What does a renovation project timeline look like for a whole-home reno in New Brunswick?

A whole-home renovation in New Brunswick typically runs four to twelve months from contract signing to move-in, depending on scope — a cosmetic whole-home refresh might take four to six months, while a full gut renovation of a pre-1980 NB home with structural, mechanical, and envelope work can run ten to fourteen months. These timelines surprise homeowners who expect a renovation to move at the pace of a TV show.

The planning and pre-construction phase alone takes one to three months for most NB whole-home projects. This covers finalizing drawings and structural engineer reports if walls are coming out, applying for and receiving building permits (two to four weeks in most NB municipalities), ordering long-lead materials like custom cabinetry (eight to twelve weeks), and finalizing all material and fixture selections before demolition begins. Skipping this planning phase and starting demolition before decisions are finalized is the most reliable way to derail a whole-home renovation timeline.

Demolition and rough-in is typically the fastest phase but the most disruptive. A full gut of a 1,500 sq ft NB home takes one to two weeks for demolition. Rough-in plumbing, electrical, and HVAC work follows — this phase runs four to eight weeks and must be inspected by TSANB before the walls close. In older NB homes, discovering knob-and-tube wiring, undersized electrical panels, lead pipe sections, or asbestos-containing materials during demo adds one to four weeks to this phase while remediation is completed. Budget 20-25% contingency for a pre-1980 NB home specifically because of these discoveries.

Insulation, vapour barrier, and drywall follow the rough-in inspection. For a full home, this phase runs three to five weeks. NB's humidity swings make proper vapour barrier installation essential — the poly goes on the warm side of the insulation, and it needs to be done right the first time. Drywall taping and finishing (three coats with drying time between each) is slow, careful work that takes another two to three weeks before the space is truly ready for finishes.

Finishing work is the longest phase and the one most sensitive to material delivery delays. Installing hardwood flooring (which must acclimate to your NB home's humidity for at least five to seven days before installation), trim and moulding, kitchen cabinets, countertops, tile, plumbing fixtures, electrical fixtures, and paint typically runs six to ten weeks for a whole home. This is also the phase where subcontractor scheduling becomes critical — the plumber who sets fixtures needs to come after the tile setter, who needs to come after the flooring installer, who needs the painted walls to be done first. A good general contractor manages this sequencing; a poorly managed site can add weeks to this phase through scheduling gaps.

NB's seasons shape the timeline in practical ways. If your whole-home renovation includes any exterior component — new windows, siding replacement, addition — those elements need to happen during the May-to-October window. A renovation that starts in September with exterior components will either need to compress the exterior work into fall or plan to hold it over to the following spring, which can delay interior finishes if weather gets into the house.

A realistic whole-home renovation timeline for a 1,500 sq ft pre-1980 NB home with kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, windows, insulation upgrade, and electrical panel replacement:

• Pre-construction (permits, plans, material orders): 8-12 weeks
• Demolition and hazardous materials removal: 2-4 weeks
• Rough-in (electrical, plumbing, HVAC): 4-8 weeks
• Insulation, vapour barrier, drywall: 4-6 weeks
• Finishing (flooring, cabinetry, tile, fixtures, paint): 6-10 weeks
• Punchlist and final inspection: 1-2 weeks

Total: 25-42 weeks, with the midpoint around eight months being most common for comprehensive whole-home renovations in NB. Build this timeline into your temporary accommodation planning from the start.

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Looking for experienced contractors? The New Brunswick Construction Network connects homeowners with qualified professionals:

• Gionetterenovations
• Thirty Four Renovations

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