Replacing kitchen cabinets takes different amounts of time depending on many things. For just the physical work of removing the old cabinets and putting in the new ones, it usually takes about 1 to 5 days. However, the entire project, from picking out cabinets to the final touches, can take several weeks or even months. Many steps happen before installation day.
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The Big Picture: Seeing the Whole Project Time
Getting new cabinets involves more than just taking out the old ones and putting in the new ones. You need to think about the whole kitchen cabinet replacement timeline. This starts long before any tools come out.
It begins with ideas. What kind of cabinets do you want? What style? What color? What fits your budget? This first step can take time as you look at options, visit stores, or browse online.
Next comes the planning part. Someone needs to measure your kitchen exactly. You need to decide on the layout. Where do you want drawers? Where do you need shelves? Are you changing the kitchen layout at all? This planning affects the “kitchen renovation timeline cabinet installation”. If you change the layout, it adds complexity and time.
After planning, you order the cabinets. Stock cabinets (ready-made) come faster than semi-custom or custom cabinets (made just for you). Waiting for the cabinets to arrive is often the longest part of the project. This waiting time can be anywhere from a few days to many weeks, sometimes even months for custom orders.
Once the cabinets arrive, the physical work starts. This is the part most people think of when they ask how long it takes. It includes taking out the old cabinets and putting in the new ones.
Phase 1: Getting Ready (The Long Wait)
The first phase is all about deciding and ordering. This phase has no physical work. But it takes up most of the total time.
Picking Your Cabinets: Many Choices
You have choices for cabinets.
* Stock Cabinets: These are already made in common sizes and styles. They are the fastest to get. You can often pick them up right away or get them delivered in a few days or weeks.
* Semi-Custom Cabinets: These start with standard sizes but let you change some things, like depth or door styles. They take longer than stock cabinets, usually several weeks.
* Custom Cabinets: These are built exactly to your measurements and design ideas. They take the longest time to make and deliver, often two to three months, sometimes more.
The type of cabinets you choose greatly impacts the overall “kitchen cabinet replacement timeline”.
Measuring and Ordering
Getting the right measurements is very important. Mistakes here can cause big delays. A professional cabinet designer or contractor will measure your kitchen carefully. They make sure the cabinets fit the space perfectly.
Ordering takes time too. You review the plans, pick colors and hardware, and sign the order. Then the company builds or gathers your cabinets.
Waiting for Delivery
This is the waiting game. The time depends on your cabinet choice (stock, semi-custom, custom). Make sure you have a clear delivery date. Delays in delivery push back the whole project.
Phase 2: Taking Out the Old Cabinets
Once the new cabinets are almost ready or have arrived, you can start removing the old ones. This is the first physical step. The “duration to remove old kitchen cabinets” varies.
How Long Does Removal Take?
Removing old cabinets typically takes 1 to 2 days.
* Simple Removal: If the cabinets are just screwed into the wall and there are no issues, a professional team can often remove them in less than a day, especially in a smaller kitchen.
* Complex Removal: Older cabinets might be nailed, glued, and painted over many times. Countertops might be hard to remove without damaging the cabinets (if you plan to reuse the counter, which is rare when replacing cabinets). There might be plumbing or electrical lines running inside cabinets. Removing appliances like the sink or dishwasher is also needed before cabinet removal. These things add time.
Dust and dirt are a big part of this phase. Workers will cover floors and protect other parts of your home. But expect dust!
What Happens After Removal?
After the old cabinets are gone, you see the bare walls and floor. This is a good time to do other work:
* Repairing walls (fixing holes, smoothing surfaces)
* Painting the kitchen
* Putting in new flooring (it’s easier without cabinets in the way)
* Changing plumbing or electrical lines (if needed)
This in-between time can add several days or even a week or two to the total project if you’re doing more than just cabinets.
Phase 3: Putting in the New Cabinets
This is the exciting part – seeing your new kitchen take shape! The “average time to install kitchen cabinets” is usually 1 to 3 days for standard-sized kitchens with professional installers.
