How long does a full kitchen remodel take?

For a full remodel keeping the same layout, active construction typically runs 4–8 weeks. Including planning, design and material ordering, expect 3–4 months total. Layout changes with moved walls or relocated plumbing push construction to 8–12+ weeks.

What causes most kitchen renovation delays?

Ordering materials after demolition instead of before it. Custom cabinets can take 8–12 weeks, and stone counters are templated only after cabinets are installed, adding a 5–10 day fabrication wait. Mid-project change orders and surprises behind the walls of older homes add more time.

Kitchen Renovation Timeline: How Long Does a Kitchen Remodel Really Take? (2026)

Q: Do I need a permit to renovate my kitchen in Brampton?

A like-for-like update usually doesn't need a building permit. Moving or removing walls, relocating plumbing or gas lines, or adding new electrical circuits usually does, with inspections along the way. Requirements are confirmed with the City of Brampton per project.

Raj Renos Inc. · Licensed & WSIB-insured renovation contractor, Brampton · Updated August 2026

"How long will I be without a kitchen?" It's the first question every homeowner asks, and the honest answer has two parts: the construction itself, and everything that has to happen before a hammer swings. Most kitchen timelines blow up not on site, but in the ordering phase nobody warned the homeowner about. Here's the realistic 2026 picture for a Brampton or GTA home.

The short answer

Scope	Construction time	Total, incl. planning & ordering
Cosmetic refresh — paint, hardware, counters, backsplash	1–3 weeks	3–6 weeks
Full remodel, same layout — full demo, new cabinets, counters, flooring	4–8 weeks	3–4 months
Layout change — walls moved, plumbing or gas relocated, structural work	8–12+ weeks	4–6 months

Those construction numbers assume one thing that separates smooth projects from miserable ones: every long-lead material is on hand before demolition starts. More on that below.

Phase 1: Planning and ordering (the part everyone forgets)

Design decisions, measurements, quotes, permits where needed — and above all, cabinet lead times. In 2026, stock cabinetry typically arrives in one to three weeks, semi-custom runs roughly four to eight weeks, and fully custom cabinetry can take eight to twelve weeks or more. Appliances on backorder can be just as bad. The rule we run every project by: lock the cabinet and appliance orders before demo day, so the longest-lead items are already in production while the messy work happens. Tear out your kitchen first and order second, and you'll eat weeks of takeout staring at bare studs.

Permit note: a like-for-like kitchen update usually doesn't need a building permit — but moving or removing walls, relocating plumbing or gas lines, or adding new electrical circuits usually does, with inspections along the way. We confirm this with the City of Brampton before quoting, so it's built into the schedule rather than discovered mid-project.

Phase 2: Construction, week by week

For a typical full remodel with the same layout, here's how the weeks actually break down:

Stage	Typical duration	What's happening
Demolition & prep	2–4 days	Old kitchen out, floors and pathways protected, dust containment up
Rough-ins	3–7 days	Plumbing, electrical and HVAC moved or updated; inspections if permitted work
Drywall, mudding & paint	4–7 days	Repairs, taping, sanding, prime and paint — drying time drives this stage
Cabinet installation	2–5 days	Boxes levelled and set, doors and trim fitted
Counter template → install	5–10 days wait	Stone counters are measured only after cabinets are in, then fabricated — this gap is unavoidable
Backsplash & flooring finish	3–5 days	Tile set and grouted, flooring transitions completed
Fixtures, appliances & punch list	2–4 days	Sink and taps connected, appliances in, final walkthrough

The counter gap surprises everyone: quartz and granite are templated off the installed cabinets, then cut at the fabricator's shop. A good contractor schedules the plumber's final visit and the backsplash around that gap instead of letting the site sit idle.

What actually causes delays

Ordering after demo — the number-one cause, and fully avoidable. Mid-project change orders — every "while we're at it" adds days and re-sequences trades. Surprises behind the walls — older Brampton homes sometimes hide aluminum wiring, galvanized plumbing or unpermitted past work that must be corrected once opened. Trade scheduling — contractors juggling too many jobs leave your site dark for days between stages. A realistic schedule has some buffer built in; a schedule with zero slack is a schedule that will slip.

How we keep kitchens on schedule

Every Raj Renos kitchen runs on the same system: one fixed written quote after a site visit, all long-lead materials ordered and confirmed before demolition, our own licensed sub-trades booked in sequence rather than "when available," and one point of contact telling you what's happening each week. It's the same approach behind our Brampton kitchen renovation guide — and if you're still budgeting, our kitchen renovation cost breakdown covers what each scope level costs in 2026. Renovating more than the kitchen? See our whole-home renovation cost guide.

Want a real schedule, not a guess? We'll visit your home, confirm scope and permits, and give you one fixed written quote with a week-by-week timeline — materials ordered before demo, so your kitchen is out of commission for the shortest time possible.

Call (647) 771-0806. Free, no-obligation estimates across Brampton and the GTA.