It is the question we hear most after "how much?". The honest answer: as a guide, the whole journey from first chat to a finished kitchen is usually two to four months, and most kitchens are installed about four to six weeks after the final check measure. Here is where that time goes.
1. First chat and design consult
We talk through what you want, then come out to measure and see the space. This part moves as fast as your calendar allows.
2. Design, 3D views and quote
Nick draws your kitchen in CAD and shows you 3D views, with a round of revisions included, alongside a clear itemised quote. How long this takes depends mostly on decisions: layout, appliances, door finish and benchtop. The quicker those are settled, the quicker everything after moves.
3. Approval and final check measure
Once the design is signed off, we check measure the room. If walls are moving, windows are changing or plumbing is being relocated, that work needs to be done first, because the final measure is what your cabinetry is made to.
4. Production
Your panels are precision machined locally, then assembled and checked in our workshop before they come to site. This is the four to six week window between final check measure and installation.
5. Installation
The cabinetry install itself usually takes days rather than weeks. Stone and porcelain benchtops are templated once the cabinets are in, then cut and installed, so allow a little extra time before the sink and cooktop are connected. Splashback tiling, plumbing and electrical connections follow.
What can slow things down
- Late decisions: changing the layout or appliances after sign-off means redrawing and re-measuring.
- Benchtop lead times: some materials take longer to arrive, so choose early.
- Building work and approvals: moving walls or windows can add time before we can measure.
- Other trades: the plumber, electrician and tiler all need to be booked around the install.
- Your builder's program: on new builds, cabinetry slots into the wider schedule.
How to keep it on track
- Choose your appliances before the final drawings, because cabinetry is built around their exact sizes.
- Decide on the benchtop early and ask about its lead time.
- Book your plumber, electrician and tiler as soon as you have an install date.
- Have a plan for meals while the kitchen is out. Our kitchen renovation guide has tips for install week.
Your schedule
Every project is different, so we give you a schedule for yours once the design is under way. To get started, book a free design consult, or read how a KO project works.
