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To survive a kitchen renovation, set up a temporary kitchen before demo, make a plan for dishes, and expect a few delays along the way. The rest is about protecting your sanity until it’s done.
A kitchen renovation is completely survivable. I know, because I survived mine under conditions I wouldn’t wish on anyone.
It was 2021. I had a toddler at home, I was pregnant with my second baby, and I was running my design studio in the Triangle. Oh, and did I mention the global pandemic? And the supply chain crisis that had remodels taking two to four times longer than usual?
Naturally, I picked that exact moment to tear out the kitchen in our Raleigh home. I asked the crew to pause before the baby arrived, and by then the kitchen was about 90% complete and fully functional. I’ll take it.
I wrote these tips once the dust finally cleared (literally), and our clients have been leaning on them ever since.
The first two weeks are the roughest. That is when demolition, rough ins, and drywall happen, and the house is loud, dusty, and frankly gross.
If you have a newborn or anyone sensitive to noise and dust at home, plan a trip during that window. I also recommend a second getaway toward the middle or end of the project, when you are completely burnt out. You will be, and a few days away resets everyone.
Here’s roughly how a typical kitchen remodel unfolds once construction starts:
All in, most simple kitchens remodels take 6 to 14 weeks of construction. Of course there are many factors that can extend that to 6 months or more depending on the scope of work, your local building permitting department, and any unforeseeable circumstances. Cabinets usually need to be ordered 8 to 12 weeks ahead, so the design and ordering phase starts well before demo day. We recommend reaching out to us at least 4 months ahead of the planned renovation to allow time for design, selections, and product lead times.
Renovations rarely run like clockwork, and that’s normal. Expecting a few bumps going in makes them so much easier to roll with.
The best thing you can do is have someone on your side you trust. That might be us, or one of our trusted general contractors, the ones we’ve worked with over and over again. We know they’ll show up, do the right thing, and deliver the quality we expect to see. So when something goes sideways, someone who already knows how to handle it is on it.
Build your temporary kitchen a few days before demolition and actually cook in it. You will find the gaps while you still have time to fix them. I set mine up in our dining room.
Pack everything else away before demo. For anything you may need to find easily, or anything that doesn’t do well with moisture, use plastic bins rather than cardboard boxes, just in case.
Washing dishes without a kitchen sink is the daily chore that wears people down fastest. Solve it before you need to.
A simple meal plan removes the nightly question of what to eat.
Timing helps here too. A spring or fall renovation makes grilling and eating outdoors far more pleasant than a summer one, which I learned the hot way.
Some trades are meticulous about cleaning up after themselves and some are not. A little preparation keeps your home safer and cleaner.
The hardest part for us was not the cooking. It was feeling cooped up in the house with a toddler.
Plan as many weekend outings as you can: parks, museums, a day trip, dinner with friends. Getting out of the house matters more than you expect.
A renovation is stressful for almost everyone, whatever the ages in your household. Give yourselves grace, and remember that it is temporary. It will end, and it will be worth it.
Most kitchens take 6 to 10 weeks of construction, plus 8 to 12 weeks of cabinet lead time beforehand. Layout changes, permits, and custom pieces can stretch that.
Yes. Most families stay home with a temporary kitchen set up in another room. If you have a newborn or anyone sensitive to dust and noise, plan to be away during the first two weeks of demo, rough ins, and drywall.
Use compostable single use items where you can. For the rest, use a laundry room or garage utility sink, add a temporary utility sink in a half bath, or borrow a friend’s dishwasher.
Pack everything out of the kitchen before demo. Use plastic bins rather than cardboard boxes for anything you’ll need to find quickly or that doesn’t do well with moisture.
Every client I have walked through a kitchen renovation has looked back and been glad they did it. The disruption fades quickly. The kitchen you gather in every day stays.
Planning a kitchen renovation in the Triangle? Start with a discovery call with TEW Design Studio at tewdesignstudio.com or 919.803.2008.
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