How We Work
How We Complete a Full Kitchen Remodel in 10 Days
The industry average for a kitchen remodel in San Diego is 6 to 12 weeks. We do it in 10 days. Not 10 weeks — 10 days. Here's exactly how, and why it doesn't compromise the work.
Let's address the obvious question first.
When we tell homeowners we complete kitchen remodels in 10 days, the first reaction is skepticism. That's fair. The industry has trained everyone to expect 6–12 weeks and accept it as unavoidable.
We're not claiming we skip steps, rush trades, or cut corners. We're claiming something different: the reason most kitchen remodels take 6–12 weeks has almost nothing to do with how long the construction itself takes, and almost everything to do with how the project is managed — or not managed — before demo day.
When every decision is made, every material is on-site, every trade is scheduled in sequence, and the countertop is already in fabrication before a single cabinet comes down — 10 days is exactly how long it takes to build a kitchen correctly.
Why Most Kitchen Remodels Take 6–12 Weeks
It's not the construction. Here's where the time actually goes:
Materials are ordered after demo starts
Most contractors demolish the kitchen, then order materials. Cabinets take 3–6 weeks to arrive. Countertop fabrication takes 7–14 business days after the template is taken. Every day waiting is a day the job sits idle with your kitchen demolished.
Crews are split across multiple jobs
A contractor running 6–10 projects at once gives yours a crew for 2 days, pulls them to another job for 4 days, brings them back, and repeats. The calendar fills with gaps that have nothing to do with your kitchen and everything to do with their scheduling.
Trades aren't sequenced tightly
The electrician can't come until the plumber is done. The tile setter isn't available until next week. Each hand-off adds days. Multiplied across 6–8 trades, weeks of dead time accumulate.
Decisions are made during construction
If hardware isn't picked until Day 8, the job pauses. If the homeowner is still choosing tile when walls are ready, the tile setter reschedules. Unresolved selections mid-project are one of the most common causes of timeline blowouts.
Countertop fabrication is scheduled too late
Fabricators need 7–10 business days after templating. Most contractors don't template until cabinets are installed — Day 4 or 5 of construction — which adds a full week to the back end of every job, guaranteed.
How We Eliminated Every One of Those Delays
Our 10-day model is built on three rules that apply to every project, without exception:
Nothing is ordered after demo starts.
Every cabinet, countertop slab, tile, flooring material, fixture, and appliance is ordered and confirmed for delivery to your home before we pull the first cabinet. If a material isn't selected, the project doesn't start. This rule is non-negotiable.
One job at a time per crew.
Your project has a dedicated crew from Day 1 to Day 10. They are not leaving to work on another job. The plumber, electrician, tile setter, and flooring installer are all scheduled in sequence, with each trade handing off to the next without a gap. Your timeline is not shared with any other homeowner.
The countertop goes to fabrication before demo starts.
We template your countertop from the existing kitchen — before demolition — and submit it to the fabricator on Day 1. It fabricates for 7 days while we demo, rough-in, hang cabinets, and tile. By Day 7, your slab arrives exactly cut and ready to install. No waiting at the end.
The 10-Day Timeline: Day by Day
Exactly what happens on your project — every single day.
Pre-Construction
Before Demo Begins — The Work That Makes 10 Days Possible
Every material is selected, ordered, and confirmed for delivery before a single cabinet is touched. All subcontractors — plumber, electrician, tile setter, flooring installer — are scheduled in sequence with zero gaps between trades. Most importantly: your countertop is templated from the existing kitchen and submitted to fabrication so it arrives ready to install on Day 7. Nothing is decided during construction. Every decision is made before Day 1.
Day 1
Demo & Haul-Away
Complete demolition: cabinets, countertops, appliances, backsplash, and flooring fully removed and hauled away in a single day. Subfloor and walls inspected. Any unexpected conditions — water damage, rot, previous code violations — are documented, photographed, and presented to you before Day 2. Nothing proceeds without your knowledge.
Day 2
Rough Plumbing & Electrical
Licensed plumber updates supply and drain lines. Licensed electrician runs circuits for the range hood, dishwasher, refrigerator, and under-cabinet lighting. Any drywall damage from demo is patched and allowed to cure overnight.
Day 3
Drywall, Prime & Prep
Drywall patches are skim-coated and primed. Walls are prepped and marked for cabinet installation. Flooring substrate is assessed and prepared.
Day 4
Cabinet Installation
Full cabinet installation — uppers and lowers — completed by a dedicated cabinet crew in a single day. Crown molding, fillers, and toe kicks installed and finished.
Day 5
Backsplash Tile Set
Backsplash tile fully set in thinset while the countertop fabricates offsite. All cuts completed. Layout confirmed to within 1/16" of cabinet lines.
Day 6
Flooring & Backsplash Grout
Flooring fully installed — LVP, hardwood, or tile depending on your selection. Backsplash tile grouted and finished. All transitions and trim installed.
