We have all heard close friends and family member’s stories of the Kitchen that just didn’t get finished before the Holidays. If you or your spouse have the lofty goal of completing that new dream kitchen for Thanksgiving dinner this year, you will likely find yourself in the same boat.

Let’s start with a targeted completion date of Friday, November 17, 2017 and work backwards. That date will give you and your spouse one joyous weekend to put everything back in the cabinets, wipe down those new countertops one last time, and make a trip to the Liquor store just before the early arrival of your in-laws (and subsequent depletion of the liquor cabinet).

If this dream kitchen of yours has its roots in a Pinterest board or a Houzz Ideabook, it is likely a 6 to 8 week project, putting the needed start date at September 25, 2017.

The last stage of remodeling project planning, prior to construction, is permitting. State law allows townships 15 business days to respond to a permit submission and those townships almost always want some additional piece of information prior to approving your plans. If you are not the type to push every deadline to the last minute, it is safe to assume that the permitting process will take 4 weeks. That puts the targeted date of permit submission at August 28, 2017.

The point is this: if you are hoping to have a new Kitchen by Thanksgiving, you’re out of luck. If Christmas was the goal, you’re already pushing it and need to start Design in the next week.

Remodeling projects simply don’t end well if they do not begin well. Do your due diligence, spend time planning, spend time designing and set realistic goals. These projects, for most people, are the single largest investment they will make in their home and they should be treated as such.

Start focusing on that new kitchen for St. Patty’s Day or Cinco De Mayo, and make sure a nice bar is part of the design! If you are interested in completing an upcoming remodel after the 2017 holidays, call Chris Lux to set up an initial meeting at your home by dialing (215) 654-0364.