Kitchen Remodeling
Cabinetry, stone, tile and finish work — self-performed by the crew that started your job.
The short answer
Most full kitchens run six to ten weeks, and the calendar is set by cabinetry and countertop lead times rather than by labor. Stone is templated only after cabinets are physically installed, then fabricated, then delivered — a sequence that cannot be compressed. Budget order is usually cabinetry, then countertops, then appliances, then labor. Moving plumbing or gas is the most expensive category of decision.
A kitchen remodel is the largest interior project most people will ever commission, and the one where the gap between a good contractor and a cheap one shows up soonest. Here is how we approach them, what actually drives the timeline, and what we would want to know if we were hiring someone.
What we do
Full kitchen remodels, from a cosmetic refresh through taking the room back to studs and rebuilding it. Cabinet installation and custom millwork, countertops in natural stone and quartz, backsplash and floor tile, all flooring types, lighting and electrical finish work, and the painting to close it out. Because we self-perform the tile, stone and finish carpentry rather than subbing them out, the parts of a kitchen people actually touch and look at are done by the same crew that started the job.
The part that decides your timeline
It is almost never the labor. It is cabinetry and stone lead times. Semi-custom cabinets routinely run several weeks out, custom longer, and a slab has to be selected, templated after the cabinets are physically installed, then fabricated and delivered. That sequence cannot be compressed by working harder.
What it can be ruined by is starting demo before the cabinets are ordered. We confirm the long-lead items first, then schedule demolition backwards from the delivery date, so your kitchen is not sitting open for a month waiting on a truck. If a contractor is eager to start demo next week without your selections finalized, that is not enthusiasm.
Where kitchen budgets actually go
In rough order: cabinetry, then countertops, then appliances, then labor, then everything else. Layout changes that move plumbing or gas are the single most expensive category of decision, which is why we push hard on whether a change is worth it before anyone commits. Moving a sink to the island is a different project than replacing the one that is there.
Our full breakdown of what moves the number is in Kitchen Remodel Costs: What Actually Changes the Price.
Older homes in this region
A large share of the housing we work in was built before 1980, and a kitchen is where that shows. Original kitchens in pre-war Seattle homes were built as service rooms, closed off from everything, with a single circuit and plumbing routed for a very different set of appliances. Opening one up usually means an electrical panel conversation, sometimes a structural one, and almost always a subfloor that is not flat. We look before we quote.
Kitchen remodeling by city
We work throughout the Puget Sound. These pages cover what is specific to each market:
What a kitchen project covers
Cabinetry & millwork
Installation of stock, semi-custom and custom cabinetry, plus built-ins, panels and trim carpentry to finish it properly.
Countertops
Natural stone and quartz, templated after cabinet install. Slab layout, seam placement and edge profile planned in advance, not improvised.
Backsplash & tile
Where our background is. Outlet coordination, corners and the run behind the range are what separate a clean backsplash from a busy one.
Flooring
Hardwood, engineered, laminate, LVP, tile and more. Subfloor flatness assessed before anything is ordered.
Lighting & electrical finish
Recessed, under-cabinet and pendant lighting, plus circuit and outlet work brought up to current code.
Plumbing & layout changes
Sink, dishwasher and gas relocations when the layout warrants it — and honest advice when it does not.
Questions we get
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
Most full kitchens run six to ten weeks, and the calendar is usually set by cabinet and countertop lead times rather than labor. We confirm delivery dates before demolition so the room is not open waiting on materials.
Can I stay in the house during a kitchen remodel?
Almost always, yes, though you will be without a kitchen for most of it. We help people set up a temporary kitchen elsewhere in the house and we contain dust properly, which matters much more than people expect over eight weeks.
Do I need a permit for a kitchen remodel?
In King County you generally do if you are moving plumbing, altering electrical circuits, or changing anything structural. A like-for-like cosmetic replacement often does not. We cover this in our guide to remodel permits in King County.
Should I move the sink or the island?
Sometimes, but it is the most expensive category of decision in a kitchen and it is frequently not worth it. We will tell you honestly whether a layout change earns its cost in your specific room before you commit to it.
Do you install cabinets I buy myself?
Yes. Plenty of clients source their own cabinetry. We will review the order before it is placed, because the most common problem with owner-supplied cabinets is a missing filler or panel that stops installation cold.
How much does a kitchen remodel cost?
We do not publish price ranges. Cabinetry is normally the single largest line, followed by countertops. It depends on scope and finish level more than on square footage, and cabinetry alone typically accounts for the largest share. We give free written estimates that separate demo and prep from cabinetry, stone, tile and finish so you can see exactly where the money is going.
Thinking about your kitchen?
Free written estimate, and honest advice on which changes are worth the money.