Most kitchen remodel mistakes don’t happen with a hammer in hand. They happen weeks earlier, in the planning phase, when decisions get made in the wrong order or materials get specified before the scope is locked. A kitchen remodel has a correct sequence. Deviate from it and you’re paying to undo completed work — countertops templated before cabinets are set, flooring installed before rough-in is done, tile ordered without accounting for the actual field dimensions after cabinets land.
This is the sequence. Every phase, in order, with the reasoning behind it.
Phase 1 — Dream: Define the Scope Before Anything Else
Before a single measurement is taken or a contractor is called, you need to answer one question with honest specificity: what problem are you actually solving?
“I want a new kitchen” is not a scope. “I want to open the wall between the kitchen and dining room, replace the cabinets, and add an island with seating” is a scope. The difference determines whether you’re looking at a $12,000 project or a $65,000 one, whether you need permits, whether you need a structural engineer, and whether the project is even feasible given your home’s layout.
Common scope categories in Colorado Springs homes:
Cosmetic only: Same layout, same cabinet boxes, same plumbing and electrical locations. Paint, hardware, countertops, backsplash, lighting fixtures. No permits required. Fast timeline.
Cabinet replacement: New cabinets in the same footprint. May involve updating lighting to match new upper cabinet heights. No permit required unless electrical circuits are modified.
Layout change: Moving the sink, adding an island with plumbing, opening a wall. Permits required. Licensed plumber and electrician required for their respective scopes. Timeline extends significantly.
Full renovation: New everything, potentially including structural changes. Full PPRBD permit process. Budget accordingly.
Pin the scope down in writing before moving to Phase 2. Scope creep mid-project is the most reliable way to double your budget.
Phase 2 — Design: Measure Everything Twice
Once the scope is defined, design work begins — and in a kitchen, design is almost entirely about dimensions.
Kitchen design is constrained by the work triangle (sink, refrigerator, range), clearance requirements (minimum 42 inches between facing cabinet runs for one cook, 48 inches for two), and the relationship between upper cabinet height and ceiling height. These constraints are not suggestions. Violating them produces a kitchen that’s either code non-compliant or functionally awkward to use every day.
What gets measured and documented:
- Overall room dimensions, floor to ceiling
- Window and door locations with rough opening sizes
- Existing plumbing stub locations (sink supply and drain)
- Existing electrical panel location and circuit map
- Soffit dimensions if present (soffits above upper cabinets are common in Colorado Springs homes built in the 1980s and 1990s and significantly affect cabinet height choices)
- Appliance dimensions for any appliances being kept
If you’re doing cabinet replacement, the cabinet manufacturer or supplier will want a detailed dimensioned drawing. Most cabinet suppliers offer design services — use them, because cabinet layout errors are expensive to correct after production.
Colorado Springs-specific design note: Many homes here have soffits above the upper cabinet line, built when 7-foot upper cabinets were standard. If you’re going to full-height cabinets (to the ceiling or with crown molding), the soffit needs to come down during demo. Plan for this — it affects drywall scope and possibly recessed lighting placement.
Phase 3 — Budget: Lock Numbers Before You Order Anything
Design and budget inform each other. Most homeowners underestimate by 20–30% on first pass because they price the visible components (cabinets, countertops, appliances) and forget the invisible ones (demo labor, drywall repair, electrical rough-in, plumbing rough-in, permits, hardware, sink, faucet, lighting).
A complete budget includes:
Materials: Cabinets, countertops, backsplash tile, flooring, appliances, sink, faucet, hardware, lighting fixtures, paint.
Labor: Demo, rough-in trades (plumber, electrician if needed), drywall, cabinet installation, countertop installation, tile work, flooring, painting, finish carpentry.
Permits and fees: PPRBD permit fees vary by project valuation. Budget $300–$800 for a mid-range permitted project.
Contingency: 15% minimum. In an older Colorado Springs home — anything built before 1985 — budget 20%. Hidden conditions (knob-and-tube wiring behind walls, galvanized plumbing, asbestos in floor tile or drywall compound) are not rare and are not included in any estimate until they’re found.
