Kitchen Renovation Timeline: How Long Each Stage Takes

A full kitchen renovation in an Ottawa home usually runs three to five months from first design meeting to final walkthrough, and only a fraction of that is hammering. The construction itself often takes six to twelve weeks. Most of the rest is design, ordering cabinets, and waiting on permits and inspections. In an older house, one more step can sit in front of everything: testing for asbestos, lead and mould before walls and floors are opened.

These are planning ranges, not promises. Your kitchen’s size, the cabinets you choose and what is behind the walls will move them. This guide shows what happens in each stage, where time is usually lost, and how to sequence the work so your kitchen is out of service for as short a time as possible.

TL;DR

• Plan for roughly 3 to 5 months in total: 3 to 6 weeks of design and ordering, permit time if needed, then about 6 to 12 weeks on site.
• Cabinets and countertops set the pace. Order them before demolition, and template countertops only after the cabinets are in.
• In homes built before 1990, test for asbestos and lead before demolition. Testing is a short step, but surprises mid-project cost weeks.
• Changing the scope after work starts is the most common avoidable delay.
• A kitchen renovation at HMJ Contracting is priced from $25,000 to $75,000, with a free estimate and a line-by-line quote.

Table of Contents

• How long a kitchen renovation takes, start to finish
• What comes first: design, budget and decisions
• Older home? Test for hazardous materials before demolition
• Permits and inspections: the stage people forget
• Demolition and site prep: 2 to 5 days for most kitchens
• Rough-in work: 1 to 2 weeks
• Drywall, paint and flooring: 1 to 2 weeks
• Cabinets, countertops and finishes: 2 to 4 weeks
• What actually causes delays
• A sample schedule for a mid-range kitchen
• Living without a kitchen
• Planning a kitchen in Ottawa? Start with an estimate
• FAQ
• Sources

How long a kitchen renovation takes, start to finish

Think of the project in four blocks rather than one long number:

The blocks overlap. Cabinets are ordered while permits are processed, and testing happens before demolition. A well-run project uses that overlap, so the on-site work starts only when the key materials are already on their way or in the garage. A poorly sequenced project does the reverse: demolition on day one, then three weeks of an empty room waiting for a cabinet delivery.

A simple kitchen with stock cabinets, no layout change and no permit can come in closer to the low end. A kitchen where walls move, plumbing is relocated and custom cabinets are made sits at the high end or beyond it.

What comes first: design, budget and decisions

Before anyone touches a wall, you need three things settled: the layout, the budget and the cabinet and counter choices. Layout comes first because it determines everything else: where plumbing and electrical go, whether a wall is removed, whether a permit is needed, and which cabinets you order.

What to settle in this stage:

1. Scope. Cosmetic update, new cabinets in the same footprint, or a full reconfiguration. Be honest about this now. Design-build professionals warn that changing scope once construction starts is the most common cause of significant, avoidable delay.
2. Budget. HMJ’s published range for a kitchen renovation is $25,000 to $75,000. Where you land depends on size, cabinetry, counters and how much structural or mechanical work is involved. Our estimates are itemized line by line, so you can see what each choice costs before signing.
3. Selections. Cabinets, counters, flooring, backsplash, sink, faucet, appliances and lighting. Appliance dimensions matter: cabinets are built around them, so a late appliance change can force a cabinet change.

Allow two to six weeks here. People who decide slowly are not at fault; there are simply many choices. But every week of indecision before the order is placed is a week the kitchen stays as it is, which is better than a week with the kitchen torn out.

If you want a general view of how the whole sequence of work fits together, this overview of kitchen remodel sequencing is a helpful companion, and our own home renovation timeline guide covers whole-house projects.

Older home? Test for hazardous materials before demolition

If your house was built before about 1990, this step belongs before demolition, not after. Health Canada says asbestos was used in various materials in some homes built before 1990, and recommends having a professional test before renovating. If it is found, hire a qualified professional to manage or remove it, and do not disturb it yourself.

Kitchens in older Ottawa houses are a common place to find it. Typical suspects are old vinyl or linoleum flooring and its adhesive, textured ceilings, plaster, and insulation. We cover this in more detail in our guide on how asbestos affects renovation plans.

Lead paint follows the same logic. Health Canada’s home-safety guidance notes that homes built before 1991 may contain lead-based paint, that suspected paint should be tested, and that it should not be sanded, scraped or burned because that can release harmful dust. Kitchens have many painted trim, door and window surfaces, so demolition and lead paint meet more often than people expect. Our guide to lead paint testing in Ottawa homes explains what to do.

The same guidance says to check for visible mould or excess moisture, fix the underlying water, humidity or ventilation cause, and consider professional cleanup for large or recurring mould. Under a sink or behind a dishwasher is where kitchens tend to hide it.

