How long does a kitchen renovation take?

Homeowners desperate for on-trend, Pinterest-worthy kitchens should consider the time frame of a kitchen refit before beginning any work. Don’t be caught out with a longer kitchen renovation than expected.

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How long does a kitchen renovation take?

Answering this question is like asking, ‘How long is a piece of string?’ A kitchen renovation usually takes four to ten weeks in the UK, but it really depends.

Planning and design

How long the planning takes will largely depend on the shape, size and number of renovations needed to your kitchen. Of course, if you’re very decisive, you might be able to reduce this time.

A kitchen renovation's planning and design time can be reduced for minor kitchen refits that only replace cabinets and worktops. It may be a case of browsing showrooms and talking with your kitchen fitter.

However, more extensive refits will take longer and might require expert advice.

If you don’t know where to start, take a look at our guide to hiring a tradesperson. Or start searching for one today.

Why can a kitchen refit take longer?

Several factors have an effect on how much time it takes to complete a kitchen renovation, including;

1. Project size and complexity

If the footprint of your kitchen stays the same, your kitchen renovation may only take a few weeks. However, moving wires or pipes around, knocking through any walls, or waiting on bespoke cabinets or appliances will take longer.

What's more, if your kitchen is moving rooms, has a new kitchen island installed, is enormous, or is undergoing a complete renovation, it could take up to 10 to 12 weeks.

2. Deliveries

Most standard kitchen deliveries only take between two to four weeks. But, a bespoke kitchen will always take longer to be delivered.

You can mediate this by confirming your delivery timeframe with your kitchen suppliers when making your order. Doing this means you can plan around delivery times so your kitchen isn’t out of action for longer than needed.

But always be wary of delays.

3. Weird and wonderful fittings

Something that can extend the time frame for a kitchen refit is worktops. If your kitchen walls are straight and even, a joiner should be okay to cut and install your new worktops swiftly.

But, if your walls aren’t straight, the counter is curved, or your worktop needs to run around a sink or hob, extra time may needed.

In general, kitchen counters and cabinets can take up to four weeks to be entirely replaced.

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Most contemporary kitchens are fitted, meaning each part is fixed and immovable. This might include kitchen islands, cupboards, cabinetry, and appliances. They're designed to fit and complement each other so the result is clean and stylish.

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What's the best way to find the right tradesperson?

When asking yourself, ‘How long does a kitchen renovation take?’, consider the entire process.

Visiting showrooms, getting referrals and quotes from tradespeople, doing the work, cleaning and putting your kitchen back together can take anywhere from a few weeks to three months.

That's why we only give our seal of approval to members who pass up to 12 checks and commit to upholding The Checkatrade Standard to:

• Deliver a high-quality of work

• Maintain high standards of personal conduct

• Work safely, ethically, and within their skill set

• Communicate clearly and honestly

• Agree costs and contract terms upfront

• Encourage and welcome customer reviews

Whether you're knocking through walls, retiling, moving plumbing, or just installing new cabinets, we have quality tradespeople who can help you with your dream kitchen.

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