Summary: A bespoke kitchen in Ireland typically takes four to six months from the first consultation to the completed installation. Projects that include a utility room, pantry, boot room, or outdoor kitchen usually take six to eight months. The process runs across three parallel tracks: design (4 to 8 weeks), workshop production (8 to 12 weeks), and site preparation, followed by installation (1 to 3 weeks). Delays most often come from a site that is not ready on installation day, long appliance lead times, or design changes made after sign-off. For new builds, the kitchen design should begin once the structure is watertight and first fix is underway.
Key Takeaways
- Start planning at least four to six months before the kitchen is needed.
- Be decisive during the design stage. Slow decisions here delay everything that follows.
- Confirm appliance lead times in writing before sign-off.
- Make sure the site is fully dry and clear of other trades on installation day.
- Avoid design changes after production has started.
- For new builds, bring in the kitchen designer at first fix, not later.
One of the most common questions we are asked at Shalford is how long the process takes. It is usually asked by someone who has a renovation underway, a new build reaching its final stages, or a life event on the horizon that is giving the project a deadline.
The honest answer is that a bespoke kitchen takes longer than most people expect, and the earlier you begin the process the better the outcome. Not because the work itself is slow, but because the decisions that go into a properly considered kitchen cannot be rushed without consequences. The timeline is not a constraint on the project. It is part of what makes it good.
This guide sets out what happens at each stage, how long each stage typically takes, and what you can do to make sure the process runs as smoothly as possible.
| Quick Answer: A bespoke kitchen in Ireland typically takes four to six months from first consultation to completed installation. If the project includes a utility room, pantry, boot room, outdoor kitchen or wider new-build coordination, six to eight months or more is a more realistic planning window. |
The Full Bespoke Kitchen Fitting Timeline at a Glance
From first consultation to completed installation, a bespoke kitchen project with Shalford typically takes between four and six months. For projects that include a utility room, a boot room, a pantry or an outdoor kitchen alongside the main kitchen, six to eight months is a more realistic working figure. For new builds where the programme is tied to other trades, allow more again.
It helps to think of the process not as a single linear sequence but as three tracks that run in parallel for much of the project:
- The design track: brief, layout, iterations, sign-off
- The production track: workshop manufacturing, finishes, appliance lead times
- The site track: building work, services, plastering, flooring, readiness for installation
Understanding how these three tracks relate to each other is the most useful thing you can do when planning the project. Delays on the site track do not affect production, but they can affect the installation date. Decisions made late on the design track push back the production slot. The goal is to keep all three moving at the same time.
| What This Means For You: The overall timeline is less about how long each stage takes individually and more about how smoothly each stage connects. Even small delays between design approval, production start, or site readiness can extend the full schedule. |
The Consultation and Design Stage (4 to 8 weeks)
The process begins with a conversation, usually at our Naas showroom or on site at the property. The first meeting is about understanding the brief: the room, the household, how the kitchen will be used and what the wider project involves.
From there, our design team develops the layout and the specification. This is the stage that takes the most time and deserves the most attention. Decisions made here determine everything that follows: the cabinetry configuration, the materials, the appliance integration, the service positions. Revisiting those decisions after production has begun is costly and disruptive.
Most clients go through two or three design iterations before sign-off. This is normal and expected. The goal of the design stage is to arrive at a brief that everyone is confident in, so that production can proceed without interruption.
The single most common cause of a longer-than-necessary design stage is slow decision-making between iterations. The design process has a natural momentum, and it works best when reviews happen promptly.
Sign-off is the formal point at which the design is approved and the production slot is confirmed. It is worth being decisive at this stage. Changes requested after sign-off can delay the programme and, in some cases, affect the cost.
| Next Step: Before sign-off, review the layout as if you are using the kitchen on a normal weekday morning, not just as a finished room in drawings. This often highlights small practical details that are easier to resolve before production begins. |
The Production Stage (8 to 12 weeks)
Once the design is signed off, the kitchen goes into production at our workshop in Co. Kildare. Every component is handcrafted to the exact specifications of the brief: the carcasses, the doors, the drawer boxes, the painted or sprayed finishes. Painted finishes and complex bespoke elements can extend production toward the longer end of this window.
For projects involving multiple rooms alongside the kitchen, production runs as a single programme rather than separate jobs, which is one of the practical advantages of commissioning everything together from the start.
While the kitchen is in production, the site preparation track should be running in parallel. This is the time to finalise flooring decisions, confirm service positions with your builder or contractor, and ensure the room will be ready to receive the installation on the agreed date. Treating these as sequential rather than parallel is one of the most common ways a project runs longer than it needs to.
Appliance lead times are also worth flagging at this stage. Specific appliances from particular manufacturers can have lead times of several weeks, and in some cases longer. Confirming appliance choices early in the design stage, rather than after sign-off, avoids the risk of appliance availability holding up the installation date.
For a broader view of how these decisions shape the total investment, see our guide to the cost of a new luxury kitchen in Ireland.
| Tip: Ask for written appliance lead times before final sign-off, especially if you have chosen a specific range cooker, refrigeration model, wine cooler or integrated appliance. One unavailable appliance can affect several connected design decisions. |
The Installation Stage (1 to 3 weeks for a kitchen; longer for multi-room projects)
Installation is where the three tracks converge. The production track delivers the kitchen to site. The site track needs to have the room ready to receive it. The design track should be fully resolved well before this point.
