How Long Does a Whole Home Renovation Take? A Maryland Timeline
“How long will the whole project take?” is one of the first questions we hear when homeowners plan to remodel several rooms at once. The honest answer is that it depends on how many rooms you update and how much changes. A whole home renovation that updates a kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, and paint often takes about 2 to 4 months of construction. A full renovation of an older home, with new layouts, wiring, and plumbing throughout, can take 4 to 6 months or more.
Planning, design, ordering, and permits happen before construction starts, so the full whole home renovation timeline is longer than the build itself. Here’s what to expect at each stage.
Whole Home Renovation Timeline: The Short Answer
- Refresh of several rooms (paint, flooring, lighting, fixtures, and a cosmetic kitchen or bath update): often about 4 to 8 weeks of construction.
- Kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, and paint: often about 2 to 4 months of construction.
- Full gut renovation (new layouts, structural changes, and new wiring and plumbing): often about 4 to 6 months of construction, sometimes more.
For single rooms, a bathroom remodel usually takes 2 to 4 weeks of construction, a kitchen 4 to 8 weeks, and a basement finish 6 to 10 weeks. In a whole home project, some of this work overlaps, so the total is usually shorter than adding every room together.
The Stages of a Whole Home Renovation
1. Free in-home consultation
We walk through your home with you, measure each space, and talk about what you want to change, how you live, and your budget. This is the time to share your must-haves and your wish list.
2. Design and selections
Our designer helps you plan every room together, so finishes, flooring, and colors flow from one space to the next. Choosing cabinets, tile, fixtures, and flooring before construction starts is the single biggest thing you can do to keep a whole home renovation on schedule.
3. Estimate, contract, and ordering
We email you one clear estimate for the whole project. Once you approve it, your contract spells out the scope, the payment schedule, and the warranty. Then we order materials, starting with the items that take the longest to arrive, like custom cabinets and special-order tile.
4. Permits
Whole home projects usually need permits for structural, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC work. We handle the paperwork with Montgomery County’s Department of Permitting Services or your city, such as the City of Rockville or the City of Gaithersburg, and schedule the inspections. Read more in Do You Need a Permit to Remodel in Montgomery County, MD?
5. Demolition and rough-in
Old finishes come out, and any structural changes, wiring, plumbing, and HVAC work happen while the walls are open. In older homes, this is when we sometimes find outdated wiring, old pipes, or water damage. Rough-in inspections happen before the walls are closed.
6. Insulation, drywall, and the big installs
Insulation and drywall go in, followed by cabinets, countertops, tile, and flooring. Countertops are templated after the cabinets are set, so there is a short wait before they’re installed.
7. Finishes, punch list, and final walkthrough
Paint, trim, doors, light fixtures, and plumbing fixtures go in last. We walk through every room with you, finish any punch-list items, and your warranty begins.
In What Order Should You Remodel Your Home?
In a whole home renovation, the order of the work matters more than the order of the rooms. Demolition and any wiring, plumbing, or structural work come first. Next come insulation and drywall, then cabinets and flooring, and finally fixtures, paint, and trim. Flooring and painting in shared spaces are usually saved for the end, so they don’t get damaged while other work is going on.
If you’re living at home during the project, we can plan the work in phases so you always have a working kitchen or bathroom.
Can You Live at Home During a Whole Home Renovation?
Often, yes. Many families stay home during a phased renovation. For a full gut renovation, it can be easier and faster to move out for part of the project, especially while the kitchen and bathrooms are torn out at the same time. We’ll talk through the options with you during planning. For tips, read our guide to living at home during a remodel.
What Can Make a Whole Home Renovation Take Longer?
- Late decisions or changes after work starts.
- Backordered materials, especially custom cabinets, windows, and special-order tile.
- Permit review and inspections, which take longer for structural changes and additions.
- Hidden problems in older homes, like outdated wiring, old plumbing, or rotted subfloors.
- Structural changes, such as removing a load-bearing wall.
- Weather, for exterior work like windows, doors, and additions.
How to Keep Your Whole Home Renovation on Schedule
- Make your selections before demolition starts.
- Order long-lead items, like cabinets and windows, as early as possible.
- Keep the layout the same in rooms where it already works.
- Plan a 10–20% budget cushion so surprises don’t stop the work.
- Work with one contractor and one point of contact. At Real Time Home Improvement, owner Hugo manages every project in person.
Whole Home Renovation FAQs
Is it faster to renovate the whole house at once or room by room?
Doing everything at once usually takes less total time, because there’s one design plan, one permit process, and one schedule, and work can overlap from room to room. Remodeling room by room spreads out the cost, but it adds more setup and more months of construction overall.
How much does a whole home renovation cost?
It depends on how many rooms you update and the finishes you choose. As a guide, a kitchen in Montgomery County typically runs $10,000–$100,000 or more, a bathroom $6,000–$60,000, and basement finishing $25,000–$75,000. See whole home remodeling and our remodeling cost guide.
Do I need to move out during a whole home renovation?
Not always. With a phased plan, many families stay home. For a full gut renovation, moving out for part of the project can make it faster and easier.
Plan Your Whole Home Renovation With a Local, Licensed Team
Real Time Home Improvement is a licensed Maryland home improvement contractor (MHIC #162705) based in Rockville, with 10+ years of experience across Montgomery County. We give you a clear schedule with your estimate and keep you updated every step of the way. For room-by-room timelines, see How Long Does a Kitchen Remodel Take?, How Long Does a Bathroom Remodel Take?, and How Long Does It Take to Finish a Basement?
Learn more about our whole home remodeling services, or request your free in-home estimate. You can also call (240) 485-8797.