What this adds to the schedule

• Testing and lab analysis: HMJ’s published range is $300 to $600. Sampling is quick and lab results usually take a matter of days, so book it as soon as you decide to renovate.
• Small abatement jobs: Small Type 1 or 2 jobs are published at $1,500 to $3,500 and are often done in a day or two before demolition starts.
• Larger work: Type 3 work and larger mould problems are quoted after assessment.

The point is simple. Finding asbestos on day four of demolition stops every trade on site. Finding it in week one of planning costs a few days and changes nothing else. For a broader look, see our article on hidden renovation hazards in older Canadian homes, and for the pre-renovation checks themselves, these pre-renovation safety checks explain why qualified professionals handle certain materials.

Permits and inspections: the stage people forget

Not every kitchen needs a permit, and the rule is set by your municipality. As an example of how it works elsewhere in Ontario, the Town of Georgina says changing, adding or removing kitchen plumbing requires a permit, while replacing cupboards without plumbing work does not, and electrical alterations involve the ESA. Ottawa has its own rules, so confirm yours with the City before you plan. Our renovation permit application guide walks through the process, and the building code compliance checklist covers what inspectors look for.

Typical triggers for a permit in a kitchen:

• Moving or adding plumbing, such as relocating the sink
• Removing or opening a load-bearing wall
• Adding or changing heating, ventilation or gas lines
• Major electrical changes, which involve the ESA

Once a permit is issued, inspections become part of your schedule. The City of Ottawa says you should book mandatory building inspections at least 48 hours ahead to make sure an inspector is available. It also warns that if the right inspection is skipped, the work may have to be uncovered and exposed for inspection, or other orders may follow. Closing up drywall before the rough-in inspection is the classic mistake, and it costs days of rework.

We manage permits as part of our renovation work, so the inspections are booked around the trades instead of the other way round. HMJ also handles the abatement, demolition and rebuild under one roof, which removes the handoff gaps between separate companies.

Demolition and site prep: 2 to 5 days for most kitchens

Demolition of a typical kitchen takes a few days: cabinets, counters, flooring, sometimes a wall or bulkhead. Beforehand the crew protects floors and doorways, seals off dust from the rest of the house, and shuts off water and gas where needed.

This is also when you discover what the previous owners did. Common surprises:

• Rot or mould under an old sink
• Wiring that is not up to current practice
• Galvanized or leaking supply lines
• Uneven or damaged subfloor
• Old materials that were not tested and now need to be

If the pre-demolition testing was done, most of these are limited to repair work, not stoppages. If a wall is being removed or a doorway widened, our structural opening work is published from $2,500 to $10,000, and a single-room strip-out from $1,000 to $4,000. Debris leaves the site with the crew, and our junk removal handles the haul.

Rough-in work: 1 to 2 weeks

With the room empty, plumbers, electricians and, if needed, HVAC tradespeople run new lines. This is where the layout becomes real: outlets above the counter, a pot filler, an under-cabinet lighting circuit, a vented range hood.

Then the rough-in inspection, if a permit applies. Nothing gets covered until it passes. Book it early, given the 48-hour notice the City asks for, and the inspection should fall within a day or two of the work being ready.

This is also the best moment to fix problems you do not want to see again: add insulation where an exterior wall is open, repair the subfloor, and add circuits for the appliances you plan to own.

Drywall, paint and flooring: 1 to 2 weeks

Once the inspection passes, drywall goes up, gets taped, mudded and sanded, and primed. Drying time is the hidden cost here: each coat of compound needs to dry before the next, so this stage looks slow from the outside but cannot be rushed without cracks showing later.

The order of flooring and cabinets is one of the most debated points in kitchen work, and good contractors do it either way. What matters is that your contractor decides it at the planning stage, not on the day, so that toe kicks, transitions and appliance heights all line up.

Cabinets, countertops and finishes: 2 to 4 weeks

Cabinets are installed first, leveled and fastened. Only then can countertops be measured. The countertop fabricator templates after the cabinets are installed and leveled, and fabrication adds a lead time of about one to two weeks before the counters arrive for install. This is the stretch of the project where homeowners see little change from day to day, and it is entirely normal.

Typical order after countertops go in:

1. Sink and faucet installation, and plumbing hook-up
2. Backsplash tile and grout
3. Appliances
4. Final electrical: switches, outlets, lighting
5. Paint touch-ups, hardware, trim
6. Final cleaning and walkthrough

A deficiency list (the small things that need fixing) is normal at the end. A good contractor walks it with you and closes each item before the final payment.

