Niche substance · lead times
The register we keep, so nothing waits on a delivery
Weeks are from order release to delivery for the Seattle market, and they are sample figures that move. The order-by column is the part that matters: it names the milestone by which an item has to be on order.
Lead times by category
Twenty-two lines, grouped the way we buy them. The risk column is how likely that item is to become the critical path on a whole-home job.
| Category | Item | Weeks | Order by | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinetry | Stock cabinetryAvailable in fixed sizes. Filler strips do the fitting. | 3 to 5 | At permit issue | Low |
| Cabinetry | Semi-custom cabinetrySizes to the inch, limited door and finish range. | 8 to 12 | At permit issue | Medium |
| Cabinetry | Full custom millworkThe single most common cause of a delayed finish date. Shop drawings must be approved against framed dimensions. | 14 to 22 | Before permit submission | High |
| Windows and doors | Stock vinyl windowsFine for secondary elevations and basements. | 4 to 6 | Before framing starts | Low |
| Windows and doors | Clad wood windowsFraming cannot be closed until these are in and installed. | 10 to 16 | At permit issue | High |
| Windows and doors | Exterior doors, customRough opening depends on the actual unit, so the order drives the framing. | 12 to 20 | Before permit submission | High |
| Windows and doors | Interior doors, stock | 2 to 4 | Before drywall | Low |
| Appliances | Mainstream appliance packageSpecs are needed early even if delivery is late, because cabinetry is built to them. | 2 to 6 | Before cabinet fabrication | Low |
| Appliances | Panel-ready and professional appliancesPanel dimensions and hinge requirements change the cabinet order. | 10 to 26 | Before cabinet fabrication | High |
| Stone | Slab selection at the yardSlabs are tagged and held. Hold fees apply after 30 days at most yards. | 1 to 2 | During rough-in | Low |
| Stone | Fabrication after templatingNever templated from drawings. The clock starts when the cabinets are level. | 2 to 3 | Template after cabinets are set | Medium |
| Tile | Stocked domestic tile | 1 to 2 | Before waterproofing | Low |
| Tile | Imported or made-to-order tileDye lots matter. Order the whole quantity plus waste in one go. | 8 to 14 | At permit issue | High |
| Flooring | Stocked engineered hardwoodAdd acclimation time in the conditioned house on top of the lead time. | 2 to 4 | Four weeks before install, for acclimation | Low |
| Flooring | Custom milled or wide-plank flooring | 8 to 12 | During rough-in | Medium |
| Plumbing | Standard fittings and fixturesValve bodies are needed at rough-in even though trim goes on at the end. | 2 to 4 | Before rough-in | Low |
| Plumbing | Specialty finishes, unlacquered brassBack-ordered finishes are common. Confirm the valve body ships separately. | 8 to 16 | Before rough-in | High |
| Mechanical | Heat pump and air handlerEquipment must be on site for the rough inspection in most jurisdictions. | 4 to 10 | Before rough mechanical | Medium |
| Electrical | Panel, meter base and utility coordinationThe utility's schedule, not ours. A service upgrade can hold a whole project. | 6 to 16 | At permit issue | High |
| Structural | LVL and PSL beams | 1 to 3 | Two weeks before the shoring goes up | Low |
| Structural | Fabricated structural steelShop drawings and a fabrication slot. Confirm access into the room before ordering. | 4 to 8 | At permit issue | Medium |
| Lighting | Decorative and imported lightingJunction box locations and mounting hardware depend on the fixture. | 10 to 16 | Before drywall | Medium |
CabinetryWindows and doorsAppliancesStoneTileFlooringPlumbingMechanicalElectricalStructuralLighting
When the budget will not carry everything
Phasing a multi-room renovation across a budget
Phasing works when the order is right. Everything behind the walls comes first, because it cannot be added later without opening finished surfaces. Rough-in for later phases is stubbed during phase one.
Phase one · 45 to 55 percent of the total
Everything behind the walls
Structure, roof, windows, electrical service, mechanical and plumbing distribution. None of it shows, all of it is impossible to add later without opening finished walls.
- Beams and footings
- Roof and envelope repairs
- Panel and service
- Heat pump and ducting
- Rough plumbing and drainage
- Insulation and air sealing
Phase two · 30 to 35 percent
The rooms you live in daily
Main-floor finishes, the primary bathroom, flooring across the level and the room where the household actually gathers.
- Main-floor flooring
- Kitchen and main living finishes
- Primary bathroom
- Interior doors and trim
- Paint on the main level
Phase three · 15 to 25 percent
The rooms that can wait
Basement fit-out, secondary bathrooms, the deck and landscaping. All of it can be built later without disturbing phase one or two, as long as the rough-in was stubbed for it.
- Basement finishing
- Secondary bathrooms
- Deck and outdoor living
- Built-ins and joinery
- Landscape and drainage
Percentages are sample allocations for a whole-home renovation and will differ on your house. The sequence will not.
Long-lead items go on order the week the permit is issued, not the week demolition starts. Cabinetry, clad wood windows and anything involving the utility are the three that most often decide the finish date.
We hold a submittal and lead-time register per project. If a date moves, you hear it from us within a day, with the knock-on effect on the schedule named rather than absorbed quietly.
For decorative lighting and some plumbing fittings, yes. We cannot warrant owner-supplied items, and a late delivery of one is an owner-caused delay under the contract.
Because it is not templated until the cabinets are set, shimmed and level, and fabrication then needs a slot in the shop. Two to three weeks after template is normal and is scheduled, not hoped for.
Sometimes, in storage or a deposit. It costs far less than a crew standing down for three weeks waiting for windows.
Next step
Start with a walk-through, not a price
Ninety minutes in your house. We look at the crawlspace, the attic and the panel before we look at the kitchen, and you leave with a budget band you can plan around.