Every home is different, but a full renovation — kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, and structural or layout changes throughout — generally follows the same sequence. Here's what each stage actually involves and how long it tends to take.
Weeks 1–4: Design, permits, and material selection
Before any demolition starts, the scope gets locked down: layout drawings, material and fixture selections, and — if structural walls are moving or the project adds living space — a permit application to the municipality. This stage is the most variable in length, since permit approval timelines differ significantly across GTA municipalities, and material lead times (especially custom cabinetry and imported stone) can stretch this phase to 6–8 weeks on larger projects.
Weeks 4–6: Demolition and structural work
Demolition typically takes 1–2 weeks depending on scope. If walls are coming down, this is also when temporary shoring and any structural beam installation happens, followed by a framing inspection before drywall can go up. This stage is loud and disruptive — most homeowners who are living through the renovation find this the hardest phase.
Weeks 6–10: Rough-in — plumbing, electrical, HVAC
Once framing is inspected and approved, licensed trades run new plumbing, electrical, and any HVAC changes behind the walls and under the floors. Each trade typically requires its own inspection before insulation and drywall can close the walls up — this is where having one team coordinating all trades directly (rather than juggling separate contractors yourself) saves the most time, since scheduling conflicts between trades are the single biggest cause of delay in this phase.
Weeks 10–16: Insulation, drywall, and flooring
With rough-ins inspected and approved, insulation and drywall close up the walls, followed by mudding, sanding, and priming. Flooring is typically installed after drywall dust settles but before final trim and cabinetry, to protect finished surfaces from the rest of the work.
Weeks 16–24: Cabinetry, fixtures, and finishes
Kitchen and bathroom cabinetry installation, countertop templating and install, plumbing and electrical fixture hookups, tile work, and trim carpentry all happen in this stage. This is when the project starts looking finished, but it's also where custom cabinetry and stone lead times most often push the schedule — ordering these early in the design phase is the single best way to avoid a delay here.
Final weeks: Punch list and walkthrough
Before a project is considered complete, a room-by-room walkthrough identifies any outstanding items — a touch-up, a misaligned cabinet door, a fixture adjustment — which get resolved before final sign-off. A final building inspection closes out the permit if one was required.
What actually causes delays
In our experience, three things push timelines beyond the original estimate more than anything else: material lead times on items ordered late (especially imported stone and custom cabinetry), permit and inspection scheduling gaps between municipalities, and changes to the scope mid-project. Locking in selections early and working with one team that manages all trades directly — rather than coordinating separate subcontractors yourself — is what keeps a timeline realistic.