The budget conversation also determines the material tier. Knowing you have $25,000 total for a cabinet replacement and countertop project tells you whether you’re in semi-custom cabinet territory or stock cabinet territory, whether quartz or laminate makes sense, and whether LVP or tile is realistic for the floor.
Phase 4 — Material Selection and Lead Times
This phase runs concurrently with design but must be completed before demo begins. The sequence rule is absolute: do not start demo until all materials with significant lead times are ordered and confirmed.
Lead times that catch homeowners off guard:
Semi-custom cabinets: 4–8 weeks from order to delivery. This is the most common project-stopper. A kitchen sits demolished and unusable for weeks because cabinets weren’t ordered early enough.
Custom countertops (quartz, granite): 2–3 weeks after templating. Templating happens after cabinets are installed. You can’t template before cabinets are set — the actual installed position determines the template dimensions.
Specialty tile: Imported backsplash tile can run 4–6 weeks. Domestic tile is typically in stock or 1–2 weeks.
Appliances: Standard in-stock appliances are typically available in 1–2 weeks. Specialty or panel-ready appliances can run 6–12 weeks. If you’re doing a full renovation with a specific range or refrigerator in mind, order early.
Fixtures and hardware: Usually in stock or 1–2 weeks. Not a timeline risk.
The practical order: order cabinets first (longest lead time), confirm appliance availability, select tile and order if lead time warrants it, select countertop material and edge profile (fabrication can’t start until after templating, but knowing your material locks the fabricator).
Phase 5 — Permits
If your project requires a PPRBD permit — any layout change, plumbing move, electrical circuit addition, or structural modification — apply before scheduling demo.
Permit processing in El Paso County runs 1–2 weeks for standard residential kitchen projects. You cannot legally start the work requiring a permit until the permit is issued and posted. Demo of non-structural elements (cabinets, countertops, flooring) can typically begin without a permit, but rough-in work cannot.
What requires a permit in a Colorado Springs kitchen remodel:
- Moving or adding plumbing (sink relocation, island sink, pot filler)
- Adding or modifying electrical circuits or outlet locations
- Removing or modifying load-bearing walls
- Adding a range hood with a new exterior penetration (in some cases)
What does not require a permit:
- Cabinet replacement in the same footprint
- Countertop replacement
- Flooring replacement
- Painting
- Backsplash installation
- Lighting fixture replacement on the same circuit
If you’re unsure, ask PPRBD directly or ask your contractor. Proceeding without a required permit creates problems at resale and can result in required demolition of completed work.
Phase 6 — Demo
Demo is the most satisfying phase and the one with the most potential for surprises. Approach it methodically.
What comes out first: Appliances (disconnect gas before pulling the range), then upper cabinets, then base cabinets, then countertops. Flooring comes out after cabinets if flooring is being replaced — pulling flooring before cabinets creates a trip hazard and makes cabinet removal harder.
What to look for during demo:
- Plumbing condition behind the cabinet under the sink — galvanized pipe with corrosion is common in homes built before 1980 and should be replaced while the wall is open
- Electrical condition in the walls — aluminum wiring, ungrounded outlets, and junction boxes buried in walls are all found during kitchen demos
- Subfloor condition — water damage around the dishwasher location and under the sink is common and needs to be addressed before new flooring goes down
- Soffit structure — some soffits are structural (rare but it happens), most are drywall over framing that can come down
In Colorado Springs specifically: asbestos-containing materials were used in floor tile, drywall joint compound, and some ceiling textures in homes built before 1978. If your home predates 1978 and you’re removing flooring or disturbing drywall, testing before demo is the responsible call.
Phase 7 — Rough-In: Plumbing, Electrical, HVAC
This is the phase that has to happen before any walls close up. Any plumber, electrician, or HVAC work that touches the inside of walls or ceiling goes here — after demo, before drywall.