What actually causes delays

Most schedule slips fall into a few groups:

• Cabinet lead times. Stock cabinets may be available in days, semi-custom in several weeks, and custom cabinetry often takes two to three months. Order before demolition.
• Scope changes. Adding an island, moving a window or upgrading counters after the work starts means redrawing, reordering and rescheduling trades.
• Hidden conditions. Rot, old wiring, and hazardous materials in older houses. Testing first cuts most of this risk.
• Permits and inspections. Applying late, or finishing the work before the inspection is booked.
• Trade scheduling. Electrician and plumber availability. Having one contractor coordinate the trades keeps the gaps short.
• Late selections. A faucet, tile or appliance choice made late holds up one trade and then the next.

Seasons matter too. Spring and summer are the busy season for renovators in Ottawa, so booking design in winter often means you start building when schedules open up. This is a general pattern, so ask any contractor you speak to about their current lead time.

A sample schedule for a mid-range kitchen

This is an illustration of how the stages stack, not a guaranteed timetable. It assumes a 1970s Ottawa house, a new layout with a moved sink, and semi-custom cabinets.

That adds up to about four months in total, with roughly nine weeks on site. A simpler project can compress several of these rows into one.

Living without a kitchen

The on-site stretch is the part you feel. A few things make it easier:

• Set up a temporary kitchen in a dining room, basement or garage: a microwave, a kettle, a small fridge or the existing fridge moved, and a slow cooker or electric pot on a sturdy table.
• Wash dishes elsewhere, such as a bathroom or laundry sink, with a plastic tub and a drying rack.
• Stock easy meals: prepared foods, sandwiches, salads, items that need no real cooking. Plan some takeout weeks, especially around demolition and countertop install, when water may be off.
• Pack up the kitchen a few days before day one, and label the boxes by function.
• Keep kids and pets away from the work area, and agree on where dust-sensitive items such as electronics go.
• Agree on daily routines with your contractor: start time, where tools are stored, and how you will be told when the water or power goes off.

Our perspective

After more than 25 years working in Ottawa houses, we have seen the same pattern many times: the kitchen schedule is rarely lost in the kitchen. It is lost before demolition, when nobody tested the old flooring, nobody booked the inspection, or the cabinets were not ordered.

We handle abatement, demolition and renovation as one project under one roof. That matters because a hazardous material found on day four is not a separate problem, it is the same project’s problem, and the person who found it should be the person who can fix it and restart the schedule.

We also write itemized, line-by-line quotes, so you know what is in the plan before it starts. A clear plan is the best way to protect a timeline, and it is how we try to keep every project clean, communicative and on schedule.

Jason

Planning a kitchen in Ottawa? Start with an estimate

HMJ Contracting offers licensed and insured kitchen renovations across the Ottawa area, with abatement, demolition, permit management and junk removal handled by the same team. Kitchen renovations are published at $25,000 to $75,000, and we give free estimates, with a line-by-line quote and an estimate typically within 24 hours.

If your home was built before 1990, ask us about testing at the start. See our kitchen and home renovation services or contact HMJ Contracting to book your estimate.

FAQ

How long does a kitchen remodel take once demolition starts?

For most kitchens, plan on about six to twelve weeks on site, depending on size, layout changes and countertop lead time. A cosmetic update with the same layout can be shorter. Hidden problems in older homes, such as rot or hazardous materials, can add time, which is why testing beforehand matters.

What comes first when renovating a kitchen?

Design and scope come first, then the budget and cabinet order. In a house built before 1990, testing for asbestos and lead comes before demolition. Permits, if needed, are applied for while cabinets are being made.

Do I need a permit for a kitchen renovation in Ottawa?

It depends on the work. Moving plumbing, removing a structural wall or making major electrical or heating changes commonly requires one, while swapping cabinets alone often does not. Check with the City of Ottawa before you plan, and if a permit applies, book each inspection at least 48 hours ahead.

Can I stay in my home during a kitchen renovation?

Most people do. Set up a temporary kitchen with a microwave, kettle and small fridge in another room, and expect some dust and noise. If abatement is part of the project, your contractor will tell you if any part of the house must be vacated while the work is done.

What is the best way to avoid delays?

Settle the layout and selections before you sign, order cabinets early, test older homes before demolition, and avoid changing the scope once work starts. Having one contractor coordinate every trade also keeps the gaps between them short.

Sources

• Planning a renovation? Asbestos: what you need to know (Health Canada)
• Chemicals and pollutants in the home (Health Canada, 2022)
• Do I need a building permit? (City of Ottawa)
• Building Permits (Town of Georgina)
• How Long Does it Typically Take to Remodel a Kitchen? (HGTV)

Recommended

• Home renovation timeline: a practical guide for homeowners
• Home renovation budget step by step: your 2026 guide
• What does a full renovation service include?
• Role of renovation project management: a complete guide