Kitchen renovations in Oxford County

What a full renovation includes

• Design and layout. Where the sink, range, fridge and island go, how much counter and storage you get, and how people move through the room.
• Demolition. Old cabinets, counters and flooring out, and sometimes a wall between the kitchen and dining room.
• Rough-ins. Plumbing, electrical and venting moved or added for the new layout: new circuits, an island sink, a range hood vented outside.
• Walls and ceiling. Drywall repairs, new pot lights and paint.
• Cabinets, counters and backsplash, installed and templated in order.
• Flooring, usually before the cabinets go in.
• Final connections. Sink, faucet, dishwasher, range and lighting hooked up.

Opening up the kitchen

Taking out the wall between the kitchen and the living or dining room is one of the most common requests in older Oxford County homes. If the wall is load-bearing, it needs a beam sized by an engineer or designer, and a building permit. Plumbing, ducts or wiring inside the wall also have to be rerouted. A contractor can tell you quickly whether it's a simple job or a big one.

How long it takes

Most full kitchen renovations take a few weeks of work on site, plus lead time for cabinets and counters, which are often ordered weeks ahead. Counters are measured after the cabinets are installed, so there's usually a gap of a week or two before they arrive. Plan for a temporary kitchen somewhere else in the house.

Permits

Replacing cabinets and counters in the same layout usually doesn't need a permit. Removing walls, moving plumbing and new wiring usually do, and electrical work needs an ESA permit. Read our kitchen permit guide.