- Bathroom RemodelingTubs, vanities, tile and fixtures
- Showers & Glass DoorsWalk-in showers, benches and glass doors
- Niches & Accent TileShower niches, mosaics and borders
- Kitchen RemodelingBacksplashes, floors and full kitchens
- Tile FloorsKitchens, baths, entries and patterns
- Custom Tile WorkPatterns, borders and one-off details
- PaintingWalls, ceilings, trim and doors
- CarpentryTrim, doors, framing and built-ins
- Full RemodelsEvery room, start to finish
- Outdoor PatiosStone and tile patios
How long does a kitchen remodel take.
Cabinets set the start date. Then three to eight weeks of work.
Updated November 2026. The sources are at the end of the page.
The short answer
Three to eight weeks of work, once the cabinets are in hand.
On our jobs a full kitchen takes three to eight weeks of work once the cabinets are in hand, and a refresh that keeps the cabinets two to four. The cabinets usually decide when work can start: stock cabinets can arrive in a week or two, semi custom in four to eight weeks and custom in three to six months or more.
Before the work
The cabinets set the date.
Cabinet lead times, as published by Fixr: stock, one to two weeks; semi custom, four to eight weeks; custom, three to six months or more. Countertops are templated after the base cabinets are installed, so they come later in the job.
We schedule demo so the old kitchen comes out as close as possible to the day the new cabinets arrive.
On site
The steps, in order.
- Protection and demo.
- Rough in. Plumbing, gas and electrical, then the rough inspections.
- Walls and floor. Board, patching, then the floor if it is being replaced.
- Cabinets. Bases, then uppers.
- Countertops. Templated on the installed bases, then installed.
- Backsplash, fixtures and appliances. Sink, faucet, hookups, trim and paint.
- Final inspections and the walkthrough.
Living through it
Weeks without a kitchen.
Set up a temporary kitchen in another room: a microwave, a toaster oven or an electric skillet, a coffee maker, a cutting board and a bin for dishes. Box what you will not need before demo.
Questions
What homeowners ask about kitchen timing.
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
On our jobs, three to eight weeks of work once the cabinets are in hand, and two to four weeks for a refresh that keeps the cabinets. These are estimates: the size of the kitchen, what we find behind the walls and the inspection calendar move them.
How long do kitchen cabinets take to arrive?
Published lead times run about one to two weeks for stock cabinets, four to eight weeks for semi custom and three to six months or more for custom.
Why do countertops come after the cabinets?
Stone tops are templated on the installed base cabinets so they fit exactly.
Can we live at home during a kitchen remodel?
Most families do, with a temporary kitchen set up in another room. We keep the work area closed off and clean the site at the end of every day.
Does a kitchen remodel need a permit?
Cabinets and countertops alone do not need a building permit, but moving plumbing, a gas line or adding circuits does. See our guide on permits in Peabody.
Sources
Where these answers come from.
Official pages first. Rules change: check the source, or ask us at the quote visit.
- Fixr, how long a kitchen remodel takes
- 780 CMR 105.2: work exempt from a building permit (Massachusetts State Building Code)
- M.G.L. c.142, section 13: plumbing and gas fitting permits
Last checked November 2026.
Keep going
Keep reading.
Costs, the service itself and the other guides.
Let’s build it.
Tell us about the job. We answer right away and book the visit.
Tell us about the job. We answer right away and book the visit.
Let’s build it.
Let’s build it.
Let’s build it.
Let’s build it.
Let’s build it.
Tell us about the job. We answer right away and book the visit.
Projects
Start to finish.
01 SaugusAn attic turned into a living floorAn open attic became a bright floor with a full bathroom, a window seat and a new oak stair.
02 SalemA whole house in Salem, made newThree floors, two bathrooms, a new kitchen, new stairs and oak floors everywhere. One crew, one schedule, one number to call.
03 Manchester-by-the-SeaA walk-in shower in Manchester-by-the-SeaAn old tub alcove taken to the studs and built back as a walk-in shower with a glass door, a mosaic floor and two niches.
