How long does a kitchen renovation take in Adelaide?

The short answer: a typical kitchen renovation takes 3 to 6 weeks from start to completion, depending on the scope of work, the cabinetry lead times and the trades involved. A refit that keeps the same layout sits at the shorter end. Moving the sink, the cooktop or a wall pushes it toward the longer end. The planning before work starts (design, selections and ordering the cabinetry) happens first, so the weeks you are actually without a kitchen stay as few as possible.

We renovate kitchens across Gawler and Adelaide's northern suburbs, and in the inner south around Mitcham and Torrens Park. Below is how a kitchen job runs from the first visit to handover, the things that most often stretch the timeline, and how to plan around it.

Before work starts: design, quote and ordering

The part of a kitchen renovation that takes the most thought happens before anything comes out. Anthony measures up, looks at the plumbing, gas and power you have now, and talks through how your household cooks, eats and gathers. Then the layout, cabinetry, benchtops, splashback, appliances and lighting are planned with you.

You get a detailed, itemised quote in writing with a timeframe. Once you go ahead, the custom cabinetry and stone are ordered to measure. Planning those lead times up front is what keeps the on-site part to a few weeks rather than leaving you with a gutted room while you wait for joinery.

The on-site stages, in order

1. Strip-out. The old cabinets, benchtops, splashback and appliances come out. In homes built before 1990 we check for asbestos before anything is broken out, and use licensed removal where it's needed.
2. Rough-in. Plumbing, gas and electrical are moved or renewed to suit the new layout while the walls are open. Our electrical is done in-house by ASP Electrical Installations, so the lighting and power don't wait on an outside contractor.
3. Walls and floors made good. Any patching, sheeting or floor work is finished so the cabinetry has a true surface to sit on.
4. Cabinetry. The carcasses and drawers go in and are levelled.
5. Benchtops. Stone benchtops, including waterfall islands, are templated once the cabinetry is in, then made and installed to fit exactly.
6. Splashback. Tiles, stone or glass go on after the benchtops are in place.
7. Fit-off and handover. Appliances, sink, tapware and lighting are connected, the site is cleaned up and we walk you through it.

What makes a kitchen renovation take longer

Changing the layout

Keeping the sink, cooktop and oven where they are is the quickest kind of kitchen job. Moving them means new plumbing, gas and power runs. A lot of older homes in Elizabeth and Salisbury were built with the kitchen closed off from the living areas, so the renovation often means opening a wall and adding an island. If the wall is load-bearing, it needs an engineer, a new beam and possibly building approval (our guide to council approval in SA explains the two consents). We sort that out before the start date, not halfway through.

Cabinetry and stone lead times

Custom cabinetry and stone are made for your kitchen, so they set the pace. That's why we order them once the design is locked in, well before the old kitchen comes out. Changing selections after ordering is the most common way a kitchen timeline slips.

What turns up behind the old kitchen

Older homes can hide tired plumbing, out-of-level floors or asbestos. SafeWork SA lists the kitchen, along with the bathroom and laundry, among the most common places to find asbestos inside homes built or renovated before the mid-1980s (SafeWork SA). Checking first means any removal is planned in rather than stopping the job.

Doing more than the kitchen

Plenty of clients add the laundry, a butler's pantry or the living area floors to the same job, as in our Torrens Park renovation. It adds time, but it's usually quicker overall than two separate renovations, because the trades are already on site.

Living without a kitchen for a few weeks

• Set up a temporary kitchen in the laundry or dining room: the fridge, a microwave, a kettle and an electric frypan go a long way.
• Keep a shortlist of easy meals and plan a few nights out, especially in the strip-out and benchtop weeks.
• Lock in your appliances early. The cabinetry is designed around them, and late changes can mean re-ordering.
• Ask your builder for the order of works, so you know which days the water, gas or power will be off.

How we run kitchen renovations at ASP Build & Co

We're a licensed SA builder (BLD 360698). Anthony is your one point of contact, and we coordinate the cabinetmaker, stonemason, plumber, gasfitter and tiler so the trades follow each other in the right order, with our own electrician on the lighting and power. You get an itemised quote with no hidden costs and a timeframe before work starts. See our kitchen renovations page, our guide to what a kitchen renovation costs in Adelaide, or our pages for Gawler and Munno Para.

Common questions

Related pages

• Kitchen renovations, northern suburbs
• Kitchen renovations in Gawler
• Renovations in Salisbury
• Renovations in Elizabeth
• Torrens Park renovation
• Contact ASP Build & Co for a free quote