How Long Does a Kitchen Remodel Take From Start to Finish?

"So... how long is this going to take?"

It is usually the second question we hear at a first design consultation, right after "what will it cost?" And it is a fair one. A kitchen remodel means weeks of eating takeout, washing dishes in the bathtub, and living with a plastic sheet where your kitchen used to be. You want a real answer, not "it depends."

So here it is, based on 48 years of remodeling kitchens in Minneapolis and St. Paul homes: a typical kitchen remodel takes 4 to 6 months from your first design meeting to the final walkthrough. Of that, only 6 to 12 weeks is actual construction. The rest is design, selections, permits, and waiting for cabinets.

That surprises a lot of people. Most of the timeline happens before anyone swings a hammer. Here is how it breaks down, phase by phase, and what you can do to keep your project moving.

The Short Answer: Kitchen Remodel Timelines by Scope

Every kitchen is different, but projects tend to fall into three buckets. These ranges cover the construction phase only, once your design is final and materials are on site.

Minor Kitchen Remodel: 4 to 6 Weeks

Same layout, same footprint. New cabinets or refaced cabinets, new countertops, backsplash, flooring, lighting, and appliances. No walls move and the plumbing and electrical stay roughly where they are.

Mid-Range Kitchen Remodel: 6 to 10 Weeks

A full gut of the existing kitchen with new semi-custom cabinetry, relocated sink or range, updated electrical, and new finishes throughout. This is the most common project we build in the Twin Cities.

Major Kitchen Remodel: 10 to 16 Weeks or More

Walls come down, a beam goes in, the layout changes, or the kitchen grows into an addition. Structural work, new mechanicals, and inspections add time. If the kitchen is part of a larger whole house renovation, the schedule is built around the entire project.

Now for the part most timelines skip: everything that happens before demolition day.

Phase 1: Design and Planning (4 to 8 Weeks)

This is where a kitchen remodel is won or lost. Rushing design is the single most reliable way to blow up your schedule later, because every change made after cabinets are ordered costs weeks.

Your First Design Meeting

After an initial consultation and a signed design agreement, your designer meets you at your home to review the project, measure the existing space, and talk through how you actually use your kitchen. Then the concept work begins: layout options, elevations, and a rough scope.

Concept Meetings and Revisions

Most projects need one to three design meetings to land on a plan you love. This is the time to move the island, add the pantry, or reconsider the window. Changes are still free here. Take the time you need.

Selections at Our Design Studios

Cabinets, countertops, tile, hardware, plumbing fixtures, flooring, and paint. Our Design Selection Studios in NE Minneapolis and St. Paul let you make every selection with your designer in one place instead of driving between six showrooms. Homeowners who come in with a rough wish list usually finish selections in two or three visits.

Proposal and Final Design

Once the design and selections are locked, we build a line-item proposal. Because the scope is fully defined before the contract, we can back it with our No Unforeseen Change Order Guarantee. Your price is fixed before construction starts.

Phase 2: Permits and Ordering (5 to 14 Weeks)

This is the phase that stretches most timelines, and it is almost entirely waiting.

Permits in Minneapolis and St. Paul

Almost all remodeling projects require a building permit before work starts, as the City of Minneapolis puts it. Kitchens that move plumbing, add circuits, or touch structure also need plan review, which can take several weeks depending on the city and the season. Older homes in historic districts can take longer. We pull the permits and schedule the inspections so you never have to think about it.

Cabinet and Material Lead Times

Cabinets are the long pole. Semi-custom cabinetry typically takes 6 to 12 weeks from order to delivery, and demand for wood-grain cabinetry is only growing. In the NKBA/KBIS 2026 Kitchen Trends Report, 59% of industry professionals said wood grain is growing faster than painted cabinets, with white oak the most requested species. Popular finishes mean longer queues at the factory.

Countertops add another 2 to 3 weeks after cabinets are installed, because stone is templated on the real cabinets before it is cut. Special-order tile, windows, and appliances each have their own lead times.

Why We Do Not Start Until Everything Is on Site

At Castle, construction begins 5 to 14 weeks after contract signing, with 6 to 10 weeks being typical. That gap is deliberate. We wait until permits are approved and every major material is ordered and in hand before demolition. It means you keep your working kitchen longer, and once we start, we do not stop. This is what makes our Guaranteed Completion Date possible.

Phase 3: Construction (6 to 12 Weeks)

Here is roughly what the weeks look like once your project manager hands you the schedule.

Week 1: Demolition and Protection

Floors and adjacent rooms get protected, dust barriers go up, and the old kitchen comes out. In a 1920s St. Paul home, this is also when we find out what is really behind the walls. Because we planned thoroughly and budgeted for the age of the home, surprises change our approach, not your price.

Weeks 2 to 3: Rough-In Work

Framing changes, new plumbing lines, electrical circuits, HVAC adjustments, and any structural beams. Then the rough-in inspection. Nothing gets closed up until the inspector signs off.

Weeks 4 to 5: Insulation, Drywall, and Paint

Insulation, drywall, taping, and finishing. Drywall needs drying time between coats, which is one reason a Minnesota winter remodel can move a few days slower than a summer one. Priming and the first coats of paint happen now, before cabinets arrive.

