A practical, step-by-step guide based on real experience renovating a condo kitchen in downtown Ottawa using IKEA cabinets. Real costs. Real timelines. Real surprises. Everything you need to know before you start.
When most people think about an IKEA kitchen, they picture picking out cabinets and having them installed. The reality is far more involved — especially when the process is consumer-led.
This guide was written during an actual IKEA kitchen renovation in a downtown Ottawa high-rise condo in early 2026. It documents every step, every vendor, every invoice, and every surprise along the way. The goal is simple: help anyone considering the same project know exactly what they are getting into.
This is not a sponsored guide. There are no affiliate links, no contractor referrals, and nothing for sale. It is an independent resource for Ottawa homeowners researching IKEA kitchen renovations.
Here is how a typical IKEA condo kitchen renovation unfolds, from first consultation to finished kitchen.
Since summer 2025, IKEA offers in-home kitchen design consultations for $199. An IKEA kitchen planner visits your home, measures the space, takes photos, and helps design your cabinet layout using the IKEA Kitchen Planner software (IKS).
If you proceed with purchasing cabinets from IKEA, the $199 consultation fee is credited back toward your cabinet purchase.
The planner will produce a detailed package including floor plans, elevation drawings, a product master list with pricing, and detailed notes about your specific kitchen.
Once your layout is finalized, IKEA prepares a master shopping list. For a mid-sized condo kitchen, this can be hundreds of individual items across dozens of SKUs — frames, doors, drawers, hinges, shelves, lighting strips, filler pieces, and hardware.
IKEA may generate multiple shopping carts because some items are out of stock. You will likely be responsible for:
If you choose IKEA's installation service, a mandatory pre-installation visit is required before work begins. This costs $199 and is deducted from your total installation cost.
This visit is conducted by your general contractor or demolition provider — the company that will handle all the work that falls outside IKEA’s cabinet installation service. They assess the space and provide a quote for everything else you need: demolition, electrical, plumbing, drywall, and any other preparation work. This is not an IKEA employee — it is the third-party contractor who will coordinate with IKEA on your behalf for the non-installation portions of the project.
IKEA installs cabinets but does not perform demolition, electrical, or plumbing work. IKEA does introduce you to a recommended general contractor (GC) — in our case the same company that IKEA contracts to perform the cabinet installation itself — but you contract with them directly and coordinate scheduling yourself. You need a GC for:
After demolition and preparation are complete, IKEA-contracted installers arrive to assemble and install the cabinet system. This typically takes 1–3 days depending on kitchen size and complexity.
The installers handle mounting the SEKTION frames, attaching door fronts, installing MAXIMERA drawers, adjusting UTRUSTA hinges, and fitting LED under-cabinet lighting (MITTLED strips).
Countertops are ordered through IKEA but supplied and installed by a third-party partner. This is a multi-step process — and if you are also ordering a matching panel backsplash, it is even longer than you might expect:
The installation sequence for plumbing fixtures and backsplash depends on your choices:
Tile backsplashes and single-piece panel backsplashes have very different installation sequences. Discuss the order of operations with your contractor early.
Once countertops, backsplash, plumbing fixtures, lighting, and accessories are all in place, the kitchen becomes fully functional. Final touches typically include:
These are real numbers from an actual IKEA kitchen renovation in a downtown Ottawa high-rise condo, completed in early 2026. All figures are before HST unless noted.
