Section 1 · Kitchen Remodeling
A 12-Week Kitchen Remodel Plan You Can Actually Hand to Your Contractor
8 min read · Brooklyn, NY
By Joseph Ng
Co-Owner & Lead Estimator, Creative Home Decor
Written from real Brooklyn job notes. 15+ years on Utica Ave. · 8 min read
Most kitchen remodel timelines online are sales documents. This is the one we hand contractors, with the same buffer weeks we use ourselves. 12 weeks is generous on purpose, it absorbs one bad inspection week and one freight delay without slipping the move-in.
Key Takeaways
- Weeks 1 to 4 are planning, sample selection and orders, no demo yet.
- Weeks 5 to 9 are the actual build.
- Weeks 10 to 12 are finish, punch list, and your real life moving back in.
- Two of the 12 weeks are buffer, do not use them up in week 1.
- Hand this to your contractor before signing, not after.
Brooklyn-specific calendar items
Holiday weeks the trades disappear: Memorial Day, July 4 week, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday, and the entire week between Christmas and New Year. If your move-in date is January 5, the realistic install window is October 1, not December 1.
The 12-week breakdown
Number the calendar from week 1 (today) and back into it.
Week 1, scope and contractor selection
Walk the kitchen with two GCs, get two quotes. Confirm what is in scope and out of scope in writing.
Week 2, showroom visit and design
Cabinet line, door style, stone selection, tile selection, faucet, hardware. One sitting at our showroom is usually enough.
Week 3, plans, permits, deposits
Final layout drawing approved by you. 50 percent deposit on cabinets locks the order. Permit filings start.
Week 4, demo prep, dumpster permit
Empty the kitchen, set up the temporary cooking station, pull the dumpster permit, confirm parking with the neighbors.
Week 5, demo and rough plumbing
3 to 5 days demo, then plumber starts. Walls open.
Week 6, rough electrical, inspections
Electrician finishes rough. Plumbing and electrical rough inspections at end of week.
Week 7, drywall, paint, floor prep
Walls close, primed, painted. Floor underlayment goes in if needed.
Week 8, cabinets land and install
Cabinets arrive Monday, installed by Friday. Templater scheduled for early next week.
Week 9, stone template + tile floor
Stone goes to fab, 5 to 7 days. Floor tile installed mid-week.
Week 10, stone install + backsplash
Stone set Monday or Tuesday. Backsplash tile after stone is fully cured.
Week 11, finish plumbing + electrical, appliances
Faucet, disposal, dishwasher, hood, range. Final inspections.
Week 12, punch list and you move back in
Touch-up paint, hardware adjustments, cabinet door alignment. Final walkthrough.
12 weeks vs the 6-week sales pitch
Why the 6-week timeline you see in ads keeps slipping.
| Phase | 12-week plan | 6-week pitch |
|---|---|---|
| Planning + ordering | 4 weeks | 1 week (rushed) |
| Build | 5 weeks | 4 weeks (no buffer) |
| Finish | 3 weeks | 1 week (no punch list) |
| Buffer for inspection | Built in | None |
| Realistic outcome | Done in 12 | Done in 9 to 11 |
- The 6-week pitch becomes a 10-week reality, the 12-week plan stays at 12.
- Customers who insist on 6 weeks often pay rush fees to make it work, which negates the savings.
How to use this plan
Print it, share it with the GC, agree on the dates, sign it.
- 1
Mark every Friday as a milestone
End of each week should have a verifiable deliverable, not just hours billed.
- 2
Pay in tranches tied to milestones
Don't pre-pay weeks 10 to 12 on day 1.
- 3
Photos every Friday
Make Friday photo updates a contractual requirement, not a favor.
What each week costs you (typical mid-range)
Approximate spend by week so you can plan cash flow.
| Week | Activity | Approx spend |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Cabinet deposit | $8,000 to $12,000 |
| 4 to 7 | Demo + rough + drywall | $10,000 to $15,000 |
| 8 | Cabinet balance + install | $10,000 to $14,000 |
| 9 to 10 | Stone fab + install + tile | $8,000 to $13,000 |
| 11 | Finish trades + appliances | $5,000 to $9,000 |
| 12 | Punch list + final | $2,000 to $4,000 |
Hold back 10 percent of the GC contract for week 12 punch list completion.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Signing a 6-week schedule because it sounds good.
- Not specifying the exact appliance models before week 3.
- Letting the GC supply the cabinets and the stone, splitting suppliers gives you better pricing and accountability.
- Skipping the permit filing because the GC offered to do it under the table.
- Booking a vacation that lands on punch-list week.
FAQs
Can the plan be compressed to 10 weeks?+
Yes, by paying rush fees on cabinets (semi-custom in 4 weeks instead of 6), pre-ordering everything before week 1, and using a contractor with a dedicated crew.
What if I want to manage the project myself?+
Add 2 weeks to the schedule. Owner-managed projects spend more time coordinating trades, less time actually working.
Do you provide this schedule as a PDF?+
Yes, when you get an itemized quote from us, the schedule is page 2.
References
- Internal job notes, Creative Home Decor, 1831 Utica Ave, Brooklyn, NY
- NYC Department of Buildings renovation permits guidance, nyc.gov/dob
- Remodeling Magazine 2025 Cost vs Value Report, New York metro
- Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association installation specs
- Marble Institute of America natural stone care guidelines
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