"How long will this take?" is the first question most Woodstock GA homeowners ask when considering a kitchen remodel — and it's the right question. Living without a functioning kitchen is disruptive, and a realistic timeline helps you plan around holidays, family events, and work schedules. The honest answer is most full kitchen remodels in Cherokee County take 10–16 weeks from first consultation to final walkthrough, with 4–6 weeks of active construction. Here's exactly what happens during each phase — and what actually causes projects to run long.
The most important thing to understand: The majority of kitchen remodel timeline is pre-construction — design decisions, permit approvals, cabinet manufacturing, and material lead times. The "active construction" phase (workers in your kitchen every day) is actually the shortest phase. Plan your start date by working backward from when you want to be done, not forward from when you want to start.
The Complete Kitchen Remodel Timeline
Phase 1: Consultation & Design
Weeks 1–3
Week 1 Initial in-home consultation — discuss scope, priorities, rough budget range. Contractor walks the kitchen, takes measurements, assesses existing conditions.
Week 2 Design development — cabinet layout options, appliance locations, countertop material selection, tile, fixture decisions. Some contractors use 3D rendering; Phoenix Construction produces layout drawings.
Week 3 Finalize scope, sign contract, pay design deposit. At this point: cabinet order is placed, specialty appliances are ordered, permit drawings are prepared.
This phase can be compressed to 1–2 weeks for homeowners with clear direction, or extended if design decisions take longer.
Phase 2: Pre-Construction (Longest Wait)
Weeks 4–10
Weeks 4–5 Permit application submitted to Cherokee County Development Services. Standard review takes 5–15 business days for typical kitchen remodels.
Weeks 4–10 Cabinet manufacturing lead time. Stock cabinets: 1–2 weeks. Semi-custom (most residential projects): 4–6 weeks. Full custom: 8–14 weeks. This is almost always the critical path item.
Week 5–6 Specialty appliances ordered if not done at contract signing. Standard in-stock appliances: 1–3 weeks. Professional ranges, panel-ready refrigerators: 6–16 weeks.
Week 8–10 Permit issued. Construction start date confirmed. Pre-order tile, hardware, and fixtures.
Most schedule slippage happens here — either cabinets delayed by manufacturer or permit approval delayed by missing information. Experienced contractors front-load all decisions to prevent this.
Phase 3: Demo & Rough-In
Construction Weeks 1–1.5 Active construction
Day 1–2 Disconnect utilities (gas if applicable, plumbing, electrical). Remove appliances, cabinets, countertops. Expose subfloor and all walls.
Day 3–4 Inspect structural conditions — subfloor, wall framing, any issues with prior plumbing or electrical. Address any unexpected conditions found during demo. (This is where cost adds can occur.)
Day 5–8 Plumbing rough-in — relocate drain lines, supply lines as required by new layout. Electrical rough-in — new circuits, updated panel capacity if needed. HVAC if any duct relocation required.
Day 9–10 Rough-in inspections (plumbing and electrical). Walls and ceiling can close only after inspections pass.
Phase 4: Close Walls & Prep
Construction Week 2 Active construction
Day 11–12 Drywall installation, tape, and first coat of mud. Prime and paint walls (walls must be painted before cabinets go in).
Day 13–14 Drywall finish coats, final paint. Floor prep — subfloor leveling or repair if needed. Install any floor that needs to go under cabinets.
Phase 5: Cabinet Installation
Construction Weeks 2.5–3.5 Active construction
Day 15–17 Upper cabinet installation — level, plumb, secured to studs with proper fastening. This is precision work; a skilled cabinet installer sets all uppers first.
Day 18–20 Base cabinet installation — level and plumb all base cabinets, scribe to walls, install cabinet hardware rails and drawers.
Day 21–22 Cabinet doors hung and adjusted. Crown molding, light rail, toe kicks, and all trim details. Final cabinet hardware (knobs/pulls) installed after countertops.
Cabinet installation quality determines the entire look of the finished kitchen. Rushing this phase is where corners get cut.
Phase 6: Countertops
Construction Week 3.5–4.5 Active construction
Day 23 Countertop template — fabricator comes to template from installed cabinets. Critical: cabinets must be fully installed and leveled before template can occur.
Days 24–33 Stone fabrication lead time — typically 10–14 calendar days from template to fabrication complete for quartz or granite. Marble may be longer depending on fabricator.
Day 34–35 Countertop installation. One-day process for most kitchens. Plumber returns within 24 hours to hook up sink.
The template-to-install gap (10–14 days) is fixed — fabricators cannot rush stone cutting. This is the second most common schedule constraint after cabinet lead time.
Phase 7: Finish Work
Construction Weeks 4.5–6 Active construction
Day 36–38 Backsplash tile installation — tile, grout, and caulk. Allow grout to cure 48–72 hours before sealing.
Day 39–41 Appliance installation — refrigerator, range, dishwasher, over-range microwave or hood. Gas appliance connections by licensed plumber.
Day 42–44 Electrical finish — outlets, switches, under-cabinet lighting, pendant lights. Plumbing finish — faucet, disposal, dishwasher supply and drain.
Day 45–47 Touch-up paint, final trim, install hardware, install cabinet doors if held off for painting. Deep clean.
Day 48–50 Final inspections (building, electrical, plumbing). Walkthrough with homeowner. Punch list completion.
Condensed Timeline Summary
|
Phase |
Duration |
Main Variable |
|
Design & Contract |
1–3 weeks |
Homeowner decision speed |
|
Cabinet Lead Time |
4–10 weeks |
Cabinet line selected (stock vs. custom) |
|
Permit Approval |
1–3 weeks |
Cherokee County review queue |
|
Appliance Lead Time |
1–12 weeks |
In-stock vs. specialty items |
|
Demo & Rough-In |
1.5–2 weeks |
Unexpected conditions found in walls |
|
Cabinet Installation |
1–1.5 weeks |
Kitchen size and complexity |
|
Countertop Fabrication |
1.5–2 weeks |
Stone type and fabricator queue |
|
Finish Work |
1.5–2 weeks |
Tile complexity, appliance delivery |
|
Inspections & Punch List |
3–7 days |
County inspector scheduling |
|
Total Typical Range |
10–16 weeks |
Cabinet and appliance lead times dominate |
What to Do to Keep Your Project On Schedule
- Make all design decisions before signing a contract — cabinet style, countertop material, tile, hardware, appliances. Changes after contract signing reset lead times.
- Order specialty appliances early — before or at the same time as signing your contract. A 12-week range lead time is not unusual.
- If cabinet delivery is delayed, proactively adjust countertop template scheduling — don't template before cabinets are installed.
- Be available for questions. Contractors who can't reach homeowners for decisions stall. A 24-hour response window keeps things moving.
- Plan your temporary kitchen before demo begins. A well-stocked temporary kitchen makes the 5–6 week construction phase manageable.
- Don't change scope mid-project. Added scope (moving a wall, adding a window) requires permit amendments and resets subcontractor scheduling.
Ready to Start Planning Your Kitchen Remodel?
Phoenix Construction provides free in-home kitchen remodeling consultations throughout Woodstock, Canton, Holly Springs, and Metro Atlanta. We'll give you a realistic timeline based on your specific scope — before you commit.
From a Real Client
"Mitch was amazing to work with on our kitchen remodel. He was most helpful and patient as we built out the scope, what our options were, and what to expect during the project. He stands by his team's work."
— Nathan Williams, Google Review · March 2026