Kitchen Remodel Timeline: What to Expect Week by Week in Sonoma County

A kitchen remodel in Sonoma County is a big project — but it doesn't have to feel chaotic if you know what's coming. We've done hundreds of them, and the timeline is more predictable than you might think. Here's what actually happens, week by week, from the moment you call us through the day you can cook your first meal in your new kitchen.

The Design and Permit Phase — 2 to 4 Months Before Demo

This is the part people want to skip, but it's where your whole project gets solid. We start with a conversation — not a sales pitch. We want to know what's working in your current kitchen and what's driving you crazy. Is the layout broken? Do you run out of counter space? Is the pantry too small?

Once we understand what you need, we'll bring in a designer or sketch it out ourselves, depending on how complex you want to go. You're picking finishes — cabinet style and color, countertop material, backsplash, hardware, fixtures, paint. This takes time because you should live with your choices for a while. Don't rush it.

After design is locked, we submit for permits with the Sonoma County Building Department. Here's the honest part: permit timing varies. A simple kitchen remodel can get approved in 3 to 4 weeks. A more complex one with electrical work, gas line moves, or structural changes can take 6 to 8 weeks. County inspectors are thorough — which is good for you, even if it feels slow. We handle all the back-and-forth, but we'll be upfront about the wait.

While permits are processing, we're ordering long-lead items. Cabinets, if they're not stock — 4 to 8 weeks. Some countertop materials — 2 to 3 weeks for fabrication once your template is done. Appliances — could be 2 weeks, could be 6 depending on what you're getting and current inventory. We order strategically so everything lands when we need it, not months early.

Demo Week — The Loudest Week of Your Life

Once permits are in hand, we schedule the demolition. Clear out your kitchen completely — remove anything you want to keep. We'll remove cabinets, countertops, flooring, fixtures, and usually the backsplash. This is fast and rough. You'll hear it. Plan to eat out that week, or set up a temporary kitchen somewhere else in your house.

Demo takes 2 to 5 days depending on how much is coming out. We haul everything away and leave the space clean enough to work in. If we hit any surprises during demo — rotten subfloor, outdated electrical that needs replacing, plumbing issues hidden behind the walls — we'll let you know immediately and give you a cost estimate before we proceed.

Rough Work Phase — Weeks 1 to 3 of Construction

After demo, we start the jobs that have to happen before walls go back up: plumbing, electrical, and framing. Your plumber runs new lines if the layout is changing — moving the sink, adding an island with a prep sink, upgrading water lines. Your electrician runs new circuits, outlets, lighting, and under-cabinet power if you want it. We frame out any structural changes, opening up walls or adding supports for an island.

During rough work, Sonoma County inspectors come out — typically once for framing and once for plumbing/electrical. This is routine. We're used to it, and we know what they're looking for. Inspection delays are rare, but if something doesn't pass the first time, the inspector will flag it and we'll fix it and reschedule. That's maybe 3 to 5 days, usually not more.

Cabinets and Drywall — Weeks 3 to 5

Once rough work passes inspection, we install cabinets (if they've arrived — this is why ordering on time matters). Cabinet installation takes 3 to 4 days for a standard kitchen. If you're doing custom work or an island, add another 2 to 3 days.

After cabinets are in, we drywall any new walls or soffits, tape and mud, sand, and prime. A kitchen's worth of drywall work takes about 1 week, including drying time between coats.

Countertops and the Wait — Weeks 5 to 7

This is the part that catches people off guard. We take a template of your cabinet tops — a precise cut-out of the shape and any holes for the sink or cooktop. That goes to your fabricator, and then you wait.

Quartz? 2 to 3 weeks. Granite? 2 to 4 weeks depending on whether it's in-stock slab or custom color. Laminate? 1 to 2 weeks. Concrete? 3 to 4 weeks if it's being poured off-site. None of this is us being slow — it's how long these materials take to cut and finish. While we're waiting, we're getting ahead on tile, backsplash, painting, and fixture installation.

When countertops arrive — usually mid to late in the project — we install them in half a day to a full day. Then you're done waiting.

Tile, Backsplash, and Fixtures — Weeks 6 to 8

While countertops are being fabricated, your tile guy is installing backsplash — typically 2 to 3 days for a standard kitchen. If you're doing floor tile or a decorative backsplash with complex layout, add more time. We're also installing light fixtures, faucet, sink, and stove at this stage. These don't take long individually, but there's coordination involved.

Painting happens too — walls, trim, possibly cabinet interiors. Most kitchens take 2 to 3 days to paint.

Appliances, Finish Work, and Punch List — Weeks 9 to 12

Your appliances arrive and get installed — fridge, range or cooktop, oven, dishwasher. Installation is fast if everything is standard. If you're doing a custom cabinet integration or special venting for a range hood, plan 1 to 2 extra days.

Now we're in finish mode. Hardware goes on cabinets. Trim gets installed. Caulk and grout get sealed. Backsplash grout gets sealed. Any paint touch-ups happen. Doors and drawers get adjusted for even gaps.

On the final day or two, we do a walk-through with you — a punch list. Little things: a cabinet door that's slightly out of alignment, caulk that needs smoothing, a light fixture that needs tweaking. We take notes and come back to fix those items within a few days.

What Actually Takes the Longest

In our experience, the biggest timeline drivers aren't labor — they're material delays and permit waiting. Here's what we see trip up projects:

Backordered appliances: You want a specific refrigerator and it's not in stock. Suddenly you're waiting 4 to 6 weeks instead of the planned 2. This happens most with popular models or high-end brands.
Countertop fabrication: Especially if you're doing something custom like waterfall edges or an island with different material on the sides.
Permit delays: County can be slow. Not often, but it happens. We can't control this, but we can keep you in the loop and schedule accordingly.
Hidden structural issues: Old kitchens sometimes have surprises under the walls. We price conservatively for this, but occasionally it's worse than we expected. We'll tell you before we fix it.

How to Shorten Your Timeline

A few things actually help:

Lock in your design early. The faster you decide on cabinets, counters, and finishes, the earlier we can order them. Changing your mind mid-project adds weeks.
Choose stock or semi-stock cabinets. Custom cabinetry is beautiful but takes longer. If timeline is your priority, semi-stock is faster without sacrificing quality.
Keep the layout similar. Moving plumbing and electrical takes time. If you can keep your sink where it was, you'll save weeks.
Pick available appliances and countertop materials. If you're open to what's in-stock versus waiting for a specific model, you save time.

Realistic Timeline for Your Kitchen

Most of our kitchen remodels in Sonoma County run 8 to 16 weeks of construction, with the design and permit phase adding 2 to 4 months before that. A straightforward kitchen with stock cabinets, available countertop material, and no major layout changes? 10 to 12 weeks total construction time. A more complex job with custom cabinetry, structural changes, or long-lead appliances? 14 to 16 weeks.

We'll give you a realistic timeline for your specific project — not a guess. Call us at (707) 789-1946 and we'll walk through your project, answer questions, and give you actual numbers based on what you want to do.