The most common frustration in residential renovation is the gap between what a contractor says at the estimate and what actually happens on the calendar. "Six to eight weeks" becomes four months. The homeowner is displaced longer, paying rent they didn't budget for, and getting answers that don't add up.

The timeline disconnect is almost always caused by one of two things: the contractor didn't build a real schedule at the start, or they didn't understand how trade sequencing actually works — specifically, how long materials like countertops take to fabricate after template.

This post gives you the actual week-by-week sequence for a kitchen and primary bath gut renovation in Jacksonville. The numbers reflect real project data, not marketing estimates. A well-run gut-reno of both spaces in a single-family home takes 12–16 weeks from demo start to punchlist complete.

JK Prestige self-performs framing, drywall, and finish carpentry on gut renovations — which means the schedule doesn't slip at the framing-to-drywall transition the way brokered renovations do.

Unoccupied kitchen opened to wall studs with plumbing, electrical rough-ins, protected floors, and staged drywall
Editorial illustrationThe opened kitchen shows the starting condition after demolition, when framing surfaces and concealed utilities are ready for the next trade sequence.

Week 1: Demo

Demo is the first visible week of work and the fastest. For a combined kitchen and primary bath gut renovation, this typically includes:

End of Week 1 deliverable: Framing rough-in surfaces exposed and ready for inspection. All demo debris removed from the property.

One note on timing: if your renovation includes removing a load-bearing wall, the structural engineer's drawings must be in hand before demo begins. The permit for this structural work is separate from the standard building permit in some jurisdictions. Confirm with JK at the preconstruction meeting — not mid-demo.

Weeks 2–3: Framing and Rough Framing Inspection

Framing covers new wall construction (partitions, closet walls, shower pan framing, tub surround framing), any structural modifications, and any ceiling reframing.

For a combined kitchen-bath scope, framing rough-in typically takes 3–5 business days for JK's own crew. Complex framing (structural modifications, barrel vault ceilings, coffered ceilings) can push this to 7–8 days.

After framing is complete, the rough framing inspection is required before any mechanical rough-in begins. In Duval County, inspection scheduling is typically 24–72 hours after request. Most framing inspections pass in one visit; re-inspection (if required for a correction) adds 2–3 days.

End of Week 2–3: Framing inspection passed, project is cleared for mechanical rough-in.

Week 4: Plumbing Rough-In

The plumbing sub begins rough-in immediately after the rough framing inspection passes. Kitchen and bath combined scope typically includes:

Plumbing rough-in for a typical kitchen and bath: 4–6 business days. Complex plumbing (concrete slab cut for drain relocation, second-floor bathroom above a finished ceiling) adds time.

Rough plumbing inspection is required after rough-in is complete. Add 24–72 hours for scheduling.

Week 5: Electrical Rough-In

Electrical rough-in follows plumbing. Running both simultaneously is sometimes possible if trades are not in the same wall cavities, but sequence conflict in a small bathroom makes parallel rough-in impractical more often than it's worth.

Kitchen electrical scope typically includes:

Bath electrical typically includes:

Rough electrical inspection required after rough-in. 24–72 hours scheduling.

Week 5 (Parallel): HVAC

Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) rough-in can run in parallel if the trades are working different zones of the project. HVAC rough-in for a kitchen/bath scope is typically limited to:

HVAC rough-in on this scope runs 3–5 days and can often overlap with electrical. HVAC rough-in inspection required where duct work is being concealed.

Open residential framing with coordinated plumbing, electrical wiring, and metal HVAC ducts
Editorial illustrationCoordinated plumbing, electrical, and HVAC rough-ins must be inspected and cleared before insulation and wall finishes conceal the work.

Weeks 6–7: Insulation and Rough Inspection Clearance

Once all mechanical rough-ins are inspected and approved, insulation is installed in any exterior walls and the ceiling assembly (if applicable). For interior kitchen and bath walls, insulation is primarily sound attenuation (between bathroom and adjacent bedroom, or between kitchen and dining room) rather than thermal.

This phase moves fast — 1–2 days for most scopes. The insulation inspection (if required by jurisdiction) runs 24–48 hours.

Weeks 7–9: Drywall

Drywall installation covers hanging, taping, bedding, and finishing. The number of coats and drying time between coats drive the timeline more than the hanging.

Standard drywall sequence:

  1. Hang: Board installation. 1–2 days for most kitchen/bath scopes.
  2. First coat (tape coat): Paper tape set in joint compound over all seams and screw heads. 1 day hang time; 24–48 hours drying.
  3. Second coat (fill coat): Wider application over tape and fasteners. 1 day; 24 hours drying.
  4. Third coat (finish coat): Skim over all joints to feather edges. 1 day; 24–48 hours drying.
  5. Sand and prime: After third coat is dry. 1–2 days.

