Kitchen Remodel: What to Expect From Start to Finish
A full kitchen remodel usually runs in seven phases: planning and design, permits and ordering, demolition, rough-in of plumbing and electrical, cabinets and counters, finish work, and the final walk-through.
Most of the calendar time goes to planning and to waiting on cabinets and counters, not to the days the kitchen is torn apart.
Here's how each phase works and what you decide along the way.
Phase 1: Planning and design
Before anything comes out, we walk the kitchen with you and talk about how you use it: who cooks, where things get stored, where people sit. We note the existing conditions that will shape the plan, like plumbing locations, the electrical panel's capacity and any walls that carry load.
From there comes a scope of work and a layout, and the big selections: cabinets, counters, tile, fixtures and appliances. Locking these in early prevents delays later.
What to do in this phase:
- Choose your appliances first. Their sizes set the cabinet layout.
- Set a budget with a contingency for what's found behind the walls, especially in an older house.
- Sort your must-haves from your nice-to-haves.
Phase 2: Permits and ordering
Most full kitchen remodels need permits for electrical and plumbing work, and for any walls that move. In Seattle, building and electrical permits come from SDCI and plumbing permits from Public Health - Seattle & King County, and other cities have their own offices. Permits protect you at resale and mean the work is inspected.
At the same time, cabinets and custom counters are ordered. These have the longest lead times, so demolition isn't scheduled until they're confirmed.
A free walk-through, then a written estimate
Free walk-through. Every cost listed separately, so you choose what's in.
Phase 3: Demolition
Demo is fast. The rest of the house is protected with plastic and floor runners, then cabinets, counters, tile and flooring come out. Once the walls and floor are open, hidden conditions show up: old wiring, outdated plumbing, water damage or framing cut by an earlier remodel. This is why the contingency matters.
Phase 4: Rough-in
With the room open, plumbing and electrical are roughed in for the new layout: outlets, lighting circuits, the range hood duct, the sink drain and the dishwasher. An island gets its plumbing and dedicated circuits at this stage. After the rough-in inspections pass, the walls are insulated where needed and closed with new drywall.
Phase 5: Cabinets and counters
Cabinets go in level, plumb and square, which makes everything after easier. Once they're set, the counter fabricator comes to template, and stone counters are cut to that template and installed on a return visit.
Phase 6: Finish work
This is when the room comes together: backsplash tile, flooring if it's part of the plan, appliances set and connected, sink and faucet hooked up, outlets, switches and lights trimmed out, cabinet doors and hardware installed, and trim finished.
Phase 7: Punch list and walk-through
Before the job is done, we walk the kitchen with you. Every door adjusted, every drawer tested, every caulk line checked, and anything on the punch list gets fixed before closeout.
Living through it
Most people stay at home. Dust barriers, floor protection and daily cleanup help, and a temporary kitchen in another room makes the weeks without a sink easier.
Planning yours
To see how we approach kitchen remodels, including when a partial update makes more sense than a full remodel, visit our kitchen page. Curious how this plays out in a builder-grade house? See how a builder-grade Bothell kitchen gets updated.
See every cost before you decide
Tell us what you're planning. We'll set up a free walk-through and send an estimate with every cost listed, so you decide what's in.
- No obligation
- Permits handled
- One lead from start to finish