How long a kitchen takes to fit is one of the first questions homeowners ask, and understandably so, because for the duration you are living without a proper place to cook. The honest answer is that a straightforward replacement kitchen usually takes one to three weeks on site, while a project that involves moving walls, plumbing or the layout can run to five weeks or more. This guide breaks the kitchen fitting timeline down stage by stage so you know what should be happening on each day, and what tends to push the dates back.
The short answer
For a like-for-like kitchen in the same layout, allow roughly seven to ten working days of fitting once everything is on site. Add a stone worktop and you need to build in a template-and-return gap. Add structural work such as removing a wall or a knock-through to a diner, and it is more realistic to plan for five to nine weeks from strip-out to finish. The single biggest variable is not the fitters, it is the lead time on units, appliances and worktops before day one.
Kitchen fitting timeline, stage by stage
Most fits follow the same running order. The days below are typical for an average family kitchen and overlap where a good fitter can work efficiently.
Before day one: design, survey and lead times
The part people forget. Between signing off a design and the fitters arriving, units and appliances are ordered and made, which can take anywhere from two to eight weeks depending on the supplier and the range. A final technical survey should happen before ordering so the design matches the room as built.
Day 1: strip-out and preparation
The old kitchen comes out, waste is cleared, and the walls, floor and services are checked. Any hidden surprises, damp, rot or dodgy wiring, tend to reveal themselves here, which is why a contingency in the budget is wise.
Days 2 to 3: first fix
This is the plumbing, electrics and any gas work moved or added before the units go in. Electrical work must comply with Part P of the building regulations, and any gas appliance must be worked on by an engineer on the Gas Safe Register. Getting first fix right is what makes the rest of the fit run smoothly.
Days 3 to 6: cabinets and worktops
Base and wall units are levelled and fixed, then doors, drawers and end panels follow. Laminate worktops can often be cut and fitted in the same visit. This is the stage where the kitchen suddenly looks like a kitchen.
The worktop template gap
If you have chosen quartz, granite or another stone worktop, it cannot be fitted on the same day. The units go in, a templater measures the exact tops, and the stone is cut off site. Expect a gap of around one to two weeks between templating and the return fit, during which a temporary top or careful planning keeps the kitchen usable.
Second fix and appliances
With the worktops in, the sink, taps, hob, oven and integrated appliances are connected and tested, and the electrics are finished and certified. Allow two to three days.
Tiling, flooring and decorating
Splashbacks or tiling, flooring if it was not done first, and painting round off the job. Another two to three days, plus drying time for grout, sealant and paint before everything is used in anger.
What makes a kitchen fit take longer
- Structural work such as removing a wall, which brings in building control and often a steel beam
- Stone worktops, because of the template-and-return gap
- Moving the sink, hob or appliances to a new position, which extends first fix
- Old properties with uneven walls and floors that need extra levelling
- Long appliance or unit lead times, or an item arriving damaged and needing reorder
- Trades not being booked in the right order, leaving gaps between stages
Living without a kitchen during the fit
The practical side matters as much as the schedule. The hardest stretch is between strip-out and the worktops going in, when there is no sink and no run of surface. Set up a temporary kitchen before day one: a table with a kettle, microwave and toaster, a few boxes of essentials, and access to a sink elsewhere in the house for washing up. Batch-cook and freeze meals in advance, keep paper plates on hand for the worst days, and box up the rest of the kitchen so nothing is lost or covered in dust. If you have chosen a stone worktop, plan meals carefully around the template gap, because that is the longest stretch with the units in but no usable surface. A little preparation turns a fortnight of upheaval into a manageable inconvenience.
How to keep your kitchen fit on schedule
The projects that finish on time are the ones planned properly before the first unit is unwrapped. Have every item delivered and checked before strip-out day, confirm the worktop template date at the outset, and make sure the electrician and any Gas Safe engineer are booked to match the fitting sequence. Agree a written schedule with your fitter and keep the kitchen accessible so no one is waiting on you. If your project needs structural changes, factor in the time for approvals early rather than treating them as an afterthought. Homeowners across Kent can find more planning guidance in our other guides at Contemporary Structures, and full detail on when approvals apply is on the Government’s building regulations pages.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to fit a kitchen from start to finish?
A like-for-like kitchen typically takes seven to ten working days on site. With a stone worktop, add a one to two week template gap. With structural work, plan for five to nine weeks overall including approvals and drying time.
Can a kitchen be fitted in a week?
A small, simple kitchen kept in the same layout with laminate worktops can be fitted in around a week. Anything involving stone tops, moved services or building work will take longer, so treat a one-week promise with caution.
Why is there a delay for stone worktops?
Quartz and granite are templated only once the units are installed, then cut off site to the exact measurements. That cutting and finishing usually adds one to two weeks between the units going in and the worktops being fitted.
Do I need to be without a kitchen the whole time?
Largely, yes, though many people set up a temporary kitchen with a microwave, kettle and a sink elsewhere. The tightest period is between strip-out and the worktops going in, so plan meals around that window.
What order do the trades work in?
Strip-out first, then first-fix plumbing, electrics and gas, then units and worktops, then second fix and appliances, and finally tiling, flooring and decorating. Booking them in that sequence is what keeps a fit moving.
