Most full-service home remodels take about 6 to 12 months from early planning to completion. Large additions, structural renovations, and whole-home remodels can take longer.
Active construction accounts for only part of that schedule. Before work begins, homeowners need time to choose a remodeling company, develop the design, make material selections, complete engineering, obtain permits, and order products.
The construction phase itself commonly falls within these ranges:
| Project type | Typical construction time |
|---|---|
| Bathroom remodel | 4–8 weeks |
| Kitchen remodel | 6–12 weeks |
| Basement remodel | 2–4 months |
| Single-story addition | About 14 weeks for a standard project |
| Whole-home remodel | 4–8 months or more |
These are planning ranges, not guaranteed schedules. Moving plumbing, changing the structure, ordering custom materials, or working in an older Portland home can extend the timeline.
Homeowners and remodelers sometimes give different answers because they are measuring different periods.
A homeowner may begin counting when they first decide the house no longer works. A contractor may count from the signed agreement, the start of design, permit approval, or the first day of construction.
For a useful comparison, separate the timeline into three parts: homeowner planning, design and pre-construction, and active construction.
Homeowner planning includes setting priorities, researching costs, choosing a delivery method, and interviewing firms. This period varies widely and is largely controlled by the homeowner.
Design and pre-construction begin after a remodeling partner is selected. This phase includes measurements, design development, material selections, pricing, engineering, permits, scheduling, and product orders.
Active construction begins when site protection and demolition start. It ends after final inspections, punch-list work, and project closeout.
Some of these activities overlap. Cabinets may be ordered while permits are under review, for example. A reliable schedule should show which phases overlap and which must be completed before the next can begin.
Choosing a remodeling company often takes one to two months. Homeowners commonly speak with several firms, review their work, compare delivery methods, and decide which team is a good fit.
Price is only one part of that decision. A remodeling company should also be able to explain how it handles design, estimating, permits, material orders, site supervision, schedule updates, change orders, and unexpected conditions.
Comparing a design-build firm with a general contractor or architect-led team can take additional time because each model assigns responsibility differently.
If proposals vary widely, Lamont Bros.’ guide to why contractor bids differ can help identify what is included, what is missing, and where later costs may appear.
At Lamont Bros., design and pre-construction typically take 8 to 12 weeks, depending on project scope and the pace of client decisions.
During this period, the team documents the existing house, develops layout options, creates the design, confirms material selections, coordinates engineering, and aligns the planned scope with the budget.
A bathroom that keeps its existing layout may move through design faster than a kitchen expansion or whole-home reconfiguration. Structural changes, custom millwork, additions, and major mechanical updates require more coordination.
Good design work takes time because the decisions are connected. Moving a kitchen wall may affect flooring, lighting, plumbing, cabinetry, structure, ventilation, and the rooms on either side. Resolving those connections before construction protects both the design and the schedule.
Permit time depends on the jurisdiction and the work being proposed. A finish-only project may require few or no building permits, while structural changes, additions, and major plumbing or electrical work require greater review.
Standard Portland remodel permits may take several weeks when plans are complete and the project has no unusual zoning, engineering, tree-protection, or site conditions. Incomplete drawings, structural revisions, setbacks, or unpermitted earlier work can extend the review.
Some eligible Portland projects can use the Field Issuance Remodel program. FIR assigns a dedicated inspector to work with the contractor through plan review and inspections, reducing some of the handoffs that can slow conventional permitting.
Lamont Bros. is registered with the program. Read more about Portland remodel permits and how the FIR program works.
Permit time should be shown as a separate line in the project schedule. It should not be hidden inside a broad design estimate.
Construction duration depends on how much of the house is changing and how many trades must work in sequence.
A bathroom remodel that keeps the existing plumbing locations may fall near the shorter end of the range. Moving fixtures, changing walls, repairing water damage, installing custom tile, or adding a steam shower can extend the work.
Tile creates a sequence that cannot always be compressed. Substrate preparation, waterproofing, inspections, setting, curing, grout, and glass measurements must happen in the proper order.
A second bathroom can also affect scheduling. Remodeling two bathrooms together may reduce repeated setup and trade visits, but it creates a larger scope and may make the home harder to occupy.
Kitchen construction often takes 6 to 12 weeks after design, permits, and major material orders are complete.
The schedule is shaped by demolition, framing, plumbing, electrical work, inspections, drywall, cabinets, countertops, flooring, tile, appliances, painting, and finish carpentry.
Cabinets and countertops require close sequencing. Countertops generally cannot be templated until the cabinets are installed. Appliances, plumbing fixtures, and tile may also need to be on site before related work begins.
Moving walls or expanding the kitchen beyond the original footprint pushes the project toward the longer end of the range.
Basement remodels often involve more than finishes. Egress, ceiling height, moisture, insulation, electrical capacity, plumbing, structural work, and previous unpermitted alterations can all affect the schedule.
A finished basement with an existing compliant shell may move faster than a project that requires excavation, a new bathroom, foundation work, or major utility changes.
Older Portland basements also tend to reveal conditions that were not visible before demolition. Additional work should be added to the schedule only after the team has documented the condition and discussed the available options with the homeowner.
Lamont Bros.’ published addition schedule uses approximately 14 weeks of construction for a standard single-story, ground-level addition.