| Category | Details | Cost (pre-tax) |
|---|---|---|
| IKEA Cabinets & Hardware | ||
| SEKTION cabinet frames | Base cabinets, wall cabinets, high cabinets (pantry) | ~$2,100 |
| SINARP door fronts (oak veneer) | All sizes from 12x10" to 24x60" — ranging $38–$178 each | ~$2,400 |
| MAXIMERA drawers | High, medium, and low drawers in various sizes | ~$850 |
| UTRUSTA hinges & shelves | Soft-close hinges, shelves, horizontal door hardware | ~$550 |
| MITTLED LED lighting | Under-cabinet light strips (12", 15", 18", 24" lengths) | ~$200 |
| NYTTIG filler pieces | Filler panels for range micro/hood area | ~$55 |
| Glass drawer sides, pull-outs | MAXIMERA glass sides, pull-out interior fittings | ~$300 |
| VRESJON stainless steel sink | 73x44 included in cabinet order (later replaced with a granite composite undermount) | $559 |
| Cabinet subtotal | ~$7,000 | |
| Countertops & Backsplash (through IKEA) | ||
| LOCKEBO glass composite countertop | Custom, 1-1/8" thick, off-white/beige marble effect. ~28.5 sq ft at $80/sq ft minus IKEA Family discount | ~$1,940 |
| Countertop preparation & finishing | Undermount sink prep, polishing, hole cutting, straight edge | ~$525 |
| Countertop measurement visit | On-site templating after cabinets installed | $264 |
| Countertop installation | Professional installation of finished countertop | ~$830 |
| TARNHULT wall panel backsplash | Matching glass composite, ~24 sq ft at $80/sq ft | ~$1,650 |
| Backsplash hole cutting & install | Outlet cutouts and professional installation | ~$200 |
| Countertop & backsplash subtotal | ~$5,400 | |
| Contractor (General Contractor Quote) | ||
| Demolition | Existing kitchen, countertops, tile backsplash, appliance removal | $2,200 |
| Electrical | New layout support, arc fault breakers, dining room light rewire | $2,500 |
| Drywall patching | After electrical and demolition | $800 |
| Lighting channel | Create electrical channel for hardwired under-cabinet lighting | $1,200 |
| Plumbing | Kitchen plumbing budget for new layout | $1,000 |
| Backsplash tile installation | Install customer-supplied tile | $2,500 |
| Floor tile repair | Patch holes where old cabinet footprint differs | $500 |
| Venting hookup | Range hood venting | $250 |
| Baseboard | Supply, install, and paint | $800 |
| Contractor subtotal (kitchen only) | ~$11,750 | |
| Fixtures (Not from IKEA) | ||
| Kitchen sink | Undermount single bowl, granite composite, champagne — from a local Ottawa showroom | $710 |
| Sink strainer | Matching champagne strainer assembly | $74 |
| Appliances | Cooktop, oven, over-the-range microwave (customer-sourced, not IKEA) | Varies |
| Fixtures subtotal | ~$784+ | |
| Estimated Kitchen Total (before HST) | ~$25,000 | |
| With HST (13%) | ~$28,250 | |
Most people underestimate how long an IKEA kitchen renovation takes. Below is a detailed milestone timeline based on actual experience in Ottawa, showing elapsed days, who owns each step, and what to expect at every stage.
Hover or tap each milestone for details — durations based on actual Ottawa condo renovation experience
| Milestone | Day | Owner | What Happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book in-home kitchen planning appointment | 0 | You | Book through IKEA's kitchen services. Appointments are typically available within a few days. You will receive a checklist (IKP Checklist) to fill out before the visit — this covers finishes, appliance dimensions, and layout preferences. Complete it ahead of time so the planner arrives prepared. |
| Prepare your kitchen | 0–3 | You | Clear countertops, remove obstructions from walls, and ensure the planner can access under your sink for plumbing. If the space is a construction site, all work must stop during the visit. If the home is completely empty, the planner may suggest meeting at a nearby location after taking measurements. |
| In-home planning visit | ~4 | IKEA planner | A kitchen planning co-worker visits your home for up to 3 hours. They measure the space, discuss your layout, and build a kitchen plan on-site. This is limited to one room. The planner will not bring samples — visit an IKEA store beforehand to choose finishes. |
| Receive kitchen appointment summary | ~4 | IKEA planner | Same day as the visit (usually within hours), you receive a PDF with your kitchen plan, a preliminary product list, an installation quote, and a countertop cost breakdown. You also get a link to your plan in IKEA's online kitchen planner — save it to your IKEA account immediately. |
| Review and approve design | 4–7 | You | Review the plan, request any revisions, and confirm you want to proceed. The faster you approve, the faster the next steps begin. Once you confirm, the planner coordinates the pre-installation visit. |
| Milestone | Day | Owner | What Happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule pre-installation visit | 5–10 | IKEA planner | Your planner sends available time slots (typically 4-hour windows across the next 1–2 weeks). Slots are first come, first serve — reply quickly. Evening windows (5–9 PM) are available but fill fast. |