Day 7
Countertop Installation
Your fabricated countertops are delivered and installed. Undermount sink set and silicone-sealed. This is why the pre-construction template matters: your slab arrives exactly cut — no second fabrication run, no waiting.
Day 8
Plumbing & Electrical Finish
Plumbing finish: faucet, disposal, dishwasher connection, all supply and drain lines connected and leak-tested. Electrical finish: outlets, GFCI protection, switches, and under-cabinet lighting connected and confirmed.
Day 9
Appliances, Hardware & Fixtures
Range, refrigerator, and dishwasher installed and tested. Cabinet hardware and pulls installed. Range hood connected and tested. Light fixtures hung and wired.
Day 10
Final Punch & Walkthrough
Touch-up paint, final caulking at all transitions, deep clean. We walk every detail with you. Punch list is created and completed same day. Your kitchen is ready.
What Qualifies for the 10-Day Program
The 10-day timeline covers the most common type of San Diego kitchen remodel: a full replacement within the existing footprint.
Qualifies
- Cabinet replacement — same footprint or modified within existing wall space
- Countertop replacement — quartz, granite, or natural stone
- Backsplash tile — any style or pattern
- New flooring — LVP, hardwood, or tile
- New appliances (we install what you purchase, or we source them)
- New plumbing fixtures — sink stays in the same location
- New lighting and electrical fixtures
- Paint
Requires a Separate Scope Conversation
- Wall removal or structural changes
- Plumbing relocation — moving the sink to a new wall or location
- Electrical panel upgrades
- Custom on-site cabinet builds (vs. factory-built installation)
- Projects where materials are not fully selected before contract signing
Projects outside this scope are handled with the same guarantees and transparency — they just have a different timeline conversation.
SD General vs. The San Diego Industry Standard
| Category | SD General | Industry Average |
|---|---|---|
| Timeline | 10 days | 6–12 weeks |
| Materials ordered | Before demo starts | After demo starts |
| Countertop fabrication | Starts Day 1 (pre-templated) | Starts Day 4–5 (after cabinets) |
| Crew assignment | Dedicated to your project | Split across multiple jobs |
| Design decisions | Fully resolved before signing | Often made mid-construction |
| Budget overruns | Price Lock Guarantee | ~78% of homeowners exceed budget |
| Warranty | 2-year craftsmanship warranty | Varies — often 1 year or none |
What's Included in Every 10-Day Kitchen Remodel
Also from SD General
We complete full bathroom remodels in 7 days.
The same pre-construction system, applied to bathrooms. Full demo, waterproofing, floor tile, wall tile, vanity, fixtures, and final walkthrough — in 7 days.
Read: 7-Day Bathroom RemodelQuestions About the 10-Day Kitchen Remodel
Everything San Diego homeowners ask before booking.
Yes. The 10-day schedule is written into your contract with daily milestones. Our On-Time Promise means if we miss a milestone for reasons within our control, you receive a credit toward your project. We built the entire pre-construction system specifically to make this guarantee deliverable — not just marketable.
We stop, document it, photograph it, and present options to you before proceeding. If it's minor — a small patch of water damage, a rotten section of subfloor — we handle it same-day within scope. If it requires work beyond the contract, we discuss it with you that day and decide together. We never proceed on unknown conditions without your sign-off.
No. Speed comes from preparation and sequential scheduling — not from rushing the actual work. We use the same licensed tradespeople, the same materials, and the same inspection standards as a 12-week remodel. Every 10-day kitchen is covered by our 2-year craftsmanship warranty.
For like-for-like kitchen remodels — same footprint, no structural changes, no plumbing relocation — permits are typically not required in San Diego. If your scope does require permits, we pull and obtain them before construction starts. Permits are never a mid-project surprise that pauses your job.
Our 10-day kitchen remodels typically range from $25,000 to $65,000 depending on cabinet selection, countertop material, appliances, and scope. We provide a transparent, line-item proposal before you sign anything — no lump sums, no vague allowances, no surprise charges.
Yes. We set up dust barriers to contain the work area and clean up at the end of every work day. Most homeowners use a microwave, portable cooktop, and a coffee maker set up in another room as a temporary kitchen. We help you plan for this during your consultation so it's not a surprise.
We template from your existing countertop before demolition — same dimensions, same sink cutout location. The fabricator uses those measurements to cut your slab. Since we're replacing cabinets in the same footprint, the template is accurate. This is the single most important scheduling move that makes Day 7 countertop installation possible.
Have a question that isn't answered here? Call us at (831) 261-7329 or send a message. We answer the phone.
Ready for Your 10-Day Kitchen Remodel?
Schedule a free consultation. We'll walk your kitchen, confirm it qualifies, and give you a transparent line-item proposal — before you commit to anything.