For a standard kitchen, installation takes between one and three weeks depending on the complexity of the layout and the extent of the fit-out. For a project that includes a utility room, boot room, pantry or outdoor kitchen alongside the main kitchen, the installation programme is proportionally longer and needs to be planned accordingly, typically two to four weeks or more for a full multi-room project.
The site needs to be clear and ready before installation begins. The room should be plastered, painted to first fix, and free from other trades. The solid structure of the room must be complete and dry before bespoke timber cabinetry is delivered. Any excessive moisture in the walls or floor can affect the cabinetry, so it is worth allowing adequate drying time after plastering before confirming the installation date.
Flooring can go down before or after installation depending on the material and the client’s preference, but the decision needs to be made before the installation date is fixed so the programme can be planned correctly.
| What To Expect: Once installation begins, the kitchen becomes the focus of the room. Other trades should not be treating the space as an active work zone at the same time, because overlap can slow the fit-out and increase the risk of damage. |
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What Can Cause Delays and How to Avoid Them
Most delays in a bespoke kitchen project come from one of four sources.
Late decisions during the design stage
Long gaps between design iterations push back sign-off and, in turn, push back the production slot. Staying available and responsive during the design stage keeps the project moving.
| Key Takeaway: Small delays in approvals early on can push the entire kitchen timeline back. |
Appliance availability
Specific models from particular manufacturers can have long lead times that are not always visible at the start of the process. Confirming appliance choices early and asking for written lead times is worth doing before sign-off rather than after.
| Watch Out: Long lead-time appliances can quietly become the biggest source of project delays. |
Site readiness
The most common cause of installation delays is a site that is not ready on the agreed date. Building work that overruns, plastering that is not dry, or other trades still on site all affect the installation programme. Building a buffer into the site programme around the kitchen installation date is always worthwhile.
| What To Expect: Installation can only begin once the space is fully finished, dry, and clear of other trades. |
Changes after sign-off
Changes to the design after production has begun range from minor adjustments that can be accommodated with limited impact to fundamental revisions that require work to be redone. The further into production a change is requested, the more disruptive and costly it becomes.
| Bottom Line: Any changes after approval usually add time, cost, or both to the schedule. |
Planning Around a Specific Date
If your project has a fixed deadline, work backwards from it. An installation date at the end of October, for example, means a production slot starting no later than mid-July, which means a design sign-off no later than the end of June, which means beginning the design process no later than April or May.
Most clients who come to us with a deadline in mind are working to a tighter window than they realise. Starting late does not make the timeline shorter. It makes the decisions harder and the contingency smaller.
| Key Insight: Every stage in the kitchen timeline is linked, so one delay can affect the entire schedule. Planning in the right order is what keeps the final installation date on track. |
Avoid the timeline pressure – give us your brief today.
A Note on New Builds
New builds present a specific planning challenge because the kitchen timeline needs to be coordinated with the wider construction programme. The ideal point to begin the kitchen design process is when the structure is watertight and first fix is underway. This gives the design team accurate room dimensions to work from and enough lead time to have the kitchen ready for installation when the site reaches second fix.
In practice, many new build clients come to us later than this. We can accommodate this, but a compressed timeline limits the time available for design development and may affect the finish options that can be produced within the window. If you are building a new home and the kitchen is a priority, bring it into the programme early. It is one of the decisions that has the greatest impact on the finished house.
| Practical Insight: Kitchen design should ideally run alongside early construction milestones like first fix. Once those stages pass, the scope for layout and specification changes becomes more limited. |
Starting the Process
If you have a project in mind and want to understand how the timeline fits your programme, the right first step is a conversation with our design team. We can give you a realistic picture of what is achievable within your timeframe and help you plan the process from the beginning.
Book a consultation or call us to get started on your kitchen project today.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How long does a bespoke kitchen take from start to finish?
From first consultation to completed installation, most bespoke kitchen projects take between four and six months. Projects that include connected spaces such as a utility room, boot room or pantry typically take six to eight months.
2. How long does the kitchen design stage take?
The design stage typically takes four to eight weeks, depending on the complexity of the brief and how quickly decisions are made between iterations. The design stage is the one where time invested early pays the most dividends later.
3. How long does it take to manufacture a bespoke kitchen?
Production in our Co. Kildare workshop typically takes eight to twelve weeks from sign-off. Painted finishes and complex bespoke elements can extend this toward the longer end of the window.
4. How long does kitchen installation take?
A standard kitchen installation takes one to three weeks. Multi-room projects that include a utility room, pantry, boot room or outdoor kitchen will take longer, typically two to four weeks or more depending on scope.
5. When should I start planning my kitchen if I have a specific deadline?
Work backwards from your target installation date, allowing eight to twelve weeks for production and four to eight weeks for design before that. Most clients with a deadline are working to a tighter window than they realise, so starting earlier than feels necessary is always the right call.
6. Does a new build kitchen take longer than a renovation?
Not necessarily longer, but it requires earlier planning. The ideal point to begin the design process is when the structure is watertight and first fix is underway. Starting later compresses the design stage and can limit the options available within the window.
7. What is the most common cause of delays in a bespoke kitchen project?
Site readiness on the installation date is the most common cause. Building work that overruns, plaster that has not dried, or other trades still on site all push back the installation programme. Appliance lead times and late design changes are the next most frequent causes.