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Kitchen Remodeling Process in 6 Steps: Timelines, Costs and Lead Times | The Remodel Report · USA Cabinet Store Remodeling Podcast

• 0:05
  Welcome to the Remodel Report, the show where
• 0:08
  we take the guesswork out of kitchen and bathroom
• 0:11
  remodeling. I'm Chris and today we're walking
• 0:14
  through something every homeowner wonders about
• 0:17
  before they start. What actually happens step
• 0:20
  by step from the very first conversation to the
• 0:24
  day the crew packs up and you're standing in
• 0:27
  a finished kitchen. With me as always is Jessica.
• 0:32
  Jessica, welcome back. Thanks, Chris. Glad to
• 0:35
  be here, because this is the topic that quietly
• 0:38
  decides whether a remodel feels exciting or exhausting.
• 0:42
  Today we're going through the six -step remodeling
• 0:44
  process that USA Cabinet Store uses across its
• 0:47
  13 showrooms. And the reason a defined process
• 0:50
  matters is simple. Most remodeling stress doesn't
• 0:53
  come from the hammering. It comes from not knowing
• 0:55
  things. What will this cost? What will it look
• 0:58
  like? Who do I call when something comes up?
• 1:01
  A good process answers those questions before
• 1:04
  anyone picks up a tool. Okay, so let's start
• 1:06
  with the question everyone asks first. How long
• 1:09
  does all of this take? Here are the on -site
• 1:11
  numbers, meaning once work actually starts in
• 1:14
  your home. A cosmetic kitchen update usually
• 1:17
  takes two to four weeks. A mid -range kitchen
• 1:20
  runs six to ten weeks. And a high -end renovation
• 1:23
  that moves walls or plumbing can take 12 to 20
• 1:26
  weeks, sometimes longer. Bathrooms are typically
• 1:29
  two to six weeks on -site. The keywords there
• 1:32
  are on -site. Design, ordering, and permits all
• 1:35
  happen before that clock starts, and we'll get
• 1:38
  to those. Good distinction. All right, take us
• 1:40
  through it. Step one. Step one is the consultation
• 1:44
  and your project goals. It's a free design consultation,
• 1:48
  about 60 minutes, with no obligation and no charge.
• 1:51
  You can do it at a showroom, in your home, or
• 1:54
  virtually. And you don't need to show up with
• 1:56
  a finished plan. Rough measurements are great.
• 1:59
  But ideas alone are fine, too. You talk through
• 2:02
  your goals, your budget, your style, and your
• 2:04
  timeline with the designer. What you walk away
• 2:07
  with is a project brief and a clear recommended
• 2:10
  next step. Your job in this step is simply to
• 2:13
  share your wish list, your budget, and your timeline
• 2:15
  honestly. I like that ideas alone are fine part
• 2:19
  because a lot of people put off calling anyone
• 2:21
  until they feel ready. What's step two? Step
• 2:25
  two is measurements and discovery. A designer
• 2:28
  and a measure specialist gather exact measurements,
• 2:31
  identify layout constraints, and sort out what
• 2:34
  needs to stay, what can move, and what should
• 2:36
  change. One detail worth knowing. For homes built
• 2:40
  before 1978, this step includes lead paint testing,
• 2:45
  which is a smart thing to settle before any walls
• 2:47
  get opened up. You receive measured drawings
• 2:50
  and a clear picture of your site constraints.
• 2:53
  Your role is to provide access and flag anything
• 2:55
  you definitely want to keep. And then comes the
• 2:58
  fun part, I'm guessing. It really is. Step three
• 3:02
  is 3D design and layout review. A designer and
• 3:05
  a 3D specialist build out your space so you can
• 3:08
  see cabinet placement, storage, how the countertops
• 3:11
  flow, where the fixtures land, and the overall
• 3:14
  look, all before anything is ordered. This is
• 3:17
  the answer to one of the most common worries,
• 3:19
  which is, I just can't picture the result. You
• 3:23
  review the renderings, mark the changes you want,
• 3:26
  and approve a direction. And honestly, it's a
• 3:29
  lot cheaper to move a cabinet on a screen than
• 3:31
  on a wall. That's a great way to put it. Okay,
• 3:34
  step four is where I would personally get lost.
