How long does a kitchen renovation take?

A full kitchen renovation usually takes 4 to 8 weeks from demolition to completion, according to What's The Damage (Gold Coast page). Add the design, the quotes and the wait for made-to-measure cabinets, and a mid-range kitchen often takes 10 to 16 weeks from first plans to finished, on the same site's national figures.

Below is each stage in order, how long it takes, why the cabinets set the pace, what causes delays, and the Queensland rules that affect the timing. Figures are from cost guides, checked on 12 October 2026.

How long does a kitchen renovation take?

Most full kitchen renovations take about 2 to 9 weeks of work on site, depending on the size of the job. Here is what the main guides say.

So for a standard kitchen, plan on one to two months of work, plus the weeks before it to design the kitchen and have the cabinets made. Our kitchen renovation cost guide shows what each part of that work costs.

How long does a kitchen take from design to finish?

About 10 to 16 weeks for a mid-range kitchen, counting design and the wait for cabinets, on What's The Damage's national figures. Here is how that time splits up.

Some of these can overlap. What's The Damage's Brisbane page says the cabinets are made while the site is being prepared. A premium kitchen takes longest because the design takes longer and custom joinery has the longest wait.

What are the stages of a kitchen renovation?

A full kitchen renovation goes through these stages on site, in this order. Times are shown where a cost guide publishes them.

1. Demolition. The old cabinets, benchtop and splashback come out, and the rubbish goes.
2. Rough-in. The plumber and electrician run new pipes and wiring inside the walls and floor, before anything covers them.
3. Walls, ceiling and floor. Repairs and patching, so the room is ready for the cabinets.
4. Cabinets. The base and wall cabinets go in. Sparky says fitting the cabinets alone takes 2 to 5 days.
5. Benchtop. A stone benchtop is measured off the installed cabinets, then made and fitted. What's The Damage's Brisbane page allows 5 to 10 business days after the cabinets are in.
6. Splashback. It goes on once the benchtop is in, and a glass one can only be measured after that. Our guide to glass splashback costs has the detail.
7. Fit-off. The plumber and electrician come back to connect the sink, tapware, appliances and lights.

The order matters most at stages 4 to 6. Each one waits on the one before, so a late cabinet delivery pushes back the benchtop and the splashback too.

Why do kitchen cabinets take so long?

Because custom cabinets are made to order after the kitchen is measured. Sparky puts the lead time for custom kitchens at 6 to 12 weeks before installation starts. Flat pack is much faster.

The benchtop then waits on the cabinets. Sparky says benchtop templating happens after the cabinets are in place, so a stone top cannot be made early. For door finishes, flat pack versus custom, and what each costs, see our guide to kitchen cabinet costs.

How long does a cosmetic kitchen refresh take?

About 1 to 2 weeks, according to What's The Damage's Gold Coast page, because the layout and plumbing stay where they are. A refresh usually means new cabinet doors, a new benchtop, a new splashback and new handles on the cabinets you already have.

What's The Damage's national page puts the work on site at just 3 to 5 days. Counting design and quotes, the whole project takes 3 to 5 weeks. There is no wait for new cabinets to be made, and that is the biggest time saver.

Refacing, which puts new doors and panels on the old cabinet boxes, is one way to keep the cabinets. If yours are still solid, our guide on whether to reface or replace kitchen cabinets compares the two.

What can delay a kitchen renovation?

Most delays come from changes, hidden problems or a wait on one part that holds up the next.

• Late design changes. What's The Damage says custom joinery is made to order, so a late change can hold up every trade after it. Settle the design before demolition starts.
• Problems behind the walls. Canstar warns that a renovation can uncover water-damaged frames or mould, which can cause delays. What's The Damage lists old plumbing, asbestos and wiring that is not up to standard as common finds once walls are opened.
• Structural work. Moving a wall or the sink adds trades. What's The Damage's Brisbane page says Queensland jobs typically add 1 to 2 weeks for any structural reinforcement work.
• Apartments. On the Gold Coast, What's The Damage says body corporate rules, lift access and noise limits can make a high-rise job take longer. Get the by-laws before you set a demolition date.
• The benchtop wait. A stone top cannot be measured until the cabinets are in, so any cabinet delay flows through to it.

Can I live at home during a kitchen renovation?

Yes, but you will be without a working kitchen from demolition until the sink and cooktop are connected at fit-off. On What's The Damage's national figures, that is 3 to 5 weeks for a mid-range kitchen and 5 to 8 weeks for a premium one. A cosmetic refresh is much shorter.

Canstar lists eating out, or setting up a temporary kitchen, as one of the hidden costs of a renovation. Plan for it before demolition day. Work out where the fridge will go, where you will wash up and what you can cook with.

If you live in a unit, check the body corporate rules on work hours and noise as well, because they limit when the trades can work.

What Queensland rules affect a kitchen renovation timeline?

Three sets of rules shape when work can start and who does each stage. This is a short summary, not legal advice.

• Cooling-off. For contracts over $3,300, you generally have 5 business days to withdraw. The QBCC cooling-off rules say it starts the day after you receive a signed copy of the whole contract.
• Deposits. The most a contractor can ask is 10% for jobs over $3,300 and under $20,000, and 5% for bigger jobs. The QBCC deposit rules allow up to 20% where made-to-measure work done off site, such as kitchen cabinets, is more than half the contract price.
• Licensed trades. Building work over $3,300 needs a QBCC licence, and plumbing, drainage and gas fitting need one at any value. Electrical work must be done by a licensed electrician. The Electrical Safety Office says fitting an electric wall oven into a cabinet is not electrical work, but connecting it is.

So expect the plumber and electrician on site twice: once for the rough-in, and again at fit-off once the cabinets and benchtop are in.

How do I keep a kitchen renovation on time?

Lock in the design early and ask about lead times before you sign.

• Settle the layout, cabinets and benchtop before demolition, so nothing made to order has to change.
• Ask for the cabinet lead time and plan around it. What's The Damage says 6 to 12 weeks is common for custom cabinets.
• Ask how many days the install takes, and who books the plumber, electrician and benchtop maker.
• Keep 15-20% of the budget aside for surprises, as What's The Damage suggests, so a find behind the walls does not stop the job.

With us, you get a timeline with your proposal, before any work starts, so you know how long you will be without a kitchen. We do full kitchen renovations and partial refits on the Gold Coast, from benchtops, doors and cupboards to island benches and layout changes, and Brett books and runs the trades. See our kitchen renovations page.

Where does this information come from?

Checked on 12 October 2026: What's The Damage (kitchen renovation cost pages for the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Australia, October 2026), Sparky (kitchen cabinetry, September 2026), Yellow Pages (kitchen renovation cost guide, January 2025) and Canstar (kitchen renovation cost, July 2026). Rules from the QBCC (licence, deposit and cooling-off pages) and the Electrical Safety Office. We will check them again every three months.

See our kitchen renovations work, or check what your job will cost.