How long these 6 types of renovation projects take

If you’re planning to renovate your home, the project timeline is one of the most important factors you need to consider when you pick a start date - especially if you’ll be living somewhere else during the construction. 

You’ve probably heard horror stories about some renovation projects taking much longer than expected, but how long should you expect your project to take on average?

The first step is to ask your contractor. You’ll want to know whether or not their team will be working on other projects at the same time, because this will heavily influence your construction finish date. 

You should also ask about the availability of all of your finishes and materials, because if there are significant delays, certain finishing touches could get put on hold. 

Last but not least, understand that the majority of all projects go slightly over the timeline - and that’s to be expected. Renovating a house is like breaking into a mystery cave; your contractor never knows what they are going to encounter below the surface, especially with older houses. Add a bit of buffer time to your expectations to be safe.

New Flooring

The timeline for new flooring depends on the material used, the current flooring being removed, as well as the square footage of the area. 

In general, flooring alone can take between one and three weeks - depending on these factors. 

If you’re using hardwood, it will need to be dropped off a couple days early to sit in your home and acclimate to the climate - sometimes even up to five days. 

Then it will take a few days to rip the old flooring up and install the new.

Finishing a Basement

Finishing a basement involves installing insulation, framing, installing utilities, mounting drywall, painting, installing subflooring, and flooring. Not to mention any bathroom appliances or electrical work as well.

Depending on how large or small the basement is, it will take anywhere from one to two months.

One nice part about basement work is that the rest of your house is usable during construction, so it shouldn’t disrupt your daily life too much.

Master Bathroom

This process will involve removing and demolishing the old bathroom, flooring, plumbing, electrical work, structural work, bath, sink and vanity installation, and last but not least, decor and storage additions. 

The reason why master bathrooms take anywhere from three to ten weeks to complete is because of the need to completely restructure electrical and plumbing fixtures, as well as complicated shower tiling. 

There are a lot of moving parts in a bathroom, and you should be prepared for a somewhat longer timeline.

Kitchen

Kitchen remodeling projects are somewhat similar to master bathroom remodels in that they contain a lot of moving parts: plumbing work, electrical work, appliances, flooring, structural changes, etc. 

Not to mention many people like to include custom cabinetry, marble countertops, kitchen islands, and other intricate pieces. 

That’s why kitchen renovations can take anywhere from six to twelve weeks. This is the kind of project where you’ll want to ask your contractor for regular updates and check in on the project, because when your kitchen is out of commission you’ll probably need more than a few take-out dinners.

Addition

Addition projects will take anywhere from three to five months - but if your addition is incorporating more complex remodeling inside, be sure to add on some time. 

One thing to keep in mind for addition projects is permitting. You’ll want to take care of this part ASAP before your anticipated construction date.

ADU

An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is basically a full construction of a mini home - so you should expect a long turnaround time - about six to nine months.

This type of construction will also require in-depth permitting and renovation plans, so it’s a good idea to start planning well in advance.

Major Home Renovation

Last but not least, the big rehab. If you’ve purchased a fixer-upper, this type of renovation is a great way to tackle everything at once.

When we say “major home renovation,” we don’t necessarily mean the entire home is being gutted and demolished - we just mean the majority of the home is being renovated. For example, if you’re re-structuring your entire first floor - including new flooring, painting, and a new kitchen - we’d consider this a whole home renovation. 

On average, these major projects take anywhere from nine to twelve months to complete.

If you’re looking to get started on your home renovation, RenoFi can help. Get started at the button below.