The Installation Process
Installation involves several steps:
1. Setting the Base Cabinets: Workers start with the lower cabinets. They make sure they are level and straight. This is very important.
2. Installing Wall Cabinets: Upper cabinets go in next. This often requires two people to hold the cabinets while one secures them to the wall.
3. Adding Fillers and Panels: Small pieces (fillers) are used to close gaps between cabinets and walls. Decorative panels might be added to the ends of cabinet runs.
4. Putting in Doors and Drawers: Once the boxes are secure, the doors and drawer fronts are attached.
5. Installing Hardware: Knobs and pulls are added.
6. Adding Trim and Molding: Crown molding, toe kicks, and other decorative trim pieces are installed last.
Professional Installation Time
A “professional cabinet installation timeframe” is usually faster than DIY. Experienced installers know the tricks and have the right tools.
* Small kitchen (10-15 cabinets): 1-2 days
* Medium kitchen (15-25 cabinets): 2-3 days
* Large kitchen (25+ cabinets): 3-5 days or more
This is just for the cabinets themselves. This time does not include putting in countertops, backsplash, sink, or appliances.
DIY Installation Duration
If you choose the “DIY kitchen cabinet replacement duration” will be longer.
* You are learning as you go.
* You might not have all the special tools.
* It’s harder to lift and hang cabinets by yourself.
* Things often take longer than planned.
DIY installation can take anywhere from 3 days to 2 weeks or more, depending on your skill level, the kitchen size, and how much time you can work on it each day. Trying to do it yourself to save money might cost you more in time and frustration. It might also lead to mistakes that need fixing later.
Replacement vs. Refacing: Thinking About Time
Sometimes, people choose to reface cabinets instead of replacing them. Refacing means keeping the existing cabinet boxes and putting new doors, drawer fronts, and a new skin (veneer) on the outside of the boxes.
Comparing “cabinet refacing vs replacement time”:
* Refacing: The physical work of refacing a kitchen usually takes 2 to 4 days. Since the boxes stay in place, it’s less disruptive. You might even be able to use your kitchen (partially) during the process.
* Replacement: As we know, physical replacement takes 1 to 5 days for cabinets only, but the entire project timeline (planning, ordering, removal, installation, plus often new counters, etc.) is much longer.
While the physical installation time for replacement might be similar to or even shorter than refacing in some cases (e.g., replacing with stock cabinets vs. detailed custom refacing), the total project time from start to finish is almost always much longer for replacement due to the ordering and preparation phases.
Refacing saves significant time compared to replacement when looking at the overall project duration.
What Makes the Job Take Longer?
Many things can affect the “factors affecting cabinet installation time”. Knowing these can help you get a better “estimate for replacing kitchen cabinets”.
Kitchen Size and Shape
A bigger kitchen means more cabinets, which takes more time to install. A kitchen with many corners, angles, or irregular shapes also takes longer. Straight walls are easier.
Cabinet Type
- Stock: Fastest to get, easiest to install (standard sizes).
- Semi-Custom/Custom: Takes longer to order. Installation can be more complex because they are built to exact, sometimes unusual, specifications.
Cabinet Construction and Style
Ready-to-assemble (RTA) cabinets might take more time to put together before they can even be installed. Cabinets with many drawers or special features (like pull-out shelves, spice racks, lazy Susans) can add slightly more time during installation compared to simple shelves.
Removing Old Cabinets
If the old cabinets are very difficult to remove (old, heavily secured, integrated with plumbing/electrical in odd ways), this first step can take longer than planned.
Condition of Walls and Floors
- If walls are not straight, level, or plumb (perfectly vertical), installers have to spend time shimming (adding thin pieces of material behind cabinets) to make the new cabinets look straight. This adds time.
- Uneven floors also require shimming base cabinets.
- Damage found behind the old cabinets (like mold, water damage) must be fixed before new cabinets go in. This adds significant time.
Unexpected Issues
Plumbing or electrical problems found during demolition or installation will stop work until they are fixed. Old homes often hide surprises. This is a big factor that is hard to plan for.