• 3:37
  Materials. You're not alone. Step four is material
• 3:41
  selection, and it's where decision fatigue usually
• 3:44
  hits. Cabinets, countertops, tile, fixtures,
• 3:48
  hardware, flooring, finishes. Instead of guessing
• 3:52
  on your own, you compare samples with your designer
• 3:54
  and make the selections together. A nice detail
• 3:57
  here. Countertops are templated and installed
• 4:00
  by USA Cabinet Store's own team as part of the
• 4:02
  project, so that's not a separate contractor
• 4:05
  you have to chase. You come out of this step
• 4:07
  with a final selection sheet that covers every
• 4:09
  material. And then we get to the part everyone
• 4:12
  is nervous about. Money. Step five is scope,
• 4:16
  estimate, and approvals. Your designer and your
• 4:18
  project manager walk you through a detailed scope
• 4:21
  and a line item estimate. covering product details,
• 4:24
  labor expectations, budget drivers, and any change
• 4:28
  decisions. It also helps to know the typical
• 4:31
  budget split going in. Cabinets are usually 30
• 4:34
  to 40 percent of the budget. Labor runs 20 to
• 4:38
  35 percent on a cosmetic project and 35 to 50
• 4:42
  percent on a full remodel. Appliances take 10
• 4:46
  to 20 percent and countertops 10 to 15 percent.
• 4:50
  Interesting that labor jumps that much on a full
• 4:52
  remodel. Can you give people a ballpark on the
• 4:54
  overall cost? Sure. The average cost of a kitchen
• 4:58
  remodel nationally is about $27 ,000 to $35 ,000.
• 5:02
  And in Northern Virginia, it runs roughly twice
• 5:05
  that. And yes, labor climbs on bigger projects,
• 5:09
  because moving plumbing, electrical, and walls
• 5:11
  is where the hours go. The final number depends
• 5:14
  on room size, layout changes, the cabinet line,
• 5:18
  the countertop material, tile, fixtures, plumbing,
• 5:23
  electrical flooring, permits, and the installation
• 5:25
  scope. The whole point of step five is that you
• 5:29
  see all of that before you order anything, not
• 5:32
  halfway through the job. Okay, step six, ordering,
• 5:35
  scheduling, and installation. What should people
• 5:37
  expect on lead times? Cabinets set the pace and
• 5:40
  the clock starts at final design sign -off. Locally
• 5:43
  stocked ready -to -assemble cabinets can be available
• 5:46
  in a matter of days. Stock lines take about two
• 5:49
  to five weeks. Semi -custom runs 5 to 9 weeks,
• 5:53
  and custom takes 7 to 11 weeks. Permits, when
• 5:56
  they're needed, take about 1 to 2 weeks for a
• 5:58
  simple job, or 3 to 6 weeks if there's structural,
• 6:02
  electrical, or plumbing work. Then the on -site
• 6:05
  work begins, run by a project manager together
• 6:07
  with the installers and the delivery team. Your
• 6:10
  role at this stage is mostly to be available
• 6:12
  for delivery and for the final walkthrough, where
• 6:16
  everything gets reviewed and the project is closed
• 6:18
  out. One thing I hear from homeowners all the
• 6:20
  time is, I never knew who was actually responsible
• 6:23
  for what. How does this process handle that?
• 6:26
  With one clear path, one designer guides your
• 6:29
  plan, one project manager runs your install,
• 6:33
  and you have one point of contact for every question
• 6:35
  from the first consultation all the way through
• 6:38
  the final walkthrough. On top of that, there's
• 6:41
  a scope confirmation habit built in. Measurements,
• 6:45
  product details, Installation expectations and
• 6:48
  change decisions all get confirmed before the
• 6:51
  work moves forward. That's what keeps surprises
• 6:54
  small. Love that. Let's wrap up with the key
• 6:57
  takeaways. If someone remembers four things from
• 6:59
  this episode, what should they be? One, see it
• 7:03
  before you build it. A 3D design lets you fix
• 7:06
  layout problems on a screen instead of on site.
• 7:09
  Two, know where your money goes before you order,
• 7:13
  with a line item estimate and that typical budget
• 7:15
  split in mind. Three, remember that cabinet lead
• 7:19
  times and permits come before the onsite clock
• 7:21
  starts, so plan your calendar around them. And
• 7:25
  four, know exactly who your designer and your
• 7:27
  project manager are, so you always know who to
• 7:30
  call. Perfect. If you're thinking about a kitchen
• 7:33
  or bathroom remodel, you can book a free 60 -minute
• 7:36
  design consultation with USA Cabinet Store at
• 7:39
  a showroom in your home or online. They have
• 7:42
  13 showrooms across seven states, Virginia, Maryland,
• 7:46
  North Carolina, Texas, New Jersey, Florida, and
• 7:50
  Tennessee. If you're still gathering ideas, browse
• 7:53
  their real kitchen and bath projects first. And
• 7:56
  if pricing is the big question, their budgeting
• 7:59
  questions guide is a great place to start. It's
• 8:02
  all at usacabinetstore .com. Jessica, thanks
• 8:05
  so much. Thanks, Chris, and thanks to everyone
• 8:08
  listening. Plan first, build second, and we'll
• 8:11
  see you next time on the Remodel Report.