The part before construction
Most people picture the construction and forget everything that comes before it. Design is where a project is won or lost: measuring the house, working out the plan, choosing materials, and drawing it all clearly enough that a contractor can price it accurately. For a single room that can take a few weeks. For a whole house, plan on a couple of months before anyone picks up a hammer.
It’s tempting to rush this part. Try not to. Every decision made on paper is one that doesn’t have to be made on site, where changes cost the most.
Permits are usually not the bottleneck
The City of Irvine says plan check for a residential remodel takes about five working days, longer for large or complicated projects. If the reviewer sends back corrections, each round adds time, which is why a clean, complete set of drawings matters so much. If you live in an HOA, its architectural review runs separately, so we start that early too.
Construction, and what really sets the pace
A full kitchen remodel typically takes six to twelve weeks of construction. One that moves walls or plumbing, or uses custom cabinetry, can stretch to several months. Fully custom cabinets alone can take three to six months to build.
That’s why we order long-lead items as soon as selections are approved, not when the room is ready for them. Waiting on a vanity or a range is the most common reason an almost-finished room sits unfinished.
Furniture runs on its own clock
Made-to-order upholstery often quotes somewhere between six and sixteen weeks before it ships, and then it still needs freight, receiving, and inspection. We order during construction so pieces land close to when the house is ready.
In our experience, a whole-home project usually takes six months to a year from first meeting to move-in, depending on scope. That’s a wide range, but it’s an honest one, and you’ll get a dated schedule for your own project once design is done.
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