Other Work Happening
If you are doing a full remodel (new floors, countertops, backsplash, moving walls), the cabinet installation must fit into the “kitchen renovation timeline cabinet installation”. Cabinets go in after floors (if installing under cabinets) and before countertops and backsplash. Coordinating these different tasks adds time.
Who is Doing the Work?
As discussed, professionals work faster than most DIYers. The quality of the professional matters too. An experienced cabinet installer is much faster and more efficient than a general contractor who only installs cabinets sometimes.
Delivery Problems
If cabinets arrive damaged or if parts are missing, the installation stops until replacements arrive. This can cause major delays.
Punch List and Adjustments
After the main installation, there’s a “punch list” of small things: adjusting doors, fixing small gaps, adding final trim pieces. This can take half a day or a full day depending on the size and complexity.
Fitting Cabinets into a Full Kitchen Remodel
How long does a “kitchen remodel take with new cabinets”? Replacing cabinets is a big part of a kitchen remodel, but it’s not the only part.
A full kitchen remodel can take anywhere from 4 weeks to 4 months or longer.
Here’s a rough idea of how cabinets fit into that timeline:
- Planning & Design: 1-4 weeks
- Ordering Cabinets & Waiting: 1 week to 3+ months (This overlaps with other steps)
- Demolition (Removing old kitchen): 1-3 days
- Structural Changes (if any): 1-3 days or longer
- Rough Plumbing/Electrical (if moving things): 1-3 days
- Insulation/Drywall/Painting: 3-7 days
- Flooring: 1-5 days (usually done before cabinets if installing under them)
- Cabinet Installation: 1-5 days (This is where our focus is!)
- Countertop Templating & Installation: Templating takes a few hours. Fabrication and installation takes 1-3 weeks after cabinets are in. Installation is usually 1 day.
- Backsplash Installation: 1-3 days
- Plumbing Fixture Installation (sink, faucet): 1 day
- Electrical Fixture Installation (lights, outlets): 1 day
- Appliance Installation: 1 day
- Final Touch-ups & Punch List: 1-2 days
As you can see, while cabinet installation is relatively quick, the time spent waiting for cabinets and coordinating their installation with other parts of the remodel makes them a key factor in the overall “kitchen renovation timeline cabinet installation”. Delays in cabinets can hold up countertops, plumbing, and everything that comes after.
Getting an Estimate for Replacing Kitchen Cabinets
When you ask a professional for an “estimate for replacing kitchen cabinets,” they will give you a cost and a timeframe.
* The cost estimate will include the cabinets themselves, delivery, removal of old cabinets, and installation of new ones.
* The time estimate will cover the physical work duration (removal + installation). They should also give you an idea of how long the cabinets will take to arrive after you order them.
Make sure the estimate clearly states what is included in the timeframe. Is it just installation? Does it include removal? Does it include cleanup? Does it include the time spent waiting for cabinets? A good contractor will give you a realistic overall picture.
DIY vs. Professional: Time vs. Savings
Let’s look at the time difference between DIY and hiring professionals.
-
DIY (Do It Yourself):
- Time: Much longer. Removal can take 2-3 days. Installation can take 3-14+ days, depending on your skill and free time. Total physical work: 5 days to 3+ weeks.
- Savings: You save money on labor costs. But you might spend more on tool rentals or purchases. Mistakes can be costly to fix.
- Effort: High physical effort. High mental effort (planning, learning). High risk of frustration.
- Result: Can be good if you are skilled and patient. Can look less professional if you lack experience.
-
Professional:
- Time: Much faster. Removal 1-2 days. Installation 1-5 days. Total physical work: 2-7 days.
- Cost: Higher upfront cost because you pay for labor. But often saves money in the long run by avoiding costly mistakes and finishing faster.
- Effort: Lower physical and mental effort for you. The professionals do the hard work.
- Result: Usually a high-quality, professional finish. Less stress for you.