Weeks 6 to 7: Cabinets, Flooring, and Countertop Templating

This is the week everything starts to look like a kitchen. Cabinets are set, leveled, and secured. The countertop fabricator then templates the real cabinets, and the slabs go into production. Depending on the material, flooring goes in before or after cabinets.

Weeks 8 to 10: Countertops, Tile, and Finish Work

Countertops are installed, then the backsplash, plumbing fixtures, appliances, lighting, and hardware. Trim, final paint, and touch-ups follow. The final inspection closes out the permit.

Final Walkthrough

We walk the finished kitchen with you, build the punch list, and knock it out. Then the takeout stops and the cooking starts.

What Makes a Kitchen Remodel Take Longer?

After hundreds of kitchens, the delays we see come from the same handful of causes.

• Mid-project changes. Switching a cabinet color or countertop material after ordering can add 8 to 12 weeks. The design phase is the time to decide.

• Starting before materials arrive. Demolishing a kitchen and then waiting for cabinets is how a 10-week project becomes a 5-month project. We do not do it.

• Structural and layout changes. Removing a bearing wall adds engineering, plan review, and inspection time. Worth it for the right kitchen, but plan for it.

• Older-home surprises. Knob-and-tube wiring, galvanized plumbing, and out-of-level floors are normal in Minneapolis and St. Paul homes. Experienced crews expect them and build them into the plan.

• Slow decisions. Every unanswered question about a fixture or a finish is a day the schedule waits. Your designer will tell you exactly which decisions are on the critical path.

How to Keep Your Kitchen Remodel on Schedule

• Start planning 6 to 9 months before you want to cook in your new kitchen. If the goal is Thanksgiving, design should start in spring.

• Bring inspiration to the first meeting. Browse our kitchen portfolio, save what you like, and note what you do not. It shortens design by weeks. Our 2026 kitchen trends guide is a good place to start.

• Make selections early and then stop touching them. Finalize cabinets first, since they drive the schedule.

• Set up a temporary kitchen. A microwave, a hot plate, and a utility sink make 8 weeks a lot more livable.

• Choose a design-build firm. When the designer, estimator, and construction team work under one roof, there is no handoff between "the plans" and "the build," and no one to blame but us. NARI's homeowner guide has a good list of questions to ask any contractor before you sign.

Does a Faster Kitchen Remodel Cost More?

Not usually. The things that speed up a remodel, such as thorough planning, locked selections, and ordering everything before demo, are the same things that keep it on budget. According to the 2026 U.S. Houzz Kitchen Trends Study of 1,780 homeowners, the median spend for a major kitchen remodel is $55,000, and in the Twin Cities you should expect to be at or above that. What costs real money is a schedule that stalls: extra weeks of temporary living, rushed shipping, and change orders. For a transparent look at how pricing works, visit our project costs page.

A Timeline You Can Actually Plan Around

Most contractors give you an estimate. We give you a date. Because we finish design, permits, and ordering before we start, every Castle project comes with a Guaranteed Completion Date, a No Unforeseen Change Order Guarantee, and a Lifetime Warranty on our workmanship. We're fast, we're guaranteed, or we pay you.

If you are trying to figure out when to start so your kitchen is done by a date that matters to you, schedule a free design consultation and we will map the whole timeline out with you. You can also request our Inspiration Brochure or read what past clients say about living through a Castle remodel on our testimonials page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a kitchen remodel take from start to finish?

From the first design meeting to the final walkthrough, a typical kitchen remodel takes 4 to 6 months. Design and selections take 4 to 8 weeks, permits and material lead times take 5 to 14 weeks, and construction takes 6 to 12 weeks depending on scope. At Castle Building & Remodeling, construction begins 5 to 14 weeks after contract signing, with 6 to 10 weeks being typical, and every project has a Guaranteed Completion Date.

How long does the construction phase of a kitchen remodel take?

Once demolition starts, a minor kitchen remodel takes about 4 to 6 weeks, a mid-range remodel with new cabinets and relocated fixtures takes 6 to 10 weeks, and a major remodel with structural or layout changes takes 10 to 16 weeks or more. Starting only after permits are approved and materials are on site is the biggest factor in hitting those ranges. See how we structure the build on our design and planning process page.

Can I live in my house during a kitchen remodel?

Yes. Most Twin Cities homeowners stay home during a kitchen remodel. We protect adjacent rooms with dust barriers, keep a clear path to the rest of the house, and help you set up a temporary kitchen with a microwave, mini fridge, and a sink. Expect the noisiest days during demolition and rough-in in the first two to three weeks.

What is the longest lead-time item in a kitchen remodel?

Cabinets. Semi-custom cabinetry typically takes 6 to 12 weeks from order to delivery, and popular wood-grain finishes such as white oak can run longer. Countertops add 2 to 3 weeks after cabinets are installed because they are templated on site. This is why we finalize cabinet selections first and order everything before demolition. Learn more about our kitchen remodeling services.

When should I start planning a kitchen remodel?

Start 6 to 9 months before you want to be cooking in the finished kitchen. Winter is a great time to design and order so construction can begin in spring, and many homeowners plan spring design work for a kitchen that is done before the holidays. Schedule a free consultation and we will build the timeline backward from your target date.