| Pay for pre-installation visit ($199) | 5–10 | You | IKEA sends a payment link by email. The email subject mentions a "purchase confirmation" — scroll down to find the "pay online" button. Pay promptly, as your slot is not confirmed until payment is received. This $199 is credited toward your installation cost later. |
| Pre-installation visit | ~12 | Your GC / demolition contractor | Your general contractor or demolition provider visits your home to assess the space and identify the scope of non-IKEA work needed: demolition, electrical, plumbing, drywall, and preparation. They will provide a quote for all supplemental work that IKEA’s installation service does not cover. This visit is mandatory before you can order cabinets or book installation. |
| Receive demolition & supplemental work estimate | 18–21 | Your GC | Your contractor sends a detailed quote covering demolition, electrical, plumbing, drywall, and any other prep work — everything outside of IKEA’s cabinet installation. This can take up to a week after the pre-installation visit. If you have not received it within 5–7 days, follow up — it sometimes requires prompting. |
| Approve the quote | 19–22 | You | Review the estimate, ask questions, and confirm. Once approved, you can proceed to ordering cabinets. |
| Milestone | Day | Owner | What Happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place cabinet order | ~31 | You + IKEA | This step can take longer than expected. Between quote approval and actually placing the order, there may be a 1–2 week gap due to coordination, stock checks, and payment processing. You may need to follow up to keep things moving. Do not assume this happens automatically after quote approval. |
| Monitor stock & place follow-up orders | 31–60+ | You | Your initial order will likely be incomplete due to stock issues. Sign up for restock notifications, check the IKEA website and Ottawa store (Pinecrest) separately, and be prepared for multiple orders and deliveries. See the stock issues section above for strategies. |
| Receive all cabinet components | 45–75 | IKEA / You | Deliveries arrive over multiple shipments. Inspect everything on arrival and cross-reference against your shopping list. Some items may need in-store pickup. All items must be delivered at least 2 weeks before your installation date to avoid a rescheduling fee. Note: In our case, we still had not received all items by the time cabinets were installed and countertops were being measured — the final items were still arriving across what ultimately became 8 separate orders spanning 11 weeks. Cabinet installation proceeded with available parts; missing cover panels and drawer fronts will be installed later. |
| Milestone | Day | Owner | What Happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Demolition | ~75 | GC | Old cabinets, countertops, backsplash, and appliances removed. Typically completed within a day, with remaining cleanup and removal the following morning. |
| Electrical work | ~76 | GC / Electrician | Electrical roughed in — new circuits, outlet relocations, arc fault breakers, and any rewiring. Typically a full day once demolition is complete. |
| Electrical inspection | ~77 | ESA Inspector | Electrical Safety Authority inspector verifies all electrical work before walls are closed up. Must pass before drywall can proceed. |
| Drywall patching & prep | ~78 | GC | Walls repaired and patched after demolition and electrical. Surfaces prepared for cabinet installation. 1–2 days. |
| Cabinet installation (base install) | 80–82 | IKEA installer | IKEA's contracted team installs cabinet frames, doors, drawers, and hardware. In our case this took 3 days, but we were still missing several front door panels, drawer fronts, and other cover panels due to out-of-stock items at IKEA. The base structure was complete enough for countertop measurements to proceed, but cosmetic completion had to wait for restocked parts. Expect this — full completion on day one is unlikely. |
| Countertop measurement | ~87 | IKEA countertop partner | Scheduled after cabinets are installed. A technician measures for custom-fabricated countertops. In our experience, this was not scheduled until approximately 5 days after cabinet installation was complete — not the next day. Plan for this gap. |
| Countertop fabrication | 87–101 | IKEA countertop partner | Custom countertops are fabricated off-site. Typically about 2 weeks. During this time you have no countertop surface and likely no functioning sink. |
| Countertop installation | ~101 | IKEA countertop partner | Countertop installed, including sink cutout and edge finishing. Note: if you are using a matching single-piece panel backsplash (e.g., TARNHULT), the backsplash is not installed at this stage — it requires its own separate measurement visit first. Issue discovered post-install: despite the kitchen plan specifying a 30″ oven, the countertop pieces adjacent to the oven opening were positioned less than 30″ apart — meaning the oven would not fit. The countertop installer had us sign off on measurements on installation day, but verifying appliance-opening tolerances should be the installer’s responsibility, not the homeowner’s. Resolution required coordinating with the countertop company to notch out sections so the oven can sit flush against the wall. Installed: April 29, 2026 (8:30 AM – 9:00 PM) |
