How long does a kitchen remodel take in Austin?

The short answer

For a full kitchen remodel with no structural changes, a realistic span from first meeting to a working kitchen is roughly four to seven months. Construction itself is often eight to twelve weeks. The rest is design, selections, ordering and permits.

These are typical ranges, not promises. Your house, your selections and current permit review times all move the numbers. The timeline explorer on our process page shows how the stages add up for different project types.

Design and selections: four to six weeks

Design starts with how you cook and what you store, then moves to layout, cabinetry, lighting and finishes. The pace is usually set by decisions: how quickly cabinets, appliances, counters and fixtures are chosen.

The single most effective way to shorten a remodel is to finish every selection before demolition. A kitchen waiting for a faucet or a slab is a kitchen you cannot use.

Permits: two to six weeks, sometimes more

Replacing cabinets and counters in the same positions may need little or no permitting. Moving plumbing, adding circuits, removing walls or changing windows usually needs a permit and inspections. In the City of Austin, residential review times change with demand, so check current published times rather than relying on an old rule of thumb.

Homes in a local historic district, or in a neighbourhood with a homeowners association, may also need a separate review for exterior changes such as new windows or doors.

Ordering: the hidden schedule

Semi-custom and custom cabinetry commonly takes several weeks to manufacture, and some appliances and plumbing fixtures can take longer. Stone counters cannot be templated until the cabinets are installed, so fabrication adds one to two weeks in the middle of construction.

• Confirm lead times in writing before setting a start date.
• Order long-lead items before demolition, not after.
• Keep a short list of alternates in case a selection is discontinued.

Construction: eight to twelve weeks

A typical sequence is demolition, rough plumbing and electrical, inspections, drywall, cabinet installation, counter templating and installation, backsplash, fixtures, appliances and final touches. Removing a load-bearing wall, moving a drain on a slab foundation or adding a window can add time.

If you are staying at home, a temporary kitchen with a sink, refrigerator and some counter space makes the weeks much easier.

What usually causes delays

• Late selections. The most common cause, and the easiest to avoid.
• Hidden conditions. Old wiring, plumbing or rot found behind walls. Investigation during design reduces this.
• Inspection scheduling. Each inspection has to pass before the next stage closes up the work.
• Changes mid-project. Each change needs pricing, ordering and sometimes re-inspection.

A design-build team can reduce several of these at once because the people pricing and building the kitchen are involved while it is designed. See how we approach kitchen remodeling, or an illustrative kitchen project.