That example includes foundation work, framing, roofing, utility rough-ins, inspections, insulation, drywall, exterior work, flooring, paint, finish carpentry, and closeout.
Actual additions can take much longer. A second story, complex foundation, extensive structural reinforcement, difficult site access, or major connection to the existing roof and mechanical systems will add time.
See the full home addition construction timeline.
Whole-home remodels take longer because multiple rooms and building systems must be coordinated as one project.
A whole-home remodel may include layout changes, a new kitchen, several bathrooms, flooring, windows, lighting, plumbing, HVAC, electrical upgrades, structural work, and finish changes throughout the house.
The schedule depends on square footage, how much of the home is opened, whether the work is phased, and whether the homeowners remain in the house.
Visit the whole-home remodeling service page for more information about scope, design, and construction planning.
Remodel schedules rarely change because of one dramatic event. More often, several smaller issues interrupt the planned sequence.
Late material selections are one common cause. A missing faucet may hold up plumbing trim. A delayed appliance can affect cabinetry, electrical work, or final inspection. A damaged cabinet may prevent countertop templating.
Design changes during construction can have a larger effect. Moving a wall or changing a fixture after demolition may require revised drawings, new pricing, additional materials, permit changes, and another round of trade scheduling.
Hidden conditions can also add time. Older homes may contain outdated wiring, failing plumbing, rot, asbestos-containing materials, inadequate framing, or earlier work that does not match the plans.
Inspections and permit revisions may affect the sequence as well. Work that must remain visible for inspection cannot be covered simply to keep the next trade moving.
A realistic schedule includes time for inspections, curing, fabrication, product delivery, and closeout. Removing those allowances may make the proposal look faster without making the project faster.
The most useful schedule work happens before demolition.
Make major design and material decisions before construction begins. Approve drawings on time, review pricing carefully, and ask how each late change would affect both cost and completion.
Discuss any fixed dates early. A wedding, holiday gathering, school schedule, surgery, or temporary-housing deadline may affect when the project should begin. Leave a buffer between the planned completion date and any event that depends on the home being ready.
Be clear about access. If the crew must work around occupied rooms, pets, daily routines, or limited work hours, the schedule should account for those constraints.
Respond quickly when the project team needs a decision. A superintendent can rearrange some tasks, but trades cannot always move forward when a product, layout, or change order remains unresolved.
It depends on the scope.
Many homeowners remain at home during a single bathroom or contained kitchen remodel, provided they have another functioning bathroom or a workable temporary kitchen.
A whole-home remodel is different. Disconnected utilities, dust, noise, limited access, and safety barriers can make the house difficult or unsafe to occupy. Working around occupied areas may also limit when trades can enter certain rooms.
Phased construction can preserve parts of the house, but it may extend the total schedule and increase repeated setup, protection, and mobilization.
The decision should be made during pre-construction so temporary housing, site access, protection, and phasing are included in the plan.
Design-build can reduce delays caused by gaps between separate designers, contractors, engineers, estimators, and project managers.
Speed alone is not the main benefit. The larger advantage is that the people responsible for building the project can contribute while the design is still being developed.
That allows the team to test structural ideas, material availability, cost, construction sequence, and permit needs before the plans are fixed. It also gives the homeowner one team responsible for carrying the design through construction.
Lamont Bros. has completed more than 850 remodeling projects across the Portland metro area since 2008. Its designers, estimators, engineers, project managers, and remodeling superintendents work within one design-build process.
Each construction project has a dedicated remodeling superintendent responsible for the jobsite, trade coordination, schedule communication, and execution of the approved design.
For many full-service remodels, beginning six to twelve months before the desired completion period is reasonable. Large whole-home projects and additions may require more lead time.
Start earlier when the project includes structural work, custom cabinetry, additions, major system upgrades, imported materials, or a fixed completion date.
The right start date should be based on the full path from design through completion, not only the number of weeks crews will be in the house.
If you are still defining the project, the Six Step Remodeling Guide covers the major decisions that come before construction.
If scope and budget are the next questions, use the Lamont Bros. remodeling cost calculators for an initial planning range.
Many full-service home remodels take about 6 to 12 months from early planning through completion. Single-room projects may take less time, while additions and whole-home remodels may take longer.
Construction may take 4–8 weeks for a bathroom, 6–12 weeks for a kitchen, 2–4 months for a basement, and 4–8 months or more for a whole-home remodel.
Design, engineering, permits, pricing, material selections, product orders, contractor scheduling, inspections, and final closeout all add calendar time outside active construction.
For single-room projects, custom cabinets, structural changes, and permit-dependent work often drive the schedule. For whole-home projects, the construction phase is usually the longest single stage.
A contractor should provide a detailed schedule and communicate changes promptly, but hidden conditions, permit revisions, product damage, severe weather, and homeowner-requested changes can affect completion. On average, Lamont Bros. Design & Constructions projects finish within two days of their scheduled completion date.
Contact firms several months before the desired construction period. Large additions and whole-home remodels may require a year or more from the first planning conversation to completion.
General ranges are useful, but a reliable schedule requires a defined scope, documented existing conditions, design decisions, engineering, material selections, and permit requirements.
Lamont Bros. can evaluate how the house works today, develop the remodel design, coordinate the construction plan, and provide a project-specific schedule before building begins.