| Sink setting / cure time | ~102 | — | After countertop installation, the undermount sink adhesive requires 24 hours of setting time before any plumbing work can begin. Your countertop company will confirm the required cure period — in our case, the countertop installer specified 24 hours. No trades should work around the countertop during this window. |
| Plumbing — sink only | ~103 | GC / Plumber | Undermount sink set only — no faucet or dishwasher hookup. Full plumbing is deferred until after the backsplash is installed, because the faucet would need to be disconnected for backsplash installation anyway. In our case, the contractor opted to do all plumbing in a single visit at the end rather than connect and disconnect multiple times. Combined with the water being shut off at demolition, this meant no running water in the kitchen from demolition day (March 24) until the final plumbing hookup (June 4) — 72 days. Clarify this with your contractor before renovation begins — if they will not do interim hookups, budget for 10+ weeks without a kitchen sink. |
| Backsplash measurement (initial) | ~103 | IKEA countertop partner | The backsplash area is measured only after the countertop is installed. This was not disclosed upfront. The technician needs to see the installed countertop to template the backsplash panel precisely. This is a separate visit from the countertop measurement. Measured: April 30, 2026 |
| Microwave installation | ~116 | Appliance retailer’s install contractor | The countertop partner requires the over-the-range microwave to be installed before they will do the final backsplash measurement — they need the microwave in place to template accurately around it. This dependency was not communicated until after the initial backsplash measurement. Coordinating the install was its own drama: the GC declined to send the electrical contractor back for the receptacle work (framed as “an IKEA-side issue,” despite the GC being the party that contracts the electrician directly), so the appliance retailer’s installation contractor handled both the electrical receptacle and the mounting. On arrival, the installer flagged that the wall opening had not been cut by the GC. The microwave manufacturer does not supply a bump-out kit for this model, and the generic third-party bump-out kits on the market force a full 3″ extra depth that pushes the unit visibly proud of the surrounding cabinetry — the reviews on those kits are uniformly poor for that reason. A suitable bump-out kit was assembled at 2/3″ depth instead, which delivers the optimal minimum clearance the manufacturer requires without the awkward protrusion. Installed: May 14, 2026 (with power outlet and suitable bump-out kit) |
| Backsplash re-measurement | ~124 | IKEA countertop partner | After the microwave is installed, the countertop partner returns to re-measure the backsplash area. They need the microwave in place to get precise dimensions for the panel. This second measurement visit was not part of the original timeline — it only became apparent after the initial measurement. The templater calls approximately 30 minutes before arrival, with an arrival window of 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM. Performed: Thursday May 22, 2026 |
| Backsplash drawings sent for approval | ~127 | IKEA countertop partner | Following the re-measurement, the fabrication partner produces shop drawings for homeowner confirmation. Production cannot start until the homeowner signs off on these drawings. Expected: Monday May 25, 2026 |
| Backsplash production starts | ~130 | IKEA countertop partner | Custom backsplash panel goes into fabrication once drawings are confirmed. Scheduled: Thursday May 28, 2026 |
| Backsplash fabrication | 130–136 | IKEA countertop partner | The backsplash panel is custom-fabricated off-site — about one week between production start and installation in this case. Fabrication cannot begin until the re-measurement (with microwave in place) is complete and drawings are confirmed. |
| Backsplash installation | ~136 | IKEA countertop partner | Backsplash panel installed. The cabinet installer may have installed under-cabinet valances and lighting prematurely — these must be removed before the backsplash goes in, then reinstalled after. Snag discovered: the countertop fabricator cut a 1-gang outlet opening where a 2-gang box was clearly required. This is an avoidable error — the same partner had been on-site to measure twice (initial measurement and a post-microwave re-measure), and the existing box was plainly a 2-gang. The undersized cut now has to be corrected before the cover plate will fit. Installed: June 3, 2026 Mis-cut outlet opening — rework required |
