Kitchen remodel checklist: every decision, in the order you need to make it

A kitchen remodel means dozens of decisions, and some of them block others. Choose them in the wrong order and you'll redo work or wait on deliveries. Choose them late and the crew stands around. Houzz's 2026 study found kitchen projects took an average of 9.5 months of planning and 5.8 months of construction, the longest of any room (Houzz 2026, PDF). Most of that planning time goes on decisions.

This checklist puts them in the order the work needs them.

Phase 1: Before design

• ☐ Budget total and contingency. Set aside 10–20% before anything else (NKBA Kitchen Planner). Use the budget calculator.
• ☐ Scope. Same layout, or are walls and plumbing moving? Moving things adds cost and time.
• ☐ Target start date, so lead times can be counted back from it.
• ☐ Who's doing the work. Get bids on the same written scope. See comparing contractor quotes.

Phase 2: Decide first, because these drive the layout

• ☐ Appliances: exact models, not just brands. Cabinet makers need exact appliance dimensions, especially for panel-ready appliances or custom boxes. Panel-ready and imported appliances run about 8–16 weeks, standard ones about 2–4 weeks (Remodel Clock).
• ☐ Range hood and venting. A custom hood can be its own 6–12 week shop schedule (RoomFlip).
• ☐ Sink type and size (undermount, apron front). This affects the sink base cabinet and the countertop.
• ☐ Cabinet layout and line (stock, semi-custom, or custom). Published lead times: stock about 1–3 weeks, semi-custom about 4–12 weeks depending on the source, custom about 8–16 weeks (Remodel Clock, NKBA Kitchen Planner). Any design change to custom cabinets can restart the clock (Remodel Clock).

Phase 3: Order before demolition

Remodel Clock's rule of thumb is that anything over about six weeks should be ordered before demo (Remodel Clock). For a kitchen, that usually means:

• ☐ Cabinets
• ☐ Panel-ready or imported appliances
• ☐ Special-order tile for the backsplash: about 4–8 weeks. Order 10–15% extra, because a second order later is a second lead time (Remodel Clock).
• ☐ Specialty light fixtures: about 4–12 weeks (Remodel Clock)
• ☐ Windows or exterior doors, if any: about 6–12 weeks (Remodel Clock)

Phase 4: Decide before rough-in

• ☐ Lighting plan. Where the recessed, pendant, and under-cabinet lights go. The electrician needs this before the walls close.
• ☐ Outlets and switches, including outlets inside appliance garages or the island.
• ☐ Plumbing rough-in valves and the pot filler location. Rough-in parts are needed well before the visible faucet (Remodel Clock).
• ☐ Faucet: plumbing fixtures run about 1–4 weeks (Remodel Clock).

Phase 5: After the cabinets are in

• ☐ Countertops. The fabricator can't template until the cabinets are installed, and fabrication then takes about 2–4 weeks. Book the slot early anyway (Remodel Clock).
• ☐ Cabinet hardware. Choose it once the door style and finish are final.
• ☐ Backsplash layout, once the counters are in.

Phase 6: Finishes

• ☐ Paint: brand, color code, and sheen. Write it down for touch-ups later.
• ☐ Final light fixtures and trim
• ☐ Punch list before the final payment. See deposits and payment schedules.

Why "decide by" beats "order by"

Lead times run from the order, but the order can't go in until you've decided. When you count back from your start date, add time for quotes, approvals, and the occasional change of mind. The order-by calculator includes an adjustable buffer for exactly this.

Keep the checklist live

RenoBinder turns this checklist into a plan for your kitchen. Each decision gets its own lead time from published sources and a decide-by date counted back from your start. It tracks what each decision depends on (custom cabinets wait on appliance specs, and countertops wait on installed cabinets), plus its budget line.

Lead times are typical published ranges and vary by supplier and region. Confirm each one in writing with the supplier you're buying from.

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