A whole-home remodel in the Twin Cities typically runs eight to fourteen months from the first design meeting to moving back in, with most of that time spent in design and permitting rather than construction. A kitchen-only or main-level project can wrap in three to five months. The biggest swing factor is not the size of the house, it is how many decisions get made before a crew ever opens a wall.
That range is wide on purpose. A 1980s Burnsville rambler getting a kitchen, main level and primary suite redone on its existing footprint moves faster than a 1920s Minneapolis bungalow where a structural addition, a city variance and a historic-character match are all on the table. Here is how the Twin Cities whole-home remodel timeline actually breaks down, phase by phase, and what tends to add weeks that homeowners do not plan for.
How long does a whole-home remodel take, phase by phase?
Every New Spaces project moves through the same structure, whether it is one room or the whole house. The phase lengths below are typical for a whole-home scope with a kitchen, main level and at least one addition or structural change. A smaller main-level-only project compresses the design and construction phases; it does not skip them.
| Phase | What happens | Typical length (whole-home) |
|---|---|---|
| Needs, Wants and Wishes® discovery | Walkthrough, budget range, priorities, how the family actually uses the home | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Design development | Floor plans, at least three design options, material and fixture selections | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Engineering and permitting | Structural drawings, city plan review, permit issuance | 4 to 10 weeks, city dependent |
| Demolition and structural work | Demo, framing, any addition shell, rough mechanicals | 3 to 6 weeks |
| Rough-in and inspections | Electrical, plumbing, HVAC, city inspections between stages | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Finishes and punch list | Cabinetry, flooring, trim, paint, fixtures, final walkthrough | 6 to 10 weeks |
Stack those phases for a true whole-home scope in Edina, Minnetonka or Eden Prairie and eight to fourteen months is the realistic range once you count design time, not just the weeks a crew is on site. Homeowners who only ask contractors about construction duration are often comparing a four-month construction estimate against our full timeline, which is not the same number.
Why does design and permitting take longer than construction?
Design and permitting take longer than construction because every decision made on paper is a decision that does not stop work later. Our Needs, Wants and Wishes® process front-loads the choices: cabinet style, counter material, layout, window placement, exterior match, all settled before demolition starts. A homeowner who skips that step and decides mid-project saves a few weeks of planning and usually loses more than that in change orders and waiting on backordered selections.
Permitting adds real, uncontrollable time on top of design. A kitchen remodel with no structural change in Plymouth might clear plan review in two to three weeks. A primary suite addition with a new foundation footprint in Minneapolis, where setback variances and historic review can apply, can take six to ten weeks before the city issues a permit at all. We build that variance into the schedule up front rather than treating it as a surprise.
What stretches a remodel timeline beyond the typical range?
Four things reliably add weeks to a Twin Cities whole-home remodel, and all four are avoidable with planning:
- Selections made after demolition. A cabinet order placed the week framing starts, instead of during design, can push the finish phase by a month on its own.
- Structural surprises in older homes. A 1920s or 1950s home in Minneapolis or St. Paul sometimes hides knob-and-tube wiring, undersized footings or asbestos-era materials behind a wall. We budget contingency time for this on pre-1960s homes; it is why a City Steward-style remodel of a historic home runs a few weeks longer than the same scope in a newer suburban build.
- Living in the home during construction. Phasing work room by room so a family can stay in place is common and reasonable, and it adds time compared with vacating the house, because some trades cannot run in parallel.
- Labor and material lead times. According to NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz, labor shortages are extending the time it takes remodelers to complete projects, a trend that has shown up in longer lead times on cabinetry, windows and specialty fixtures across the remodeling industry, not just at New Spaces.
Does a design-build process actually shorten the timeline?
Yes, because design and construction overlap instead of running in sequence. In a traditional architect-then-bid model, a homeowner finishes design, then goes out to separate contractors for pricing, then waits for that pricing to come back before signing a construction contract. That sequence alone can add four to eight weeks that a design-build firm removes by pricing and building under one roof.
Our fixed-price commitment plays into the schedule the same way. Because the design fee is refunded if a vetted contractor cannot deliver the agreed budget, the design team is motivated to settle real, buildable selections during design rather than leaving decisions open that later cause re-pricing and schedule slips.
How does New Spaces keep a whole-home remodel on schedule?
We have run this process on more than 700 projects across the Twin Cities metro over more than 40 years, several of which are documented start to finish in our project gallery, and the pattern holds: the projects that finish on schedule are the ones where every selection was locked before the first wall came down. A minimum of three design options during the design phase is not a sales step, it is what lets a homeowner compare real tradeoffs early instead of redesigning mid-build. In-house design and build means the same team that drew the plans is accountable for building to them, so there is no handoff where a schedule quietly resets.
If you are planning a whole-home remodel in Burnsville, Lakeville, Edina, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka or anywhere in the south metro, the fastest way to get a realistic timeline for your specific home is a Needs, Wants and Wishes® discovery session, not a guess based on square footage. Two houses the same size can be months apart depending on structure, city and how many decisions are settled going in.
Frequently asked questions about remodel timelines
How long does a kitchen-only remodel take compared to a whole-home project?
A kitchen remodel alone typically runs three to five months from design through completion, compared with eight to fourteen months for a full whole-home remodel. The design and permitting phases shrink along with the scope, but they do not disappear even on a single-room project.
Can I speed up my remodel timeline by paying more?
Rushing construction labor rarely shortens a Twin Cities remodel meaningfully, because permitting and material lead times are largely fixed regardless of budget. The real lever is finishing design decisions earlier, which is why our process puts selections before the demolition date rather than during it.
Will my timeline change if I decide to add a home addition mid-project?
Yes, and significantly. Adding a structural scope after permits are already filed usually means resubmitting to the city for plan review, which can add four to ten weeks depending on the municipality. Any addition under consideration should be part of the original design conversation, even if it ends up phased for later.
What is the first step to get an accurate timeline for my home?
Start with a walkthrough and a Needs, Wants and Wishes® discovery session so we can see your home’s actual structure, age and scope before giving a schedule. A timeline based on square footage alone is a guess; one based on your specific house, city and priorities is a plan. Contact New Spaces or call (952) 898-5300 to get started.
Sources: NAHB, Remodeling Market Sentiment Remains Stable in Third Quarter Despite Headwinds, October 2026.