Why Remodeling Projects Take Longer Than Expected — And What You Can Do About It
- May 1
- 3 min read
Updated: May 3
If you've heard that remodeling projects can run longer than planned, you're not wrong — but it's usually not for the reasons most people assume
Most delays don't come from crews moving slow or contractors dropping the ball. They come from a handful of very specific things that happen during the course of a project. Understanding them ahead of time can make a real difference in how smoothly yours goes.
Change Orders
This is the biggest one. As a project starts to take shape, a lot of homeowners realize they want to adjust something — change a layout, move an electrical outlet, upgrade a finish. That's completely understandable. The challenge is timing. If the subcontractor has already moved on from that phase of the project, we have to wait for their schedule to open back up before that change can fit in. Depending on how busy they are, that alone can add a week or more to your timeline.
The fix: lock in as many decisions as possible before construction starts. The more you've finalized up front, the less exposure you have to this kind of delay.
Trade Coordination
We work with electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and other specialty trades on every project. We always schedule ahead, but availability can shift — on their end or ours. When one trade moves even slightly, it creates a domino effect. Schedules get misaligned, and now a phase that was supposed to start Tuesday is starting the following week.
Some trades are rock solid on scheduling. Others have a lot going on. That's just the reality of working in a busy construction market, and it's something we account for in planning — but it's not always fully preventable.
Material Delays
Even when everything is ordered on time, materials can get backordered or delayed in shipping. Something expected in a few days can suddenly take one to two weeks, which pushes everything behind it back as well. Tile, fixtures, flooring, specialty hardware — any of it can stall a project if it doesn't arrive when expected.
The best protection against this is selecting your materials early — before demolition starts if possible — so there's lead time built in before you actually need them on site.
Non-Finalized Selections
We work to get all major selections handled early in the process, but smaller decisions can still come up mid-project. If a choice isn't made when we need it — a tile color, a fixture style, a door hardware finish — things can slow down while we wait. It's not always dramatic, but it adds up.
What Actually Keeps a Project on Schedule
The answer isn't complicated: plan as much as possible up front, lock in selections early, and keep communication clear throughout. Most delays come from adjustments and coordination, not from lack of effort on anyone's part. When homeowners understand that going in, projects tend to run a lot more smoothly — because decisions get made faster and everyone stays aligned.
If you're planning a remodel and want to understand what your timeline might look like, we're happy to have that conversation before anything gets started.
No pressure. Just clarity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What causes most remodeling delays in Northern Utah?
The two biggest causes are change orders and material delays. Change orders happen when homeowners adjust the layout, move electrical, or upgrade finishes after a phase is already underway — which often means waiting for a subcontractor's schedule to open back up. Material delays happen when backordered tile, fixtures, or flooring doesn't arrive when expected, pushing everything else back with it.
Q: How much time can a change order add to a remodeling project?
Depending on how far along the project is and how busy the relevant subcontractor is, a single change order can add one to two weeks or more to your timeline. If multiple changes happen at different phases, that time compounds. The best way to avoid it is to finalize as many decisions as possible before construction begins rather than during it.
Q: How do I protect my remodeling project from material delays?
Select your materials early — ideally before demolition starts. That builds lead time into the schedule before those materials are actually needed on site. Tile, flooring, fixtures, and specialty hardware are the most common items to get backordered. The earlier they're ordered, the less likely a delay in shipping is going to affect your project timeline.
