living without a kitchen while you wait on a delivery.
Phase 4: Demolition (about 1 to 3 days)
Demo is usually the fastest part. Old cabinets, counters, flooring and sometimes drywall come out. This is also when hidden problems show up: water damage under the sink, old wiring, rotted subfloor or, in our humid climate, mold behind the walls. If we find something, we will stop, show you, and give you a written change order before fixing it.
Phase 5: Rough-In Work (about 1 to 2 weeks)
Rough-in is the work that ends up hidden inside the walls, floor and ceiling:
- Plumbing supply and drain lines
- Electrical wiring, outlets and circuits for appliances
- Gas lines, if needed
- Vent and duct work for range hoods
- Any framing changes
Green Dynasty manages this work and schedules licensed trade subcontractors. In Texas, plumbers and electricians must be licensed by the state, so you should expect licensed trades on this part of the job.
Phase 6: Inspections (a few days to 2 weeks)
Before the walls are closed up, the city inspector usually needs to sign off on the rough-in work. Scheduling depends on the inspector’s availability. If something fails, it has to be corrected and re-inspected, which adds time. This is a normal part of the process and protects you.
Phase 7: Drywall, Cabinets and Countertops (about 2 to 5 weeks)
After inspection, the walls are closed, taped, textured and primed. Then the cabinets go in. Once the cabinets are set and level, the countertop fabricator comes out to make a template. Stone countertops such as quartz or granite are cut to that template, and that gap between template and installation is a common wait.
Phase 8: Finish Work and Punch List (about 1 to 3 weeks)
Finish work includes:
- Backsplash tile
- Flooring, if it wasn’t done earlier
- Paint
- Sink, faucet and fixture installation
- Appliance hookup
- Lighting fixtures and trim
- Final inspection, if required
Then comes the punch list: a walkthrough where you and the contractor note anything that needs touching up. Don’t skip it, and don’t make the final payment until it’s done.
So What’s the Total?
Add the phases together and a typical kitchen remodel, from first meeting to finished kitchen, often runs a few months. The time your kitchen is actually torn up is usually shorter than the full calendar, because design, permits and ordering happen before demo.
What Slows a Kitchen Remodel Down
- Changing the design after work starts
- Materials that arrive late, damaged or wrong
- Hidden damage found during demo
- Failed inspections
- Moving plumbing or walls
- Weather delays on exterior work, such as during hurricane season
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I live at home during a kitchen remodel?
Most people do. Plan on setting up a temporary kitchen somewhere else in the house, with a microwave, a coffee maker and a folding table. Expect dust and noise during demo and drywall.
Why can’t the countertops go in right after the cabinets?
Stone countertops are custom cut. The fabricator needs to measure the installed cabinets first, then cut and finish the slabs. That gap is normal.
Will you give me a schedule in writing?
Yes. Ask any contractor for a written schedule with the major phases listed, and ask how they will tell you about delays.
Plan Your Kitchen Remodel with a Local Contractor
If you’re thinking about a kitchen remodel in La Porte, Deer Park, Pasadena, Baytown, Seabrook, League City or Houston, Green Dynasty Construction can walk you through a realistic timeline for your space before you commit. Call us at 832-304-0636 to talk with our team. We’re based in La Porte, TX.