Process
How long does a remodel take in Delaware?
Short answer
Once construction starts, a bathroom typically takes three to five weeks, a kitchen six to ten weeks, a finished basement four to twelve weeks, and a roof one to three days. Add four to twelve weeks before that for design, permits and material lead times, which is where most schedules are actually won or lost.
Typical construction durations
These are on-site build durations for projects that are fully designed, permitted and stocked before demolition begins:
- Bathroom, same footprint: 3–5 weeks
- Primary suite bathroom with layout changes: 6–9 weeks
- Kitchen, same footprint: 6–8 weeks
- Kitchen with walls removed or relocated plumbing: 8–12 weeks
- Basement rec room: 4–6 weeks
- Basement with bath and egress bedroom: 8–12 weeks
- Roof replacement: 1–3 days
- Single-story addition: 3–5 months
- Whole-home renovation: 4–8 months
The phase before the crew arrives
Design and selections take two to six weeks for most remodels. Permitting adds days for simple trade permits and two to six weeks when plan review is involved. Cabinetry is the usual long pole: semi-custom lines commonly run six to ten weeks, and full-custom longer.
We do not start demolition until cabinets, tile, fixtures and windows are confirmed and, where possible, delivered. A kitchen torn out while waiting on a back-ordered cabinet run is how a ten-week project becomes a five-month one.
What actually causes delays
In our experience across Delaware projects, four things cause nearly every overrun:
- Selections made late or changed after ordering
- Hidden conditions found at demolition — rot, cast iron, failed framing, old wiring
- Inspection scheduling, which is outside any contractor's control
- Change orders added mid-project, each of which re-sequences the trades behind it
How we keep schedules honest
Every project gets a written schedule with phase dates, one point of contact, and a standing update rather than silence. When something moves, you hear it from us the day it moves, with the revised date and the reason.
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