How Long Does a Typical Kitchen Remodel Take and What Does it Cost?

Kitchen remodels are an extremely popular home improvement endeavor but can take time to plan and build properly. So, whether you’re considering a floor-to-ceiling overhaul or simple cosmetic changes for your home’s hub — the kitchen — it’s good to have realistic expectations.  This brings us to the age-old question: “How long does a kitchen remodel take and what does it cost?”  We’ll break it down so you can better assess your situation, get an idea of project duration and better understand a probable price tag.

Factors Affecting Kitchen Remodel Timelines

Before we nail down specific numbers, let’s examine some — but certainly not all — variables that often influence the duration of kitchen renovations.

Size of the Kitchen

Kitchen size is an obvious place to start the discussion of how long a kitchen remodel takes. The amount of time is directly related to how much territory needs to be addressed.  If the kitchen is small, it may take less time to complete the remodel because there’s less space, and therefore less work to do. On the other hand, a spacious kitchen may take more time because there’s more area to cover, hence more work.

Scope of the Project

Scope isn’t just about the square footage of your kitchen. It’s also about the complexity or difficulty of the project.  The more expansive or elaborate the project is, the longer it will take to complete. In fact, projects that require extensive or complicated changes may take several months or more.  This isn’t just because it simply takes more time to do more work. It’s possible that more contractors, vendors, and suppliers must be involved. Additionally, your project may require more permits and inspections. Each of these people and processes has different timelines and schedules, which can further extend the duration of the project.

Supply Chain Readiness

When planning a kitchen renovation project, it’s important to think about the end-to-end supply chain of all necessary materials, supplies, and craftspeople.  Without these resources readily available, the duration of the renovation project can be significantly prolonged. After all, you can’t put in that backsplash tomorrow if the subway tiles are on backorder and the tiler’s booked solid for the next month. Ensuring a reliable supply chain before starting your project is a best practice. Having contingencies in place is a smart move, too. Doing so can help avoid delays and facilitate as efficient a timeline as possible.

Human Engagement

Undertaking a home renovation project, such as a kitchen remodel, is as much a “people project” as it is a “construction project.” Everyone has a role and responsibilities to fulfill to keep the reno moving forward at a reasonable pace.  Timely and responsive participation from the homeowner is essential to the project’s successful completion. This is because the homeowner’s input regarding design and style choices, decisions on materials, review of progress, and sign-off on changes and completed tasks all play a part in determining how long it will take for the kitchen renovation to be finished.

Similarly, contractors must be communicative and organized. As the experts on the job, it’s their duty to perform their work with integrity and professionalism. It’s on them to be proactive when they need answers or approvals from the homeowner.

Budget — Amount & Availability

Yes, sometimes money manipulates time. In certain scenarios, increasing a budget or hastening the cashflow can speed up the rate of progress and compress the project timeline. Inversely, reducing the spend or slowing the availability of funds can extend the time it takes to finish a kitchen remodel.

However, if your remodel is being done under a set-price contract (like we do), this may be less of a concern. We make sure all budgeting and financing is figured out long before the project starts.

This underscores the importance of:

  • Identifying the budget
  • Determining and prioritizing must-haves vs nice-to-haves for the project
  • Engaging a seasoned pro who can help you through the budgeting process

 

How Long Does a Kitchen Renovation Take?

Depending on project size and complexity, many projects last between 3-8 months. However, an “average” kitchen remodel takes around 16 weeks to complete. If you’re looking for a more precise estimate of your project timeline, you’ll have to discuss the details with your contractor or designer.

Basic Updates

If your kitchen just needs some touching up, you could be looking at only a few days to a few weeks for renovation. Professional tradespeople are generally able to work quickly, especially with more straightforward projects that have fewer moving pieces.

Mid-Range Remodels

The Goldilocks of kitchen redos, these projects fall somewhere in between a refresh and a gut job. As such, the duration will likely be somewhere in that “average” zone — 2-4 weeks for the design phase plus 6-12 weeks build-out.

Full Renovations

Want to rip out your existing space and replace pretty much everything? Full remodels tend to take anywhere from 12 weeks to 8 months.

 

What Are Typical Kitchen Remodel Costs in Portland?

According to the Cost vs. Value 2022 report, the national average kitchen remodel cost is $80,809, with $28,279 projects at the low end and $158,015 projects at the high end. In the Portland market specifically, the average cost homeowners paid to remodel their kitchens is $84,846, with the lowest cost at $29,088 and the highest cost at $164,855. The typical kitchen remodel costs in Portland are slightly higher than the national average but are not outside of the national average range.  When planning a kitchen remodel in Portland, OR and looking at cost, it’s important to know which parts of the remodel take up bigger and smaller portions of the budget. This will help determine where your project may fall on the spectrum.

Breakdown of Kitchen Remodel Costs

According to the National Kitchen and Bathroom Association, cabinetry and hardware cost about 29% of the total budget, followed by installation and appliances. The table below outlines all the costs associated with a kitchen remodel, and what percentage of the budget they usually take up. This should give you a good idea of how your money will be spent based on what types of changes you are looking to make to your kitchen.

Design fees 4%
Installation 17%
Appliances and ventilation 14%
Cabinetry and hardware 29%
Counters 10%
Lights 5%
Floors 7%
Doors and windows 4%
Walls and ceilings 5%
Plumbing 4%
Miscellaneous 1%

If you’re considering a kitchen remodel, schedule a free consultation.

It’s our promise to give it to you straight and be honest about project timelines and costs based on your specifications.  With more than 30 years of experience and hundreds of renovations under our tool belts, we’re pretty good at determining these things under a whole range of circumstances.

 

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