If you are remodeling your kitchen and replacing floors at the same time, do the kitchen remodel first and save flooring for last. Every step in a kitchen remodel depends on the one before it — countertops cannot be templated until cabinets are in, backsplash cannot go in until countertops are set, and new floors should never go down while heavy materials and contractors are still moving through the space. Getting the sequence right protects your investment at every stage. We find Central Texas homeowners avoid the most costly mistakes when they plan the full sequence before demo ever starts.
Quick Facts:
- Timeline: Most major kitchen remodels take 10 to 17 weeks from demolition to final inspection
- Biggest delay: Custom cabinet lead times and permit scheduling are the most common holdups in Austin-area projects
- Floors go last: NWFA installation guidelines recommend wood flooring be one of the last jobs completed on any construction project
- Cabinets before floors: Cabinet installation requires drilling, shimming, and heavy lifting — all of which can damage a finished floor
Top 8 Steps in Order:
- Planning and design — Finalize layout, select materials, confirm budget before anything is demo’d; choose countertops and tile now
- Demolition — Old cabinets, countertops, backsplash, and existing flooring all come out
- Rough-in work — Electrical, plumbing, and structural changes happen before walls close up
- Drywall and paint — Walls and ceilings finished and primed before cabinetry goes in
- Cabinet installation — Must be level and plumb; countertop measurements depend on it
- Countertop templating and installation — Fabricators template after cabinets are set; typically two to three weeks out
- Backsplash installation — Goes in after countertops, non-negotiable on sequence
- Flooring last — Hardwood, LVP, or tile goes in after all the messy, heavy work is done
Ready to Plan Your Remodel? Contact Soleil Floors for honest advice — or come talk through your project at our Round Rock showroom.
If you are thinking about remodeling your kitchen and also replacing your floors, do the kitchen remodel first and save the floors for last. By doing it in this order, you avoid the risk of anything happening to your brand-new floors while cabinets are being installed, countertops are being templated, and contractors are moving heavy materials through the space.
Table of Contents
Why Does the Sequence Actually Matter?
Every step of a kitchen remodel depends on the one before it. Countertops cannot be templated until cabinets are installed and leveled. Backsplashes cannot go in until countertops are set. And flooring should not go down until the messy, heavy work is done. When things happen out of order, you end up with damage to new finishes, delays waiting on trades, and costs that were completely avoidable.
The NKBA planning guidelines emphasize proper sequencing as one of the most critical factors in a successful kitchen project. Getting the order right is not about being overly rigid. It is about protecting your investment at every stage.
What Is the Right Order for a Kitchen Remodel?
While every project is a little different depending on scope, here is the general sequence that works for most kitchen remodels in the Austin and Round Rock area:
Planning and design come first. This is where you finalize your layout, select materials, and confirm your budget. Rushing past this step is one of the most common remodel regrets. Take the time to choose your countertops, tile, and cabinets before any demo work begins.
Demolition is next. Old cabinets, countertops, backsplash, and existing flooring all come out. This is the messiest phase, and it is exactly why new flooring should never be installed before this point.
Rough-in work follows demolition. This includes any electrical, plumbing, or structural changes. Moving an outlet, adding under-cabinet lighting, or relocating a sink all happen now. The International Residential Code requires inspections on electrical and plumbing rough-ins before walls can be closed up, so this step also involves scheduling with your local permitting office.
Drywall, taping, and painting happen once rough-in passes inspection. Walls and ceilings get finished and primed before any cabinetry goes in.
Cabinet installation is the first major visible step. Everything needs to be perfectly level and secured because your countertop measurements depend entirely on how the cabinets sit.
Countertop templating and installation comes after cabinets. For stone or quartz countertops, fabricators will come out to template the exact dimensions once cabinets are in place. Fabrication and installation typically take two to three weeks from that point. Once your countertops are installed, they are ready for everyday use with minimal ongoing care.
Backsplash installation follows countertops. The backsplash sits on top of the counter surface, so this order is non-negotiable.
Flooring goes in last. This protects your new floors from all the construction activity that happened in the steps above. The NWFA installation guidelines specifically state that wood flooring should be one of the last jobs completed on any construction project. That recommendation applies whether you are installing hardwood, luxury vinyl, or tile.
Appliances, fixtures, and final details wrap things up. Hardware, trim, light fixtures, and the final cleaning all happen at the end.
Should I Replace Floors or Cabinets First?
Cabinets first. This is one of the questions we hear most often, and the answer is pretty straightforward. Installing cabinets involves drilling into walls, shimming, and adjusting heavy boxes into place. All of that creates opportunities to scratch, dent, or gouge a new floor. On top of that, cabinet installers need a clean, stable subfloor to work from, not a finished surface they are trying to protect.
Some homeowners wonder whether flooring should run under the cabinets. In most cases, it does not need to. Installing your flooring up to the cabinet toe kicks and covering the transition with trim is standard practice and saves material.
How Long Does the Whole Process Take?
It depends on the scope, but the Houzz 2024 Kitchen Trends Study reports that most major kitchen remodels take 10 to 17 weeks from demolition to final inspection. Smaller projects with stock cabinets and simple layouts can move faster. Custom cabinets, specialty stone, and layout changes push toward the longer end of that range.
The biggest delays we see in Central Texas tend to come from custom cabinet lead times and permit scheduling. Both of those are worth factoring into your timeline before you commit to a start date.
What Is the Most Expensive Mistake to Avoid?
Installing finishes too early. This applies to flooring, countertops, and even paint. If your new hardwood goes in before cabinet installation and a heavy base cabinet gets dropped during install, that is a repair or replacement on a floor that was only days old. If countertops go in before cabinets are leveled, the template will be off and the fabricated stone will not fit correctly.
The other costly mistake is skipping the planning phase entirely. Homeowners who start demo without finalizing their design end up making expensive changes mid-project when materials have already been ordered.
How Do I Know When Each Phase Is Done?
A good contractor will walk you through each transition point. The key checkpoints to watch for are: rough-in inspections passing, cabinets installed level and plumb, countertop template completed with your sign-off on edge profiles and seam locations, and flooring acclimated to your home’s conditions before installation begins.
If you are planning a kitchen remodel and want to make sure every step happens in the right order, come talk to us at our Round Rock showroom. We can help you coordinate materials, timelines, and installation so nothing gets damaged and nothing gets missed.