Renovation Timeline: How Long Does a Renovation Actually Take?

Quick answer: a kitchen renovation typically takes 3 to 14 days on site, a bathroom 3 to 4 weeks, a deck 1 to 3 weeks, a full home renovation 4 to 16 weeks and a ground-floor extension 4 to 8 months including approvals. Add three to eight weeks of design, approval and procurement before any on-site work begins.

The two clocks in every renovation

Homeowners think about build time. Builders think about two clocks: the pre-construction clock and the on-site clock. Pre-construction covers measure-up, design, engineering, certification, selections and lead times on cabinetry, stone, windows and tiles. On-site is the visible part. Projects that feel slow are usually projects where pre-construction was rushed, so the site waits on decisions.

Typical durations by project type

• Kitchen renovation - 3 to 14 days on site, after 4 to 8 weeks for joinery and stone
• Bathroom renovation - 3 to 4 weeks, driven by waterproofing cure times and tiling
• Laundry renovation - 1 to 2 weeks
• Flooring replacement, whole house - 3 to 6 days plus acclimatisation
• Timber or composite deck, 30 sqm - 1 to 3 weeks
• Internal wall removal with beam - 1 to 2 weeks including make-good
• Feature or media wall - 3 to 7 days
• Full home renovation - 4 to 16 weeks
• Garage conversion - 4 to 8 weeks
• Ground-floor extension - 12 to 20 weeks on site
• Second-storey addition - 20 to 32 weeks on site

A realistic week-by-week: full home renovation

1. Weeks 1-2: site set-up, protection, strip-out and any licensed asbestos removal
2. Weeks 2-4: structural works - beams, new openings, framing, subfloor corrections
3. Weeks 4-6: services rough-in and frame inspection
4. Weeks 6-7: insulation, linings, set and sand
5. Weeks 7-9: waterproofing and certification, then wet-area tiling
6. Weeks 9-11: cabinetry install, benchtop template and install, flooring
7. Weeks 11-13: carpentry finishes, doors, skirting, architraves
8. Weeks 13-15: painting, fit-off, electrical and plumbing final
9. Week 15-16: clean, certifier final, defect walk-through, handover

The five real causes of delay

1. Late selections - a benchtop chosen in week six delays the entire back half of the program
2. Approval timing - certification and any development application must be resolved before start, not during
3. Concealed conditions - termite damage, undersized framing, hidden asbestos and non-compliant old work
4. Client-supplied items arriving late or incorrect
5. Weather - realistically 5 to 12 lost days per year on external work in South East Queensland, more through the summer storm season

How to compress a renovation program honestly

You cannot compress waterproofing cure times, stone fabrication or concrete curing. You can compress everything that depends on decisions. Finalise every selection before contract signing. Order long-lead items - windows, custom joinery, imported tile - the day the contract is signed. Consolidate trades so services rough-in happens in one visit. And accept a single detailed scope rather than adding variations, because each variation resets sequencing for the trades downstream of it.

Every day a decision sits unmade during construction usually costs two days on site.

Living through it

For kitchen work, set up a temporary bench with the fridge, microwave and kettle in another room and plan for takeaway during fit-off week. For bathrooms, a single-bathroom home needs a plan - most clients arrange with family or a nearby rental for the two weeks around waterproofing and tiling. For full renovations, moving out shortens the program because trades can work in parallel without protecting occupied space.