Plumbing rough-in: New supply lines and drain rough-in for relocated sink, island plumbing, or pot filler. This is also when to replace any compromised supply lines or outdated valves found during demo.
Electrical rough-in: New circuits for added outlets (GFCI required within 6 feet of the sink per code), dedicated circuit for the dishwasher, dedicated circuit for the refrigerator, dedicated circuit for a new range or range hood if required. New recessed lighting rough-in if the ceiling layout is changing.
HVAC: If the layout change affects supply or return air locations, this is when ductwork gets modified. Also when to add a makeup air solution if a high-CFM range hood is being installed — Colorado Springs homes are relatively tight and a powerful hood without makeup air creates negative pressure issues.
After rough-in is complete and before walls close: rough-in inspection. The inspector needs to see the work inside the walls before drywall goes up. Schedule this immediately — delays here idle the whole project.
Phase 8 — Drywall, Flooring Prep, and Subfloor
With inspections passed, walls close up. Drywall over any opened walls or ceilings, tape, mud, and texture to match the surrounding surface. In Colorado Springs homes, the most common textures are orange peel and skip trowel — matching these requires technique and the right equipment, not just a drywall knife.
Flooring sequence decision: This is where the floor goes in — or doesn’t, depending on the cabinet strategy.
If base cabinets will sit directly on the subfloor (standard construction): flooring installs after cabinets. The flooring runs up to the cabinet bases, and a toe kick covers the gap. This is the most common sequence.
If you want continuous flooring running under the cabinets (LVP or tile that extends uninterrupted under the base cabinet footprint): flooring installs before cabinets. This is less common but worth doing if there’s any possibility of a future layout change — the floor won’t have a visible line where the cabinets were.
Subfloor repairs from demo discoveries (rotted subfloor under the dishwasher, for example) happen here before any finish flooring goes down.
Phase 9 — Cabinet Installation
Cabinets are the skeleton of the kitchen. Everything that follows — countertops, appliances, backsplash — is positioned relative to the cabinets. Getting them level, plumb, and correctly positioned is the most consequential installation in the project.
Upper cabinets first. Install uppers before lowers — you’re not working over base cabinets and countertops, and you have full access to the wall. A ledger board temporarily screwed to the wall at the bottom of the upper cabinet line holds them in position while they’re fastened.
Shimming: Colorado Springs homes on concrete slab have floors that vary. Level is not guaranteed from one end of the kitchen to the other. Base cabinets get shimmed to level before fastening — the countertop fabricator will template to the actual installed cabinet position, but the cabinets themselves must be level for the countertop to lay correctly.
Scribing: Where cabinets meet a wall that isn’t perfectly plumb (common in older construction), the cabinet stile gets scribed — cut to match the wall contour — rather than leaving a gap.
Filler strips: Gaps between cabinet runs and walls, or between two cabinet sections, get filled with custom-cut filler strips painted to match. These are not an afterthought — they’re part of the cabinet order or cut on site and finish the installation cleanly.
Hardware: Do not install hardware yet. Cabinet doors and drawer fronts get adjusted after the countertop is in place — pulls and knobs go on at the end.
Phase 10 — Countertop Templating and Fabrication
After cabinets are fully installed and shimmed level, call the countertop fabricator for templating. Not before.
The fabricator brings a template tool (a physical jig or digital measuring system) and captures the exact shape of the installed cabinet tops — every corner, every angle, every notch for the sink and cooktop. This template goes to the shop and the countertop is cut to those precise dimensions.
Fabrication runs 10–14 days for most quartz and granite jobs in Colorado Springs. During this window, other work continues: backsplash prep, painting, toe kicks, trim.
Countertop installation takes a half day to a full day. After installation, the sink gets dropped in (undermount sinks are attached before the countertop is set; drop-in sinks go in after). The plumber then comes back for final connection — supply lines, drain, garbage disposal if applicable.
