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Planning·6 min read·
How Long Does a Kitchen Remodel Actually Take?
A realistic timeline for a full kitchen renovation in NYC — from first sketch to final walkthrough — and what causes most delays.
Most homeowners underestimate a kitchen renovation by 3 to 6 weeks. The construction itself is only part of the story — design, procurement and building approvals all add up before a single tile is set.
The realistic timeline
- Design & selections: 4 – 8 weeks
- Permits & building approvals (NYC): 2 – 8 weeks
- Cabinet & stone lead times: 6 – 12 weeks
- On-site construction: 6 – 10 weeks
- Punch list & final walkthrough: 1 – 2 weeks
A typical NYC kitchen remodel runs 4 to 6 months end-to-end. Full-gut projects with structural work push closer to 6 to 8 months.
What causes most delays
- Waiting on custom cabinets that were not ordered early enough
- Co-op or condo board reviews that slip past their promised window
- Change orders introduced after construction has already started
- Backordered appliances (especially European brands)
Every week you spend in design is a week you don't spend paying rent on a second apartment during construction.
