Kitchen Remodeling in New Canaan, CT: Custom Cabinets, 10-Week Timeline

The Chens had lived with their 1980s kitchen for several years since buying the home. The cabinets were laminate construction with worn edges. The countertops were laminate over plywood. The layout functioned, but the kitchen felt disconnected from the open living area visible through the doorway, and the finishes didn't match the quality of the rest of the house.

They knew what they wanted: custom inset cabinets with a painted finish and a clean, well-considered design that would hold up in a New Canaan colonial. Inset doors are a more demanding cabinet type to build and install than overlay doors, and they require a manufacturer with the precision to deliver consistent tolerances. The 8-week lead time that comes with custom work was a factor the Chens needed to plan around, not a reason to settle for something off the shelf.

New Canaan's permitting process is among the more thorough in Fairfield County. We factored that into the schedule from the start so the permit was in hand before the cabinet order was placed.

The cabinet order went in during week one. While the cabinets were being built, the work that didn't depend on their arrival moved forward.

Weeks 1 through 8:

• Building and electrical permits pulled from the New Canaan Building Department
• Existing kitchen flooring demolished
• LVP flooring installed in adjacent rooms, running continuously through to the kitchen footprint to ensure a consistent floor level at cabinet installation
• Electrical rough-in for under-cabinet lighting circuits
• New dedicated circuits for appliances laid in advance
• Appliance delivery coordination confirmed for week 9

Week 9 and 10 (active kitchen build):

• Custom inset cabinet boxes and doors installed
• Quartz countertop template taken on day one of cabinet install, fabricated and returned within days
• Subway tile backsplash set and grouted
• Undermount sink, faucet, and garbage disposal installed
• Under-cabinet lighting connected and trimmed
• Appliances set and connected
• Final inspection, permit close-out

The Chens were kept current throughout the cabinet lead time so they always knew where things stood. When the cabinets arrived, the space was ready for them.