As a practical starting point, allow roughly three to five months from your first kitchen appointment to a completed room. A straightforward project can move more quickly, while structural work, specialist surfaces, product availability and design changes can extend the programme.
The important distinction is between a furniture delivery lead time and the full kitchen-project timeline. A range described as available in around six weeks is not a promise that design, delivery, installation, worktops, services and finishing will all be completed within six weeks.
New kitchen timeline at a glance
- Ideas and first appointment: gather plans, priorities, inspiration and an initial budget.
- Survey and design: confirm the room, test layouts, choose finishes and refine the specification.
- Order and lead time: complete technical checks, approve the order and confirm product availability.
- Room preparation: remove the old kitchen and complete any agreed building, plumbing or electrical work.
- Installation and worktops: fit the cabinetry and appliances, template specialist worktops where necessary, and complete services and finishes.
- Snagging and aftercare: inspect the finished kitchen, resolve any outstanding items and keep product information safe.
Your written programme should use the dates for your chosen kitchen, worktops, appliances and building scope. Treat online averages as planning guidance, not as a substitute for a confirmed project schedule.
What can make a kitchen project quicker or slower?
Two rooms of a similar size can have very different timelines. Replacing cabinetry within an established layout is not the same project as removing walls, moving services, adding new flooring and coordinating several trades.
The programme is usually affected by five connected decisions:
- How settled the brief is. A clear list of priorities helps the first designs move in the right direction.
- How much the room will change. Extensions, wall removal, new windows, floor levels and service moves need to be coordinated before fitting.
- The products selected. Cabinet ranges, made-to-order elements, worktops and appliances can each have different availability.
- How quickly decisions are approved. Late changes can affect drawings, prices, availability and installation dates.
- What happens after the cabinets are fitted. Specialist worktops, decorating and final connections may follow the main furniture installation.
| Stage | What happens | What can affect the timing |
|---|---|---|
| Initial planning | First appointment, priorities and early budget | Whether plans and measurements already exist; how many people need to approve decisions |
| Design and survey | Room survey, layouts, visuals, specification and revisions | Structural questions, appliance choices, scope changes and the number of design revisions |
| Order and manufacture | Final checks, order placement and product lead time | Chosen range, finishes, bespoke items, appliance availability and delivery capacity |
| Preparation | Removal and agreed room, floor and service work | Unexpected wall or floor conditions, drying times and coordination with other trades |
| Installation | Cabinetry, appliances, worktops, connections and finishing | Project size, specialist worktop templating, service work and any damaged or missing component |
| Completion | Inspection, snagging, handover and aftercare | Replacement parts, final decorations and access for follow-up visits |
Stage 1: first visit and kitchen brief
The first appointment is where the programme begins to become realistic. Bring room dimensions or architect’s plans if you have them, along with photographs, appliance preferences and a list of what the current kitchen does poorly. Our guide to how Kitchen Kit designs and fits kitchens explains the wider customer journey.
It also helps to discuss any immovable deadline honestly. If the kitchen is part of an extension, coordinate the design with the architect or builder before work starts. The Como Oak Nobilia project in St Ives is a useful example: the kitchen was developed with the client and builder from the architect’s plan stage, allowing the layout to be refined before installation.
Stage 2: survey, design and revisions
A kitchen can only be ordered confidently when the room, layout and specification agree. Measurements need to account for walls, ceilings, windows, door swings, services and floor levels. Cabinet runs must then be checked against appliances, worktops, clearances and the way people move through the room.
Kitchen Kit provides detailed plans and 3D visuals as part of the design route. Revisions are normal: the objective is to settle the important decisions before the order is placed, when changes are generally easier to manage. The ultimate kitchen planning guide for Cornwall and Devon covers layouts, storage, worktops, appliances and budgeting in more depth.
Stage 3: final specification and order
Before ordering, confirm the exact cabinet range, door and handle details, worktops, sinks, taps, appliances, accessories and installation scope. A quote that says “appliances included” is not as useful as one that identifies the agreed products and fitting requirements.
Selected Nobilia kitchens are promoted with delivery lead times of around six weeks, subject to the qualifying range and current terms. That refers to the relevant product route, not the complete renovation. See the current six-week kitchen information and ask the designer to confirm what applies to your specification before making plans around it.
Stage 4: room preparation
Room preparation may be minimal, or it may be a substantial project in its own right. It can include removing the old kitchen, dealing with floors and walls, changing services or carrying out structural work. The written scope should state who is responsible for each item and when it must be complete.
The Chudleigh Nobilia Easytouch project combined the new kitchen with electrical work, plumbing and flooring. It demonstrates why the room programme and kitchen programme need to be coordinated rather than treated as separate jobs.
Stage 5: installation, worktops and connections
Cabinet fitting is only one part of installation. Appliances, sinks, taps, lighting, worktops and finishing details all need the correct sequence. Specialist stone or sintered-stone surfaces may be templated after base cabinets are secure, with fabrication and fitting following later. Ask how temporary facilities will work during that interval.
The precise service scope must be written into the quotation. Our kitchen installation guide explains the main stages, while the Kitchen Kit design and installation process describes how the managed journey fits together.
Stage 6: snagging, handover and aftercare
A good programme includes completion checks rather than ending the moment the last cabinet is fitted. Walk through the room, test doors and drawers, check appliance information, record any outstanding item and agree who will return. Keep guarantees, care instructions and model details together.
If a component arrives damaged or is unavailable, ask how the temporary situation will be handled and when the replacement is expected. Clear communication matters more than pretending that every project will be free of surprises.
How to keep your kitchen timeline on track
- Agree one current version of the plan, quote and specification.
- Make appliance and worktop decisions before the order deadline.
- Confirm responsibilities for removal, services, building work, decorating and waste.
- Do not book unrelated trades around an assumed delivery date.
- Ask which dates are provisional and which are confirmed.
- Build sensible contingency into holidays, moving dates and major family events.
Start with a timeline for your actual project
Bring your plans, measurements, ideas and target dates to the Kitchen Kit showroom in Truro or the Exeter showroom. Our designers can help you understand which decisions must be made first and which timings need to be confirmed.
Contact Kitchen Kit to arrange a free kitchen design consultation.
Kitchen timeline FAQs
How long does a new kitchen take from design to completion?
Roughly three to five months is a useful early allowance for many projects, but the actual programme depends on the design process, chosen products, room preparation, worktops, appliances and installation scope. Ask for dates based on your confirmed specification.
Does a six-week kitchen mean it is installed in six weeks?
No. A six-week message relates to selected furniture delivery lead times and qualifying terms. Design, surveying, preparation, installation, worktops, connections and completion must still be programmed separately.
When should I book a kitchen designer?
Start before building work or service positions are fixed. Early kitchen plans can help an architect or builder coordinate doors, windows, plumbing, electrics, lighting and floor levels.
What commonly delays a kitchen installation?
Late design changes, unresolved building work, product availability, missing decisions, damaged components and specialist worktop sequencing are common causes. A complete specification and clear responsibilities reduce avoidable delay.
Can I stay at home during the work?
Often yes, but expect disruption and periods without normal cooking or washing facilities. Discuss access, dust, water, electricity, pets, children and temporary kitchen arrangements before work begins.
