How Long Can Remodeling Take?

You’ve been hearing that renovating a house is an expensive and time-consuming process, right? Well, it turns out this isn’t completely true. In fact, there are many people who have successfully managed to thoroughly enjoy the renovation experience.

The reason why the majority of homeowners describe their remodeling project as a nightmare project is that the horror stories related to budgets and deadlines getting out of control stick in their minds. But little do they realize that the reason behind such unfortunate incidents is the lack of planning.

This is why if you finally decide to remodel your property, you must partner with your contractor to realistically create a timeline. To give you an idea, in this article, we will provide you with some accurate predictions about how long can remodeling an entire home take.

How long can remodeling an entire home take?

When renovating a home according to your specific needs, there is no easy, one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how long it will take. Different homes have different challenges with their remodels. This means that the schedule and timeline for each individual project depend on the homeowners themselves.

An experienced builder can look at your desired scope for renovations as well as what kind of factors come into play when doing such an extensive project like this, then provide you with reliable estimates on timeframes based upon these considerations.

To give you an idea about the expected timeline for a whole home renovation, we have divided the remodeling project into different phases and mentioned the expected duration of each phase.

Design Phase – 1 to 3 Months

The first step in any remodeling project is to find an architectural designer who will help you get your ideas out of your mind and into the papers. They offer advice, provide preliminary sketches for what your project will look like in its final form, and create a plan that takes construction costs as well as aesthetics into account. Sometimes it is hard to schedule an appointment with architecture due to their enormous workflow. Considering the waiting period as well as the designing period, you can expect to spend one to three months on this phase.

Planning Phase – 1 Month

The next step is to get your project plan approved by the local municipality and obtain permits from the appropriate authorities, which can take anywhere from two weeks to a month or so to complete. Once you have your blueprints for approval, it’s time to hire the right builders and contractors for construction.

Hiring Phase – 2-3 Weeks

Once the plan is sent for approval, you can start inviting bids. It is important to contact several contractors that are highly recommended. Since you will be contacting and interviewing several contractors, this phase can take somewhere between two to three weeks.

Multiple bids for major items should be solicited. This will allow an accurate and comprehensive budget to be created. In order to save time, it is recommended to collaborate with your contractor early in the design phase so that your architect, contractor, and you can work together in creating a plan.

Demolition and remodeling Phase – 3 to 9 Months

Once you have a plan figured out and a contractor who is willing to start working, it is time to see your design plans come to reality. As a rough guideline, you can expect your construction company to finish your remodeling project in around 3 to 9 months, depending on the size of your house, complexity, and scope of the project.

It also depends on the size and scale of the remodeling project.

Renovations can take just a weekend and sometimes a year. It all depends on the size and scale of your remodeling project. Always remember that remodels that are more extensive and have custom elements will typically require more time than the average remodel project with standard finishes. For your convenience, we have highlighted some common remodeling projects and their typical timeframe so that you can have a clue of what to expect.

Minor cosmetic upgrades – A Weekend to Three Months

If your property is fairly new and doesn’t require much work, then you might be looking at a simple cosmetic remodel. Cosmetic renovations can take from as short as one weekend to over three months in most cases and include tasks such as interior painting, exterior paint jobs, installing stylish countertops with matching appliances, and flooring replacements. It could also include something as basic as changing an outdated sink to something more complex like refreshing old landscaping.

A cosmetic renovation timeline is reserved for smaller repairs and situations where only some minor updates need to be made on an otherwise perfectly good house, such as paint jobs or replacing old light bulbs with newer versions, etc.

Medium Renovations – One to Six Months

If you have a remodeling project that is neither too big nor too small, then you might be looking at medium renovations, and this type of remodeling project can take somewhere between one to six months to finish. Medium renovations include repairing things that are beyond basic cosmetic repairs.

Most average home renovation jobs are categorized as medium-sized projects. For example, a kitchen or bathroom remodel would be considered a medium remodeling project. Similarly, adding a new fireplace or converting your spare room into a home office are also some of the few examples of medium-sized renovations.

Major remodeling project – Six Months to a Year

The final type is a major remodeling project that might include something as big as gutting the entire home. These types of remodeling projects often take six months to a year to finish.

In scenarios where the location of a home is great, but it requires a huge amount of repair to make it aesthetically appealing and livable, you will have to carry out major renovations. A major remodel can also be expected to cover larger scale issues like foundation and structural repairs, second story additions, and much more.

What Factors Can Affect your remodeling schedule?

You may have a plan in place, and you may think that you have it all under control, but a lot of things might happen during your renovation projects, such as unforeseen delays or obstacles on-site that can significantly affect your remodeling schedule.

The following are some factors that can affect your schedule and plans, so it is always better to have an alternative or ‘Plan B’ to deal with such events.

Weather elements – Extreme temperatures, rain, snow, and hail

It does not matter how many hours you spent planning, sometimes we are at the mercy of mother nature. Weather elements such as extreme temperatures, rain, snow, and hail can seriously mess up your plans and stretch the expected timeline of your remodeling project.

When the weather drops below freezing, it can significantly affect how concrete hardens and paint dries. Similarly, extremely high temperatures can also have adverse effects on different construction materials. Not just that, but extreme temperatures can also make it impossible for construction workers to work for long periods of time.

Precipitation can also affect your remodeling project. Although it is possible to continue working, too much rain or snow can ruin the materials and make the suit extremely dangerous to work at for the workers.

Delays in construction permits

Sometimes there are unfortunate hold-ups and delays in getting a permit for the remodeling project because the permitting office is swamped with other work.  There are also times when the laws change, and you need to make changes to your designs that can increase the duration of the entire remodeling project.

Discovering unexpected surprises

It is hard to predict the occurrence of surprise issues when demolition begins. You might discover mold, water damage, cracked foundation, etc., and fixing all these unexpected surprises can increase the duration of your remodeling project.

Changes in design

Sometimes, you change your mind and want to redesign a space. Changing the designs, budgeting, arranging the relevant materials, and executing the updated designs can take more time which could lead to an increase in cost and duration of the project.

We know that a renovation can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be if you plan ahead and make the right choices. Remodeling is never easy or without its hiccups! But with some forethought on your part and good communication with your builder, the process can go smoothly from start to finish.

Hopefully, this blog article gave you a good idea of the amount of time that you can expect your home remodeling project to take. You now also know the unexpected factors that can slow down the process and increase the duration of the entire remodeling project. The best way to deal with such unexpected factors is by being proactive in preparing yourself for these challenges. Make sure that you have a ‘Plan B’ ready to be executed when you face such inconveniences.