A home remodel is a great option to refresh where you live without moving away from the home, people, and neighborhood you love. An important question before embarking on this type of project, though, is to know how long it will take to complete.
First, we need to understand how a remodel project works.
The Five Phases of a Remodel
We can divide the project into 5 separate phases, each crucial to the result. Every project is different in scope, the property itself, and so on, but here is a general average of how each phase works and how long it lasts.
Phase 1 — Consultation and Estimate
We meet you at the property, talk through your options, survey the site and create an estimate for the work required.
From initial contact with the office to receiving your prepared estimate should take 1-2 weeks.
Phase 2 — Design and Selections
After that initial phase, we move on to the design phase, where the plans are created for the project. It is here that you will make choices for finishes, cabinetry, appliances, flooring, and so on, so that accurate scheduling, purchase orders, and such can be prepared.
This phase usually takes between 4 and 8 weeks, depending on complexity.
Phase 3 — Permitting and Pre-construction
Before work can begin, all required permits must be obtained. This is a process that we have to work through at their pace. While this is ongoing, we begin ordering materials, scheduling the work, and carrying out any pre-site work needed.
This can take between 2 and 8 weeks, depending on the permits required.
Phase 4 — Construction
Once all permits are acquired, construction can proceed. This will follow the schedule we prepared and provided for you.
The time needed for this phase is entirely down to the scope of the project. Smaller remodels, such as a single room, take a lot less time than a full home remodel, for instance. We always let you know in advance how long we think the project will take.
Phase 5 — Punch List and Closeout
At the end of construction, we go through the punch list and closeout the project with a walkthrough to ensure your satisfaction. We only consider a project finished when you are happy.
This usually takes between 1 and 2 weeks.
Average Remodeling Timelines by Project Type in NJ & PA
Remodeling projects can vary a lot in terms of how much work is involved, and that translates directly into how much time is needed to finish them. Here are some examples of different remodeling projects and how long you can expect them to take:
Kitchen – 8 to 12 Weeks
Our most common remodeling project. Whether it’s a cabinet replacement or a new layout, a kitchen remodel has a big impact on your home.
They take between 8 and 12 weeks on average.
Bathroom – 3 to 6 Weeks
In terms of feeling like your home, there are few things you can do that will impact more than a remodeled bathroom. It’s one of the first jobs many people do when moving to a new place.
You can have a new bathroom in 3 to 6 weeks.
Basement Finishes – 6 to 10 Weeks
Finishing a basement so it can be used for storage and so on makes a lot of sense for many homes.
Expect a 6-to-10-week process to finish that project.
Room Addition – 3 to 6 Months
A room addition is a much bigger project than remodeling a room. Not just the work on site, but the permits and inspections required to make it happen also add time and work to the schedule.
Expect between 3 and 6 months before the project is complete.
Whole Home Remodel — 4 to 12 Months
Tackling everything in one go makes for a large project, but doing it this way can be faster and less expensive than individual projects over time.
Expect a full home remodel to take between 4 and 12 months.
Exterior Work (Roof, Siding, Windows) — 2 Days to 3 Weeks
Replacement roofs and reworked siding or windows can really increase curb appeal. They are also relatively quick projects to get done too.
Depending on the size of the property and the work needed, allow between a couple of days and 3 weeks for these outside projects.
7 Regional Factors That Impact Your NJ & PA Renovation Schedule
While there are many things that impact the speed of your project, here are 7 that can have a significant impact.
Scope and Layout Changes
Adding work or changing layouts that add work and can require new drawings or permits, these things can add days or even weeks to the schedule, as well as costs.
Permit Jurisdiction
Getting the right permits from the right office is essential for legal, compliant construction. Delays can be caused by uncertainty between departments and having to apply for permits multiple times.
Material Lead Times
Choosing certain materials can add time to the schedule through long lead times for manufacture. This could be a specific cabinetry range, natural stone tiles, or flooring.
Age of the Home and Hidden Conditions
Older homes tend to have more wear and tear, and that can be an issue when it’s time to start the demolition. Removing the old flooring, cabinetry, soffits, and more can reveal issues with framing, electrical systems, HVAC, and more.
This may mean additional work for safety or compliance that was impossible to see before the project began.
Contractor’s Backlog
Busy contractors may need to wait before beginning your project, adding weeks or even months to the completion time.
Speed of Your Decisions
This ties in with material lead times. The sooner you make choices for finishes, the sooner they can be ordered. Delays in your decisions can mean late ordering and delays further along, but being indecisive can affect the planning stage itself, or slow the design process.
Weather
Interior remodeling can avoid most of the impact of weather, but if you are replacing a roof or your project is a room addition, bad weather can cause significant delays.
The Most Common Causes of Project Delays in NJ & PA
While all of those things have an impact, here are the most common reasons why your home remodeling project in NJ or PA might be delayed.
Change Orders Mid-Build
Additional work shifts the entire schedule and adds time to the project, so it takes longer to finish the project.
Slow Selections
If you don’t choose the design or materials fast enough, it can cause delays further down the schedule.
Failed or Backlogged Inspection
Failing an inspection adds time, as the work must be rectified and then reinspected. Sometimes, an inspection backlog can cause delays as work must halt until the inspection is carried out.
Backordered Materials
If materials become unavailable or have long lead times, it can hold up the schedule.
Hidden Conditions
Finding issues that were not possible to identify before work began can add extra work that delays the schedule.
Can You Actually Speed It Up?
There are some things that can be done to avoid additional delays.
- Make selections quickly, giving time for ordering and avoiding delays in the drawings.
- Choose easily available finishes and avoid those with long lead times.
- Schedule during the summer to avoid weather problems.
- Avoid changes during the project.
- Check for hidden issues during the quoting stage.
Conclusion
Remodeling projects take time, and this should be OK as long as you know before you begin. The biggest issue for scheduling is delays, as they mean additional time until the project is completed that you had not planned for.
By avoiding some simple mistakes, such as delaying your selections, choosing materials that have long lead times, and changing the scope during the work, you can minimize those additional delays as much as possible. When PHS Construction provides quotes for remodeling work, we always try to identify potential issues hidden in older buildings during our inspection, so we can allow for any potential work during that phase and plan it into our schedule to avoid both delays and extra costs.
Get in touch today, and we’ll provide a quote for your remodeling project.
Frequently Ask Question
Why do remodels take longer than the contractor says?
Delays can happen for a number of reasons. Material supply delays, additional work, weather, and permits can all add time to the schedule.
How long does it take to get residential building permits in NJ vs. PA?
In New Jersey, building departments are required to provide a response within 20 business days. In reality, for a simple remodel, that is usually 3 weeks or less. In Pennsylvania, the office must respond within 15 business days, and you can usually receive your permit within 2 weeks.
Does increasing my renovation budget speed up the construction process?
Not really. In general, it takes time to get the work done. Unlike a large construction site, there is only so much space in your kitchen, so adding more men is not necessarily going to help the process go faster.
