Everyone wants the kitchen back as fast as possible. A realistic timeline helps you plan the microwave dinners, and it helps you spot a fitter who is promising something nobody can deliver.

The honest headline

For a like-for-like replacement kitchen in a typical Hampshire home, allow one to two weeks from rip-out to working kitchen, and up to three for larger or more complex jobs. That assumes no structural work, no floor replacement and no layout changes. Add time for each of those.

How the days usually run

Day 1: rip-out, isolate services, check walls and floors for surprises
Days 2 to 3: first fix plumbing and electrics, any wall repairs, mark out the units
Days 3 to 6: base and wall units in, levelled and fixed, tall housings and appliance spaces
Days 5 to 7: worktops templated or fitted, sinks and taps connected
Week 2: doors and drawers aligned, cornice, pelmet and plinth, end panels scribed, silicone and making good

What runs in parallel

Plastering, if any walls were chased or damaged, happens between first fix and units going in. Painting the ceiling and walls is far easier before wall units go up. Appliance delivery should land mid-week one, not day one, or you are tripping over boxes.

The usual delays

Worktops are the classic hold-up: stone and quartz are templated after units are in, and fabrication takes a week or more, which is why laminate or timber tops finish faster. Damaged or missing units from the supplier can stall a job for days, so deliveries should be checked against the order before the fit starts, not during it. And hidden surprises behind old units, from live wires to rotten floors, add time on older properties.

How to keep it moving

Have every unit, appliance and fitting on site before day one. Agree the layout on paper, including where every socket and pipe goes. And expect to be without a sink for a while: a camping setup in another room makes the week much more bearable.

Planning a kitchen?

Kitchen fitting is a big part of our second fix work across Hampshire. Call 07983 630628 for a free quote and a straight answer on timescales.

How Long Does a Kitchen Fit Take? A Realistic Timeline