Kitchen remodel timeline: the steps in order

This guide lists the steps of a kitchen remodel in order and gives no duration for the whole job. We found no official or industry source for how long a remodel takes, so any number here would be a guess. The only timing facts with an official source are city permit review times, listed below with the city named. Ask each company for starting and estimated completion dates in writing.

By Ryan Nesheim ยท Published 2026-10-20

Most timeline articles online give a range of weeks or months. We looked for an official or industry source for that range and did not find one. The Houzz and Cost vs. Value pages we read give no duration, and the other pages that do are contractor and lead-generation articles. This guide therefore gives the steps in order, and the one kind of timing that cities themselves publish.

What the sources say about timing

Cities publish how long they take to review a permit application. These are the only timing figures here. Each is that city's own figure for permit review, not the length of a remodel.

Other cities do not publish a figure on the pages we read. If your remodel needs a permit, ask your building department how long review takes before you agree to a start date. The permits guide shows which cities say what.

The steps, in order

These are the phases most kitchen remodels move through. No step has a duration here. Some jobs skip steps, and the order can change. A minor remodel that keeps the cabinet boxes and replaces the fronts, for example, skips new cabinet boxes entirely.

1. Measure and plan

The company measures the kitchen and you settle what the project includes. Drawings come next if walls, plumbing or electrical will move. Our kitchen layouts guide explains what changing a layout involves.

Floor plans, a tape measure, paint and color swatches and a coffee cup on a table in front of a white kitchen
Illustration, not a photo of a listed company's project.

2. Get written estimates and choose a company

The Attorney General says to get more than one estimate and to get them in writing. See how to choose a kitchen remodeler.

3. Sign the contract

On a job over $1,000, Illinois requires a written contract before work starts (815 ILCS 513/15). The Attorney General's page and the state pamphlet recommend that it include starting and estimated completion dates. This is the step where you get the schedule in writing. See contracts and lien waivers.

4. Apply for permits, if the city requires them

Permit rules are set by each city. Wait for the permit before the work that needs it begins. The review times above are what the three cities say for their own offices.

5. Order materials

Cabinets, countertops, appliances and fixtures are ordered or chosen. We have no sourced lead times for any of them, so ask the company which items it is ordering and when it expects each one.

6. Demolition

Old cabinets, countertops and, in some jobs, flooring or walls come out.

A gutted kitchen with exposed wall framing, a bare subfloor, a stepladder, and cabinets along a wall
Illustration, not a photo of a listed company's project.

7. Rough-in work and inspections

Electrical and plumbing work that will be hidden behind walls is done first. Where a city requires inspections, they happen at set points. Wheaton, for example, requires rough inspections once all rough-ins are complete but before insulation or concealment. Ask the company which inspections your city requires and who schedules them.

8. Cabinets and countertops

Cabinet boxes are installed and leveled. Countertops are measured once the cabinets are in, which is called templating. The countertop is then fabricated and installed.

A kitchen island with a tape measure and thin template strips laid across the top, with a drill on the counter
Illustration, not a photo of a listed company's project.

9. Finish work

Backsplash, flooring, paint, hardware, plumbing fixtures, lighting and appliances are installed and connected.

A kitchen in progress with cabinet boxes set in place, a yellow ladder and tools on the floor
Illustration, not a photo of a listed company's project.

10. Final walkthrough, payment and paperwork

The state pamphlet says not to sign a certificate of completion or make final payment until the work is done to your satisfaction. Before you pay, the Mechanics Lien Act expects the contractor to give you a sworn statement of everyone who furnished labor or materials (770 ILCS 60/5(a)). Ask about lien waivers at the same time. The contracts guide explains both.

How to keep a schedule on track

Without a sourced duration, the best protection is the contract. Ask for starting and estimated completion dates in writing, ask what happens if the dates change, and ask whether the start date depends on permit approval. The questions guide has these and more.

To find a company, pick your city, such as Chicago, Evanston or Champaign, or browse every city.

Sources

Every source below was checked on October 19, 2026. Official pages change, so confirm anything that affects your job with the source itself.

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