If your main goal is to finish quickly and with minimal stress, hiring professionals is usually the best choice for cabinet replacement. If your main goal is to save money and you have a lot of time and patience (and some building skills), DIY might be an option, but be realistic about the time it will take.
Ways to Make the Project Go Faster
While some parts (like waiting for custom cabinets) just take time, you can do things to help speed up the process once the physical work starts:
- Be Ready: Have the kitchen cleared out before the crew arrives. Empty all cabinets and remove everything from countertops. Protect your floors.
- Ensure Clear Access: Make sure workers can easily get in and out of the kitchen with cabinets and tools.
- Have Everything On Site: Make sure all the cabinets, filler pieces, trim, and hardware have arrived before installation day. Check the order against the packing list right away. Missing pieces stop the job.
- Address Issues Quickly: Be available to answer questions if unexpected issues come up. Quick decisions prevent delays.
- Don’t Add New Work: Avoid asking the installers to do extra tasks not in the original plan (like hang a mirror or fix a squeaky floorboard). This will slow down their main job.
- Hire Experienced Pros: Choose a company or installer with a good track record specifically for cabinet installation.
Following these tips can help ensure the physical part of the cabinet replacement stays within the typical “professional cabinet installation timeframe”.
Summarizing the Time Commitment
To recap the question “How long does it take to replace kitchen cabinets?”:
-
Physical Work (Removal + Installation):
- Professional: 2-7 days
- DIY: 5 days to 3+ weeks
-
Total Project Time (Planning to Finish):
- Often weeks or months, mainly due to cabinet ordering and waiting times, and how it fits with other renovation tasks.
The “average time to install kitchen cabinets” (the physical part) is only a small piece of the overall “kitchen cabinet replacement timeline”. Always factor in the selection, ordering, and delivery time, plus any other kitchen work you plan to do at the same time. Getting a clear “estimate for replacing kitchen cabinets” from your supplier and installer will give you the most accurate idea for your specific project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common questions about replacing kitchen cabinets:
Q: Can I leave food and dishes in my kitchen cabinets while they are being replaced?
No, you must completely empty all cabinets before removal starts. Find a temporary place for everything, like your dining room or garage.
Q: Can I use my kitchen during the cabinet replacement?
For the few days the physical work is happening, your kitchen will be a construction zone. You will likely not have a working sink, stove, or countertops. Plan to eat out, use a grill, or set up a temporary mini-kitchen elsewhere in your home (with a microwave, toaster oven, cooler, etc.).
Q: How messy is replacing kitchen cabinets?
It is very messy, especially the removal phase. Expect a lot of dust. Professionals will try to seal off the work area and use dust cloths, but dust travels. There will also be debris from the old cabinets.
Q: Does removing old cabinets damage the walls?
Often, yes. Cabinets are secured to the wall studs. Removing them leaves screw holes and sometimes tears the drywall or plaster. If the cabinets or countertops were caulked or sealed to the wall or backsplash, removing them will likely cause some damage that needs repair before new cabinets go in.
Q: Do new cabinets come assembled?
It depends on where you buy them. Stock cabinets might be ready-to-assemble (RTA) or already put together (pre-assembled). Semi-custom and custom cabinets usually come pre-assembled. RTA cabinets are cheaper but require significant time to build before installation.
Q: Should I replace flooring or cabinets first?
It’s generally best to install new flooring first, especially if it’s tile, hardwood, or laminate, and you plan for the flooring to go under the cabinets. This gives a cleaner look and makes future appliance replacement easier. If you are using vinyl or a thin flooring type, it might be installed after cabinets. Discuss this with your contractor.
Q: How long after cabinet installation can countertops be installed?
Countertop installation happens after cabinets are fully installed. For custom countertops (like granite, quartz, or solid surface), a template is made of the installed cabinets. This template goes to the fabricator. The fabrication and scheduling usually takes 1 to 3 weeks before the new countertops can be installed. Laminate countertops might be installed sooner.
Knowing these steps and what affects the timing will help you plan your project and have realistic expectations about how long it takes to replace kitchen cabinets.