How long a renovation takes in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia

The four stages of a renovation schedule

In our view, it helps to think of a renovation in four stages: planning and design, permit review, construction, and inspections and closeout. Local permit offices publish review times for the second stage, and some cost guides publish typical durations for the first and third. The rest depends on decisions made along the way.

The figures below come from the sources named, with their dates where the source gives one. They are published targets and typical ranges, not promises, and they are not Hawthorne Mason's schedules. We do not perform construction work or set contractors' schedules.

Planning and design

Block Renovation's bathroom remodel timeline (published May 16, 2024) suggests allowing at least one week for planning and about 2 to 6 weeks for design, and puts the pre-construction phase that follows, which covers permits, hiring a contractor, and gathering materials, at 5 to 12 weeks on average. Fixr's kitchen remodel timeline (published Jan 13, 2025) says planning may take just a few days if an interior designer is only advising on materials and colors, and up to three weeks if a structural engineer and a custom cabinet maker are involved.

In our view, this is the stage where time is cheapest to spend. A scope that is settled before bids go out lets contractors price the same job, and it reduces changes once work has started.

Permit review times published by local offices

Each fast track has limits. Montgomery County's Fast Track eligibility list (dated Aug 25, 2023) covers kitchen and bathroom remodels, basements without a kitchen, and other alterations of up to 400 square feet that do not involve a load-bearing wall, as well as single-level decks. It excludes properties on a private well or septic system, and projects with a complex or structural design go to regular review. Fairfax County's Fast Track announcement lists projects that may be eligible, including one-story additions of 500 square feet or less, decks, finished basements, and minor interior changes, for plans that are construction-ready and not overly complex. Arlington's express review requires, among other things, a work area under 750 square feet on one story, and the county may move an express review to route-through if the work is too complex.

These are review times, not the full time to a permit. DC's service level agreement notes that reviews by other agencies may take additional time. Arlington and Loudoun both say their review clock starts after the application is processed and fees are paid, and Loudoun's residential permits dashboard adds 2 to 5 business days of intake for county-typical decks and basements and residential trade permits, and up to 10 business days for other residential permits. In our view, plans that come back with review comments add another round, so complete drawings save more time than any fast track.

Our permit guides for DC, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Fairfax County, Arlington County, and Loudoun County explain what needs a permit in each place. Our service areas page links to every permit office we cover.

Historic review

In DC historic districts, preservation review is part of the building permit process. According to the DC Historic Preservation Office's review process overview, minor and routine work typically gets a response or approval within 1 to 3 days, and work that needs staff review typically within 5 days. Larger projects, such as new buildings or substantial rear additions, go to the Historic Preservation Review Board, which typically meets on the fourth Thursday of each month and typically reviews such cases within 30 to 60 days of filing.

Historic review works differently in each jurisdiction. Our guides cover DC historic districts, Montgomery County's Historic Area Work Permit, Howard County's Ellicott City and Lawyers Hill districts, and Alexandria's Board of Architectural Review.

Construction time for kitchens and bathrooms

Block Renovation does not give a single total for bathroom construction. Added end to end, its phases come to roughly 7 to 13 weeks; that sum is our arithmetic, not Block's figure. Both guides are national rather than specific to the DC area.

Materials can set the schedule. Fixr gives cabinet lead times of 1 to 2 weeks for stock cabinets, 4 to 8 weeks for semi-custom, and 3 to 6 months or more for fully custom. We did not find a published, dated construction timeline for home additions in this area that we would cite, so for an addition we would rely on each contractor's written schedule.

What tends to stretch a schedule

• Long-lead items ordered late. In our view, cabinets, windows, and specialty fixtures are worth selecting and ordering early enough that they arrive before the crew needs them.
• Plans that need revisions. A permit application that comes back with comments goes through another review.
• Historic review for exterior work, especially when a project goes to a board rather than staff.
• Conditions found behind walls. In our view, older houses can reveal wiring, plumbing, or framing that needs attention once demolition starts.
• Changes after work starts. In our view, a mid-project change usually costs time as well as money, because it can mean new drawings, new orders, or a permit revision.

Building a realistic schedule

• Settle the scope before you ask for bids, so every contractor schedules the same job.
• Ask each contractor for a written schedule that shows permit time, material lead times, and inspections, not just construction weeks.
• Ask who will file the permit and which review track the project is likely to use.
• Check each contractor's license before you sign, using our contractor checklist.

Hawthorne Mason can help with this step. We talk through your goals, scope, and budget, help you compare proposals and schedules, introduce a contractor from our network, such as GridStone, our licensed construction partner, and keep you informed once the work starts. The contractor schedules and performs the work, and you contract with them directly. Start a project to talk it through.