The most common question we get after 'how much will it cost?' is 'how long will it take?' For a full kitchen renovation in a typical Bellingham home, the honest answer is six to ten weeks from the day work starts. And that doesn't count the three to five weeks of planning, ordering, and permit work that happens before the first cabinet comes down. Here's what that actually looks like.

Weeks 1-2: Demolition and rough-in

Demolition is the fastest part of a kitchen renovation and the most satisfying to watch. Cabinets come out, old flooring gets pulled, and the space opens up. What happens next depends on what the demo reveals. In older Bellingham homes. Particularly the 1960s and 1970s ranches in the Samish and Barkley neighborhoods. It's common to find outdated wiring, galvanized plumbing, or subfloor damage once the old cabinets are gone. We build a contingency into every estimate for this reason. Electrical and plumbing rough-in changes happen during this phase, coordinated with licensed trades.

Weeks 3-4: Cabinets and drywall

Cabinet installation is precise, slow work. A full kitchen can take three to five days to hang correctly, and it has to be right before anything else can proceed. Countertop templating depends on the cabinets being in their final position. Drywall patching and finishing happens around the cabinet installation. If the project includes new flooring, the subfloor prep and flooring installation typically happen after cabinets are in but before countertops arrive.

Weeks 5-6: Countertops, tile, and fixtures

Countertop fabrication takes one to two weeks from the template date, which is why ordering early matters. Once the countertops are installed, the backsplash tile goes in. This is often where the visual character of the kitchen really comes together. Plumbing fixtures, the sink, and the faucet are connected during this phase. Appliance delivery and installation is coordinated for this window as well.

Week 7-8: Trim, paint, and punch list

The final phase covers trim installation, touch-up painting, hardware installation on cabinets and drawers, and the punch list walkthrough. The punch list is a written list of every item that needs attention before the project is considered complete. We do a formal walkthrough with the homeowner, document everything, and address all items before closing out the project. This phase takes longer than people expect. A week is realistic for a full kitchen.

What can extend the timeline

Material lead times are the most common cause of delays. Cabinet lead times from Bellingham Cabinet Co. Currently run five to six weeks; countertop fabrication adds another one to two weeks after templating. If you're sourcing specialty tile or a custom range hood, factor in additional lead time. Permit review at Whatcom County Building and Planning is currently running two to three weeks for kitchen projects that involve electrical or plumbing changes. Starting the permit process early is the single most effective way to keep a project on schedule.

A kitchen renovation is a significant disruption to daily life, and we think it's worth being honest about that upfront. The projects that go smoothest are the ones where the homeowner understands the timeline before work starts. If you want to talk through the specifics of your kitchen, the questions we hear most often are a good place to start.