How long does it take to fit a kitchen? You may need to set aside more time than you think

If the time has come to splash out on a new kitchen, then there are a few factors to work out in order to ensure the job runs to plan. You have chosen your style, measured up, picked out colours and left your kitchen design appointment clutching a print-out of your freshly drawn kitchen plans while bursting with anticipation.

Next, the waiting game for the kitchen fitters to arrive begins. But how long does it take to fit a kitchen? It's an important question to ask as having the heart of your home out of action can have a huge impact on your life, so you'll need to plan for the disruption.

Of course size and style matter: planning a kitchen extension will take much more time and effort than stripping out and refitting a new small kitchen idea. So, we've asked kitchen experts and fitting specialists how long it takes to fit all types of kitchens, realistically.

How long does it take to fit a kitchen? 

Just as you need to plan budgets too and consider how much a new kitchen costs, it's also vital to allocate your time well. Being prepared for how long things may take in advance will help you along.

According to MyJobQuote, the online connection service for reputable tradespeople, the average fitting time for a kitchen is between 10 and 14 days.

'However, many factors can increase this timescale including the room size, design and the materials chosen', explains David Cruz a plumbing expert at MyJobQuote.

How long you'll have to live without a cooker or sink depends on the scale of the work. New doors might only need a day or two to swap out if not touching electrics or plumbing. Whereas, if you are planning to try a new kitchen layout or move walls, pipe-work and wiring, then you'll need to live without a kitchen for up to a month.

'Bigger kitchens will take longer and any serious structural issues will also have to be addressed, particularly if you are removing any walls to enlarge your kitchen'.

Including fitting times for both low-budget and high-end kitchens, here's how long you can expect the kitchen fitting timescale to run kitchen when fitted by professionals.

How long does it take to fit a kitchen that's low budget?

Low-budget kitchens are often made from accessible materials and fitted to set proportions. This makes a kitchen refit a straightforward job and possibly an easy DIY project if you have the skills and time.

For instance, if you want to refresh cupboard fronts with a new colour or style, new doors can take as little as a few days to install.

Otherwise, you can expect a low-budget kitchen fit by professionals to take around a week and include cabinet assembly, installation, work-top cutting and mitring, trim and edge fitting, appliance installation plus sink and tap connection.

IKEA offer a kitchen installation service that includes a pre-visit (as an additional cost to an IKEA kitchen purchase) that on average is completed within 5-7 days.

How long does it take to fit a kitchen that's high-end?

Handmade kitchens take more time to place as they have usually been carefully handmade by skilled craftspeople and so worth the wait.

Units can be heavy, bulky, made-to measure, and sometimes in one piece. Work-tops are often measured for and cut after kitchen units have been installed to achieve seamless exquisite joinery, so manufacturing and delivery time can cause installation breaks (more on that later).

'Our handmade kitchens are fitted within three weeks. In the first week, our skilled installation team carefully installs the kitchen, and the worktops are templated, they then take around 7-10 days to be manufactured' explains Al Bruce, founder of Olive & Barr.

To achieve professional and luxurious results, expensive, handmade kitchens are often painted onsite once all other elements of the kitchen fit are completed. Then finishing touches such as crown and base mouldings are added for embellishment.

'During the second week, the worktops are fitted, and in the third week, the kitchen is hand-painted to achieve a flawless finish,' confirms Al.

Al Bruce

Founder Al Bruce began his illustrious career 25 years ago studying to be a cabinet maker at college. His natural skill in the craft of cabinetry and keen business intuition saw him quickly rise up through the ranks of the handmade kitchen industry. With a natural flair for design and a deep passion for the industry, Al finally opened his own Shaker kitchen company in 2018, now known as Olive & Barr.

What does a kitchen fit involve?

In order to fully estimate the answer to the question: how long does it take to fit a kitchen? It's a good idea to understand what's involved in the process.

For a standard kitchen fit, the timeline usually includes the removal of the existing kitchen, along with tiles and appliances. Then, installation of new cabinet frames, door fronts, worktops, sinks, taps and large appliances are put in place.

Any new plastering, tiling or kitchen flooring is usually carried out by separate tradespeople who specialise in those particular skills. You will need to allocate additional time before or after the kitchen fit and seek a contractor to carry out those jobs.

Delivery times

'Any customised design features can push back your completion date. If you have chosen materials with a long lead time e.g. granite countertops which need to be templated and fitted when the cabinetry is complete, this will have an impact on the finishing time.' explains David from MyJobQuote.

Factor in extra time for snags

A snag list is a checklist of tasks that may not have met specifications or need to be corrected during or at the end of the kitchen fit. Even the most professional construction jobs will allocate additional time for such events.

'The most likely cause of any delay to a kitchen fitting is unforeseen issues which only come to light once the old kitchen has been removed', explains David.

'This may be due to the age of the building, sub-standard existing wiring, inadequate plumbing or lack of access to a gas supply. If old wiring has to be replaced, this will also involve re-plastering which in turn will delay the fitting of cabinets and any kitchen tiling.'

FAQs

How long does it take to fit a fitted kitchen

The process of installing a fitted kitchen will depend on the size, project complexity and grade of the kitchen. Involving two tradespeople, a low-budget kitchen can take as little as a week to complete. High-specification kitchens that require bespoke installation can take up to three weeks.

Do kitchen fitters do plumbing and electrics?

Reputable kitchen fitters will include plumbing work and subcontract qualified electricians to complete wiring work. Basic kitchen fitters will only install joinery so a plumber and electrician may need to be hired independently.