The Hausbound field guides
Renovation planning, without the schedule surprises
The practical mechanics of getting a remodel done: what to order when, how to measure, what things cost, and how to recover when the schedule slips. No mood boards — just the math and the lead times.
22 guides · written by the team behind Hausbound
The free renovation spreadsheet (and what it can't do)
A free, pre-filled renovation spreadsheet for kitchens, bathrooms, and more — every item by build phase with lead-time warnings. Plus the honest limits of tracking a renovation in a spreadsheet.
Get the spreadsheet →
Ordering & lead times
When to order a countertop, and why you can't yet
Stone and quartz are templated only after the cabinets are in, then fabricated for one to three weeks. Why the sequence is fixed, what to have on site for templating, and how to plan the two-to-four-week gap.
6 min read
Bathroom vanity lead times: stock vs. custom
Stock ships in days, semi-custom runs 3–6 weeks, custom built-ins 6–12+. Lead times and costs by tier, the vanity-top templating cycle that adds weeks, and when to order so trim-out doesn't stall.
6 min read
When should you order windows for a renovation?
6–10 weeks ahead for stock vinyl, 8–16 for custom or wood-clad, longer for specialty shapes. Lead times by type, why windows gate the whole schedule, and the ordering sequence that works.
6 min read
The renovation ordering timeline: what to buy when
Lead times run the whole project. A category-by-category look at how far ahead you need to order — and how to work backward from your install dates.
7 min read
What order should you renovate a kitchen in?
The seven-phase sequence builders actually use — demo through appliances — why the order isn't negotiable, and why the buying order runs almost opposite to the install order.
7 min read
How long do custom cabinets take?
Custom runs 8–12+ weeks, semi-custom 4–8, stock 1–3. What drives the wait, how revisions reset the clock, and how to plan the whole kitchen around it.
6 min read
Stock vs. semi-custom vs. custom cabinets: which tier do you need?
The real differences in cost, lead time, and sizing between the three cabinet tiers — and a three-question framework for choosing.
6 min read
When should you order appliances for a kitchen remodel?
Choose first, deliver last: why spec sheets gate the cabinet order, lead times by tier, and the delivery-timing move that protects the schedule.
5 min read
Measurement & math
How much flooring do I need?
Measure the room, add the right waste factor (5% for a straight lay of planks, 25% for herringbone), convert to boxes, and order the whole job in one dye lot. Worked example included.
6 min read
How to measure a room for flooring, tile, and paint
The actual math: floors, walls, ceilings, trim, countertops, and backsplash — with the waste factors that keep you from coming up one box short.
6 min read
Paint quantities explained: gallons, coats, and sheens by room
How much paint a room really takes, why the second coat isn't optional, and which sheen belongs on which surface.
5 min read
How much tile do I need for a shower?
The complete shower-tile math, worked on a real example: walls, niche, curb, and pan — with the 15% waste factor and the dye-lot rule.
6 min read
Budget & money
How much does a bathroom remodel cost?
Most full bathroom remodels land between $12,000 and $35,000. The line-item breakdown by tier — budget refresh, mid-range gut, high-end — plus the materials split and the rows everyone forgets.
6 min read
Kitchen remodel budget breakdown: where the money actually goes
How a materials budget really splits across cabinets, counters, appliances, and flooring — plus the difference between estimated and actual spend.
6 min read
Renovation contingency: how much extra should you budget?
10% for cosmetic work, 15–20% for gut remodels, more for old houses. What the reserve covers, what it doesn't, and when you can safely release it.
5 min read
Planning & recovery
What order should you renovate a whole house in?
Envelope and structure first, systems while the walls are open, then kitchens and baths, then cosmetics — top floor down. Why the sequence isn't negotiable, and the one-working-bathroom rule.
7 min read
Do you need a permit to remodel a kitchen or bathroom?
Like-for-like swaps usually don't need one; moving a drain, adding a circuit, or opening a wall almost always does. The trigger list, typical fees, and the inspection holds that quietly cost you weeks.
7 min read
How long does a kitchen remodel take?
6–10 weeks of active work, 4–6 months of calendar time. The phase-by-phase breakdown, the countertop templating gap that stalls a nearly-finished kitchen, and the five things that double the schedule.
7 min read
The order-first method: when every date says you're already late
Starting a project after the 'ideal' ordering window has passed isn't failure — it's normal. How to triage what to order now, soon, and later.
5 min read
How long does a bathroom remodel take?
3–5 weeks of active work, 6–9 weeks of calendar time. The week-by-week breakdown, the shower-glass trap, and what turns a 5-week bathroom into 10.
6 min read
What should you renovate first in a house?
The priority ladder: stop damage, fix the envelope and systems, then kitchens and baths, then cosmetics — plus the live-in-it-first rule.
7 min read
Skip the reading — get your dates
The order-by calculator turns a start date into a dated ordering plan for a kitchen or bathroom. Free, no sign-up.