Tile backer board (cement board or Schluter KERDI board) is installed in wet areas (shower walls, tub surround) instead of standard drywall. This goes up at the hang phase.

Total drywall phase: 1–2 weeks, accounting for drying time between coats. Humidity in Jacksonville's climate affects drying time — in summer, air-conditioned spaces dry faster than uncontrolled spaces.

JK Prestige self-performs drywall — our crew transitions from framing to drywall without a scheduling gap. See how self-perform drywall changes the gut-reno schedule.

Weeks 9–11: Tile

Tile installation follows drywall and primer. For a combined kitchen/bath scope, this includes:

Tile sequence: substrate inspection → layout and dry-fit → adhesive/mortar bed → tile set → cure (24–48 hours before grouting) → grout → grout seal (24 hours after grout). For complex patterns (herringbone, Moroccan fish scale, large-format porcelain on walls) add 2–3 days per room.

Total tile phase for kitchen + bath: 1–2 weeks depending on scope and pattern complexity.

Partially installed white kitchen cabinets with a long level, wood shims, fasteners, and open wall framing
Editorial illustrationLevel base cabinets, shims, and exposed fastening points show the alignment work that must be finished before countertop templating begins.

Week 11–12: Cabinet Installation

Cabinets typically arrive in one delivery — kitchen boxes, bath vanity boxes, any linen storage. Installation sequence:

  1. Upper cabinets first (kitchen): installed level and secured to studs. 1 day.
  2. Base cabinets: leveled, shimmed, secured. 1 day.
  3. Filler panels and modifications: custom filler pieces to meet wall conditions, crown molding at top, light rail at bottom. 1 day.
  4. Bath vanity installation: 1 day.

Total: 1 week including touch-up and adjustment.

Countertop template occurs after cabinet installation — not before. The fabricator measures the actual installed cabinet positions, not the design drawings. This is non-negotiable; fabricating to drawings results in countertops that don't fit.

Weeks 12–15: Countertop Fabrication and Installation

This is the step that surprises most homeowners. After the template appointment:

Total countertop phase: 2–3 weeks from template to installation. This is the longest fixed-lead-time item in a kitchen renovation. It cannot be accelerated by the contractor once the template is done.

What extends this further: selecting stone from a slab yard that doesn't have your color in stock and must order from their supplier. Select and confirm your countertop material before demo begins.

Weeks 14–16: Appliances, Fixtures, and Finish Carpentry

After countertops are set:

Week 16: Punchlist

Punchlist is the documented list of items that need correction or completion before the homeowner signs off. A well-managed project has a short punchlist — 10–25 items is typical on a quality-controlled gut-reno. A project with multiple subs who didn't coordinate has a long punchlist that can add 2–4 weeks.

JK Prestige walks the punchlist with the homeowner at substantial completion and commits to a 7-day punchlist resolution window. The principal who signed your contract walks this punchlist — not a superintendent handoff.

What Extends Timelines in Jacksonville Gut Renovations

The 12–16 week range assumes:

What adds weeks: late material selection (especially countertops), structural surprises that require engineering revision, permit re-submission, or a GC who doesn't have the drywall crew lined up before framing ends.

Contact JK Prestige for a free estimate with a written schedule baseline. Fixed price, timeline in writing, 48-hour turnaround. Call (904) 944-0278. A principal answers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does a kitchen and bath gut renovation in Jacksonville take 12 to 16 weeks?
Countertop fabrication alone takes 10 to 15 business days after template, and template can't happen until the cabinets are physically installed, so that single step accounts for 2 to 3 weeks that can't be compressed once it starts. Add drywall drying time between coats, tile cure time before grouting, and inspection scheduling gaps, and the weeks add up fast. That's the gap between a six-to-eight-week estimate and the real 12-to-16-week timeline.
Can I speed things up by picking my countertop material after demo starts?
No, and this is one of the most common causes of schedule slippage. Select and confirm your countertop material before demo begins, because if the slab yard doesn't have your color in stock, they have to order from their supplier and the fabrication lead time extends further. International slab fabrication in particular can run 4 to 6 weeks, which should be avoided if schedule matters.
Why does the framing to drywall handoff matter for staying on schedule?
When the same crew self-performs both framing and drywall, there's no scheduling gap while waiting for a separate drywall sub to become available. That transition happens without the coordination loop that brokered renovations depend on. It's one of the main reasons a well-run gut renovation holds to its written timeline instead of drifting into month four.