How Long Does It Take to Fit a Kitchen?

A standard like-for-like kitchen fit, where the new units go where the old ones were, typically takes around 1 to 2 weeks on site. A full renovation that changes the layout, moves plumbing or electrics, or needs replastering and a new floor more often takes 3 to 5 weeks, and stone or quartz worktops can add a week or two of waiting on top.

These are typical figures from across the trade, not a promise for every job. The real time depends on the size of the room, what turns up behind the old units and how quickly materials arrive. Below is the order the work usually happens in, what tends to slow it down, and how to cope while the kitchen is out of action.

Typical kitchen fitting times at a glance

• Like-for-like fit with laminate or wood worktops: around 1 to 2 weeks.
• Like-for-like fit with quartz, granite or marble worktops: the same, plus the wait between templating and fitting the worktops, often around 1 to 2 weeks.
• Full renovation with a new layout, replastering and new flooring: around 3 to 5 weeks.
• Knock through or other structural work: longer again, as it may need a structural engineer and building control sign off before finishing.

The order of work, stage by stage

Every kitchen is different, but most fits follow the same order. The days below are a rough guide for a mid-sized renovation.

1. Strip out (days 1 to 2). The old units, worktops, appliances and tiles come out. Water, gas and power to the kitchen are made safe.
2. First fix plumbing and electrics (days 2 to 4). New pipe runs, waste pipes and cables for sockets, lighting and cooking appliances go into the walls and floor while they are still open. Any gas pipework has to be moved by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
3. Plastering (days 4 to 6). Walls and ceilings are patched or skimmed. Fresh plaster then needs time to dry before it can be painted, often several days to a week depending on the thickness and the weather.
4. Flooring (around days 6 to 7). Many floors are laid before the units so they run underneath. Some floor types go in after, so this step can move.
5. Units (days 7 to 9). Base and wall units are levelled and fixed, with end panels and appliance housings.
6. Worktops (around day 10, later for stone). Laminate and wood are cut and fitted on site. Quartz, granite and marble are templated once the base units are fixed, then made off site and fitted on a later visit.
7. Second fix. Sockets, switches and lights go on, the sink and taps are connected, and appliances are plugged in and tested.
8. Tiling and splashbacks. These usually go on after the worktops, because the tiles sit on top of them.
9. Decorating and finishing. Painting, plinths, sealant lines and a final check of doors and drawers.

What usually causes delays

Most overruns come from a short list of causes. Knowing them early makes it easier to plan.

• Stone and quartz worktop lead times. The fabricator cannot measure until the base units are in, so there is always a gap. During that time the kitchen has no proper worktop and often no sink.
• Hidden damp, rot or leaks. Old leaks under a sink or dishwasher can soften floorboards, rot joists or blow plaster. It only shows once the old units are out, and it needs fixing before anything new goes in.
• Electrics not up to current regulations. Older wiring or a consumer unit without modern protection may need upgrading before new circuits can be added. In England, some kitchen electrical work, such as a new circuit for an oven or hob, is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations.
• Missing or damaged parts. Flat pack and ready built kitchens both arrive in a lot of boxes. A missing panel or a damaged door can hold up one area while the supplier sends a replacement.
• Changes once work has started. Moving a socket or swapping a tile is usually fine. Changing the layout halfway through is not.

How to live without a kitchen meanwhile

For most of the job the kitchen will not be usable. A bit of planning makes those weeks much easier.

• Set up a temporary kitchen in another room with a kettle, microwave, toaster or air fryer, and the fridge if it can be moved.
• Batch cook and freeze a few meals before work starts.
• Use a washing up bowl in the bathroom or utility room, and keep some paper plates for the busier days.
• Ask when the water will be off and when the sink will be reconnected, so you can plan around it.
• Empty the kitchen cupboards and nearby shelves before day one, and move anything you do not want dusty.
• Keep children and pets out of the room while it is a building site.

How ATR approaches a kitchen fit

ATR fits kitchens from Wren, Howdens, B&Q, Wickes and others, flat pack or ready built, from strip out to finish. Walls are replastered where needed before anything new goes in, and we work with your supplier to sort out missing or incorrect parts as they come up. We do not subcontract the work, so the same people are on the job from the first day to the last. Worktops can be quartz, granite, marble, solid wood or laminate, and we can talk through how each one affects the timings on the free visit.

Planning a kitchen in Grays or Thurrock?

See our kitchen renovation service for what is included, or read kitchen renovation vs kitchen makeover if you are still deciding how far to go. We are based in Grays and also cover Chafford Hundred and the surrounding area. Call 07795 673584 or ask for a free quote.