Custom Kitchen Cabinet Timeline in NYC: Measure to Install, Week by Week
A realistic week-by-week timeline for custom kitchen cabinets in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, from the first measure through board approvals, fabrication, freight booking, and install day.
"When can the kitchen be done?" usually comes right after "how much will it cost?" In New York City the honest answer has two parts: the time it takes to build the cabinets, and the time it takes your building to let them in. This guide walks through a typical Green Cabinets NY kitchen in Brooklyn, Manhattan, or Queens, week by week, so you can plan demo, appliances, and move-out dates around real numbers instead of hopes.
Green Cabinets NY is a custom millwork business, home-based in Bushwick and working by appointment only across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. There is no walk-in shop or showroom; measures and sample visits happen in your home. For budget planning, read how much custom kitchen cabinets cost in NYC alongside this timeline.
The short answer
Once a design is signed, our cabinetry typically takes about 4–6 weeks to fabricate, followed by one or two days on site for most kitchens. Before that, plan on one to three weeks for measuring and design. Co-op and condo paperwork, freight elevator booking, and appliance deliveries can add calendar time on top, so a realistic window from first call to finished cabinets is often six to ten weeks, and longer in buildings with slow board reviews.
Week 0: First call and photos
Send us your neighborhood, building type (walk-up, elevator building, co-op, condo, or house), rough kitchen dimensions, and phone photos of the kitchen plus the stair or elevator. That lets us flag tight landings, radiators, and exposed risers before anyone visits. If the room has a bathroom or closet project too, mention it now so everything can share one measure and one delivery.
Weeks 1–2: Measure and design
We visit by appointment to measure walls, ceiling height, windows, plumbing, gas, and outlets, and to bring door and wood samples. Prewar plaster walls are rarely square, so we measure for scribe and fillers, not just straight runs. If you want cabinets to the ceiling, see bulkhead cabinets for prewar NYC apartments.
Design rounds lock the layout, door style, finish, and hardware. These choices drive both price and lead time, so decide them here: shaker vs slim shaker, wood species, plywood vs MDF boxes, and inserts like pull-out trash and recycling. Pick your appliance models now as well; cabinet openings are built to the spec sheets, and a changed fridge after sign-off is the most common cause of a delay.
Weeks 2–4: Building approvals (in parallel)
In co-ops and condos, the board or managing agent usually wants drawings, a scope, and a certificate of insurance before work starts. Some Manhattan co-ops require a full alteration agreement; condos have their own renovation rules. You or your general contractor own the submission; we support it with drawings, crew size, and COI when the agent asks.
The good news is that approvals can run while the cabinets are being built. Start the paperwork the same week you sign the design, not the week before install.
Weeks 3–8: Fabrication
After sign-off, the shop work begins: cutting boxes, building drawers, making doors and panels, finishing, and installing hardware. Painted finishes need cure time between coats, and wood veneers need careful matching across doors, so finish choice is the main variable inside the 4–6 week window. Custom pieces like a range hood surround, panel-ready appliance fronts, or a kitchen island are built alongside the main runs.
This is when the rest of the kitchen should get ready: demo, any plumbing or electrical rough-in, wall patching, and flooring if it goes under the cabinets. Cabinets install best into a room that is finished up to the cabinet line.
Two to three weeks before install: Freight and logistics
Elevator buildings often book freight elevators weeks ahead and limit work to weekday daytime hours. Reserve the freight slot as soon as you have an install week, and confirm hallway protection and any deposit with the super. Walk-ups need modules sized to make the turn at the landing. Our guide to freight elevator cabinet delivery in NYC covers what to ask.
If you are living in the apartment during the work, plan a temporary kitchen and a clear path from the door; see occupied-unit kitchen install logistics.
Install week
Most kitchens install in one or two days: base cabinets set level on uneven floors, wall cabinets and tall units fastened to studs or blocking, scribing to walls, then doors, drawers, and panels adjusted. Countertop templating usually follows once bases are set, and stone fabrication adds its own lead time after that, so ask your countertop shop for their number early. Final hardware adjustments happen after the tops are in.
What slows an NYC kitchen down
- Appliance changes after the design is signed
- Board paperwork started late, or a COI with the wrong additional insureds
- No freight reservation, or an elevator out of service on install day
- Walls or floors not ready, or open plumbing and electrical work
- Late finish or hardware changes once fabrication has begun
Each of these is avoidable with an early decision. The full process is also outlined in how custom kitchen cabinet installation works in NYC.
FAQ
How long do custom kitchen cabinets take in NYC?
For Green Cabinets NY, fabrication typically takes about 4–6 weeks after the design is signed, with one or two days of installation on site. Measuring, design, and building approvals add time before that.
Can co-op board approval happen while the cabinets are being built?
Usually yes. Submitting drawings and a certificate of insurance right after design sign-off lets the review run in parallel with fabrication.
Do you work weekends?
Many NYC buildings limit renovation work to weekday daytime hours, so most installs are scheduled Monday through Friday within the building's rules.
Is the timeline different for a bathroom vanity?
A single vanity is a smaller build and usually moves faster than a full kitchen. You can sketch sizes in our vanity designer to start the conversation.
About Green Cabinets NY
Green Cabinets NY designs, builds, and installs custom kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, closets, and built-ins for homes and light commercial spaces in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. We have been building NYC millwork since 2009. We are home-based in Bushwick and work by appointment only; there is no walk-in storefront. See our borough pages for Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, our case studies, about us, and more guides on the blog. Instagram: @green_cabinets_.
Get a quote and a timeline
Email orders@greencabinetsny.com or call (718) 804-5488 with your neighborhood, building type, photos of the kitchen and the stair or elevator, your appliance list, and your target move-in or completion date. We will map measure day, fabrication, and install week before anything is cut.