Colorado-specific note: Quartz is the dominant countertop choice in Colorado Springs right now for good reason. It doesn’t require sealing, handles the dry climate without the checking that some natural stones develop, and the range of colors and edge profiles is extensive. Granite requires annual sealing but remains a strong choice for homeowners who want natural stone variation.
Phase 11 — Appliances
Appliances install after countertops for one reason: the countertop height determines the final position of the range and dishwasher. The range slides in and the anti-tip bracket fastens to the floor at the correct depth. The dishwasher mounts under the countertop with the mounting tabs.
Refrigerator: Roll in last — it’s the largest piece and the most easily damaged by other trades working around it. Confirm the water line for the ice maker is run and capped during rough-in.
Range: Gas connection is made by a licensed plumber or gas fitter. Do not DIY gas connections. Confirm the anti-tip bracket is installed — it’s a safety requirement and frequently skipped.
Dishwasher: Electrical connection to the dedicated circuit, water supply connection, drain connection to the sink drain air gap or garbage disposal. The door panel, if it’s a panel-ready unit, goes on after the dishwasher is in place.
Range hood: If it was rough-in during Phase 7, the hood mounts to the wall or ceiling, connects to the duct, and the electrical connection is made.
Phase 12 — Backsplash
Backsplash installs after countertops and appliances — not before. The countertop surface is the reference line for the bottom of the backsplash tile. Tiling before countertops are set means tiling to a line that may not match the actual countertop height.
The backsplash field runs from the countertop surface to the bottom of the upper cabinets. Outlets in the backsplash field get outlet extenders if the tile thickness pushes the device forward of the box — this is code-required and frequently overlooked.
Behind the range, the backsplash typically extends higher to the range hood or to the ceiling — this section often features a different tile or pattern for visual interest.
Grout sealing before the kitchen goes back into use is not optional. See the grout sealing guide for the full process. Colorado’s hard water makes unsealed grout a maintenance problem within months.
Phase 13 — Fixtures, Hardware, and Final Trim
This is the finish phase — everything that makes the kitchen look complete.
Faucet and sink: The faucet typically mounts through the sink before the sink is set. Final connection at the supply lines happens after the countertop is in. If you’re adding a separate soap dispenser or filtered water tap, the holes get drilled in the sink or countertop before fabrication.
Hardware: Cabinet pulls and knobs go on now — after countertops are set and cabinet doors have been adjusted for level and gap consistency. Use a hardware template jig for consistent hole placement across all doors and drawers.
Lighting: Pendant lights over an island, under-cabinet lighting, and any decorative fixtures install now. Under-cabinet lighting is ideally wired during rough-in with a dedicated switch — retrofit plug-in options exist but the wired solution looks cleaner.
Toe kicks: The panel that covers the gap between the bottom of the base cabinets and the floor. Cut to fit, finished to match the cabinets, and snapped or glued into place.
Paint: Touch-up at minimum — walls inevitably get scuffed during cabinet and appliance installation. If the wall color is changing, this is the right time for a full coat.
Final caulk: A thin bead of paintable caulk where the upper cabinets meet the wall, where the countertop meets the wall (if no backsplash covers it), and at the base of the backsplash at the countertop. This seal matters in Colorado’s dry climate — the thermal movement at these joints will create visible gaps without it.
The Sequence in Summary
- Define scope
- Design and measure
- Budget and finalize materials
- Order long-lead items (cabinets first)
- Apply for permits if required
- Demo
- Rough-in (plumbing, electrical, HVAC)
- Rough-in inspections
- Drywall, subfloor repair, flooring prep
- Cabinet installation
- Countertop templating, fabrication, installation
- Appliances
- Backsplash
- Fixtures, hardware, final trim and paint
Every phase depends on what came before it. The discipline is in not rushing ahead — and in making sure that when the cabinets arrive, the permits are issued, the subfloor is ready, and the trades are scheduled. A well-sequenced kitchen remodel moves quickly once it starts. A poorly sequenced one stalls repeatedly.
For a free written estimate on your Colorado Springs kitchen remodel, call (719) 243-9718 or visit thecoloradohandyman.com.
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