How Long Does a New Kitchen Actually Take? A Realistic UK Timeline

Let me start by saying something that might upset a few high street kitchen salesmen — if someone promises you a fully fitted kitchen from scratch in three days, they are either lying to you or they’re going to make an absolute mess of your house.

I’ve been in this industry for over 20 years, supplying kitchens to the trade and public across Greater Manchester and the UK. One of the most common questions I get from homeowners and developers alike is: “Steve, how long is this actually going to take?”

It’s a fair question. Living without a kitchen is stressful. For a developer, every week a property sits empty waiting for a kitchen is lost money. But setting unrealistic expectations helps nobody.

So let me give you an honest, step-by-step breakdown of a realistic kitchen timeline. No sales pitch, just the facts as I see them.

The Planning and Ordering Phase

This is where most people get the timeline wrong. They think the clock starts when the old kitchen gets ripped out. In reality, the clock starts the day you decide you want a new kitchen.

If you go to a major high street retailer, you can easily spend four to six weeks just trying to get a design finalised and a quote that actually makes sense. Then comes the waiting game. Some of the big European brands are currently quoting 8 to 12 weeks for delivery.

The Reality Check: You shouldn’t have to wait three months for a kitchen. Because we supply direct, our standard lead time at SJB Trade Kitchens is just 10 working days from the moment you place your order to the day we deliver it. We manufacture our rigid-built cabinets to your exact measurements, so you’re not waiting on shipping containers from Germany.

Week 1: The Rip-Out and First Fix

Once your new kitchen is scheduled for delivery, the real work begins.

Day one is the rip-out. Your fitter will remove the old units, disconnect the appliances, and cap off the plumbing. If you’re doing a DIY kitchen installation, this is the fun part.

Days two to five are all about the “first fix” — the unseen work. This is when the electrician chases new wires into the walls for your sockets and lighting, the plumber moves pipes to accommodate your new sink or dishwasher position, and the plasterer comes in to skim the walls (which, let’s be honest, is most walls in Manchester once you pull old tiles off).

The Reality Check: Do not rush the plaster drying time. If you try to paint or fit units to wet plaster, you are asking for trouble. Give it the weekend to dry out properly.

Week 2: The Installation

This is when it finally starts looking like a kitchen again.

Because we supply our cabinets rigid-built with 18mm solid backs — not flat-pack rubbish — your fitter doesn’t have to spend two days sitting on the floor building boxes with an Allen key. They can start fitting immediately.

A good fitter will get the base units levelled and secured, the wall units hung, and the doors (whether that’s Shaker, Slab, or Handleless) perfectly aligned in about three to four days for an average-sized kitchen.

The Reality Check: If you are having laminate or solid wood worktops, they can be cut and fitted during this week. If you are having quartz or granite, this is where the timeline pauses.

The Worktop Pause (If you’re having stone)

If you’ve chosen a solid stone worktop, the templater cannot measure up until the base units are fully fixed in their final position.

Once they template, it usually takes between 5 and 10 days for the stone to be cut and polished at the factory before they come back to install it. During this time, you will have a functional kitchen with an oven and fridge, but you won’t have a sink or a worktop.

Week 3: Second Fix and Finishing Touches

Once the worktops are on, the finish line is in sight.

The plumber returns to plumb in the sink and connect the washing machine and dishwasher. The electrician comes back to fit the faceplates on the sockets, connect the induction hob, and wire up the under-cabinet lighting.

Finally, the flooring goes down, the decorator does their thing, and the skirting boards or plinths are fitted.

The Final Verdict

So, how long does a new kitchen take?

If you’re doing a straightforward swap (keeping the sink and oven in the same place) with laminate worktops, a good fitter can turn it around in 7 to 10 days.

If you’re doing a full strip-out, replastering, moving plumbing, and waiting for quartz worktops, you need to mentally prepare yourself for a 3 to 4 week process.

The secret to keeping that timeline as tight as possible is reliable supply. If your kitchen arrives late, or if half the doors are missing, your fitter will leave to start another job, and your 3-week project suddenly becomes a 6-week nightmare.

We deliver nationwide, usually within 10 working days, and we deliver complete. Give us a call, drop us an email, or visit our showroom in Oldham, Greater Manchester. Let’s get your kitchen sorted, on a timeline that actually works.

Steve Ball SJB Trade Kitchens Contact Us Today