I love following along with the progress of people's renovations. Now I get to give my own so here's my kitchen timeline feedback. We're a little over three weeks and cabinets should be installed on Monday. Check out my blog for all the details. Here is a link that might be useful: my renovation blog

major (complete redesign) - taking down 2 walls, 1 load bearing, modifying patio slider to 1 patio french, replacing casement window, new floors and refinish LR and DR and stairs, colonnade in entryway, new cabinets and ss ct, new fridge. House is 40 years old. Approx dimensions 10.5x ~10 (~12' on one side, Planning/designing ~3 years - I started prepping DH 3 years ago, it took him that long to get used to the idea. I got my first plan back from a Friend's Lumber kitchen design in 8/08. It took me another attempt (at HD this time) and 5 months to come up with a design that I could live with. I already had a good idea of the cabinet style, color, and wood and CT, floors, etc. - that was the easy part! It was the floor plan that was the hard part of the design. I wasn't replacing any appliance except fridge, and I knew I wanted CD, FD (but that was hard to decide on which one). Ok, we are in the middle of it right now, so I don't have the times for the rest, but I can tell you what has been done and the plan for the rest - we'll see how close we are. You said from when you spent your first $500 or more: 5/15/09 - gave deposit on cabinets, I believe order was placed on 5/18. Several days later, received cabinet due date of 6/24. 6/11/09 - Demo begins - kitchen gutted (left sink, dw, fridge, and range for the weekend), and one wall removed - started anchor for load-bearing wall.(first check to GC) 6/12/09 - removed the rest of load bearing wall and finished supports. 6/15/09 - advance plumbing to remove sink cab, removed floor and got ready for electrical. I now only have a sink and a fridge. 6/16/09 - remove walls for colonnade, rough electrical 6/17/09 - rough electrical 6/18/09 - blue board ceilings 6/19/09 - complete blue boarding ceilings and walls (2nd check) Plans for the next few weeks: 6/22/09 - plasterers 6/23/09 - drying 6/24/09 - floor 6/25/09 - 6/29/09 - install cabinets (no weekend) 6/30/09 - templating for CT 7/1/09 - install bb CT 7/2/09 - finish electrical 7/6/09 - finish electrical 7/7 -9/09 - floors 7/10/09 - install countertops (note: I am on vacation from 6/27 - 7/11, so I am not as concerned that we still do not have a kitchen) 7/13/09 - install fridge, dw, disp., heat, gas, etc. 7/14/09 - hardware 7/15 - 17/09 - miscellaneous There's some other tasks that haven't been accouted for that I assume will be done in between other tasks or as they are waiting on something else, like: -switching my mud room door to swing to the right instead of left. -installing patio door and casement window - door is not due in until 6/30 at earliest, and window is a week later. -finishing colonnades -priming You might notice that we aren't having a backsplash. I am hoping for 7/17, but I wouldn't be surprised at 7/24 at all, but that's 6 weeks (from demo) with a holiday in there, so that's pretty good. Lynne

in my experience they paint first it might well be there are problems with subs, or might be not. Contractors don't like to share problems with subs-it's bad for business. We got just some glimpses into such problems because we had formed unusually personal relationship with our GC (also line that's hard to walk). After hearing them-I totally understand why contractors are unwilling to share problems with subs. They'd rather take all the fire than share problems with subs. But them painting now doesn't mean your GC has problems with his subs. If my memory doesn't betray me-that's a normal order of things. You can also ask him. They understand homeowners not neccessarily know order of things and why order maybe such and such.

I agree with "getting started." I know things vary depending on where you live, but in our two builds over the last 15 years, the most irritating (and unplanned) delay was the permitting process - it took four months after plans were submitted in our previous house before the builder got the go-ahead to start, and almost six months for our current home. I think to be on the safe side, allow yourself time for preparing the plans, submitting them for permits, and making whatever revisions council demands.