| Contractor callback dispute — surprise $300 fee | ~136 | IKEA / cabinet installer | With the countertop and backsplash work landing this week, the cabinet installation contractor still had unfinished items left over from earlier in the project — cosmetic panels and finishing that were never completed because parts had not yet been delivered when the install ran. We called IKEA over a week ago to advise that the countertops were due this week and to request that they dispatch their contractor to return and finish the unfinished portion of their own job. It took IKEA roughly a full week to call back, and the answer was that sending the contractor back would cost an additional $300 — a charge that was never disclosed up front. This is doubly frustrating because: (1) not all of our parts had even been delivered by the time demolition and the cabinet install occurred, so the contractor could not possibly have finished everything in that first visit; and (2) IKEA itself owns the work sequencing — the cabinets cannot be cosmetically finished until after IKEA’s own countertop and backsplash people have completed their portion. A single-shot finish was therefore never possible by IKEA’s own process, yet the contractor (IKEA’s own subcontractor) had pushed us to proceed with the project anyway despite both the missing parts and the sequencing dependency. Charging a return-visit fee to complete work that their own process made impossible to finish in one pass — and that their contractor pressured us into starting prematurely — is unreasonable. IKEA called back: ~late May 2026 — quoted $300 to dispatch the contractor |
| Remaining cabinets installed | ~139 | IKEA cabinet installer / GC | On Friday June 5, 2026 the remaining cabinets were installed — except a wrong-colour door IKEA shipped in error (return pickup and replacement delivery now scheduled). The missing upper-cabinet push-pin door latches were ordered and received. The general contractor also began the drywall build-out to receive the backsplash on that wall. The “completed” cabinets still carry finishing items: patch/sand/paint around the run, adhesive left on the outside of one cabinet, and under-cabinet lights that don’t work. Cabinets installed: June 5, 2026 Wrong-colour door, glue, dead lights — rework required |
| Countertop recut & oven clearance | ~143 | IKEA countertop partner | The fabricator returned to remove and recut the piece next to the ridge: they arrived Sunday June 8, 2026 without the tools to remove it, then came back Monday June 9 to remove, recut, and reinstall it. They were also meant to fix the bigger problem — the countertop had been cut too narrow, leaving a zero-tolerance space for the range so the oven could not be pushed back. Instead of recutting for real clearance, their “solution” was to unscrew two bolts on either side of the oven so it could just barely clear, leaving it unclear whether the oven actually cleared or is wedged in place. This is a two-trade measurement failure (cabinet installer + countertop fabricator) and the workaround is not an acceptable fix. Recut complete: June 9, 2026 Oven clearance not properly resolved |
| Plumbing — full hookup & finishing | ~137 | GC / Plumber + Electrician | Faucet installed, dishwasher connected, baseboard, paint touch-ups, final adjustments. All plumbing deferred to this single visit after backsplash is complete. In our case, the plumber and electrician were both on-site the same day — the electrician returned to finish remaining receptacle and under-cabinet lighting work that had been deferred behind the backsplash, while the plumber completed the faucet/dishwasher hookup. Booking both trades back-to-back the day after backsplash install minimizes coordination overhead and gets the kitchen functional in a single visit. Plumbing is fully complete — the sink, dishwasher, and fridge water dispenser are all in service. However, two electrical/finishing snags surfaced: (1) during the earlier electrical work at the front end of the project, too much drywall was cut out around the switches, leaving gaps too large for the cover plates to conceal; and (2) several boxes that had been marked “patch” were never patched. Both still need drywall correction before plates will sit cleanly. Plumbing complete: June 4, 2026 — sink, dishwasher, fridge water all working Drywall over-cut around switches & un-patched boxes — rework required |
| Functional kitchen achieved (snag fixes pending) | ~150 | — | End to end: approximately 17–20 weeks from first appointment booking to a functional kitchen. The backsplash measurement-fabrication-install cycle, compounded by a hidden microwave dependency, adds roughly 5–6 weeks that most initial estimates do not account for. As of Thursday June 4, 2026, the kitchen is functional — plumbing is fully complete (sink, dishwasher, and fridge water dispenser all working). 72 days had elapsed since demolition day (March 24, 2026). As of Tuesday June 9, 2026, a list of snags remains open before final sign-off: (1) the wrong-colour IKEA door (replacement on the way) still to be installed; (2) the oven-clearance problem, “fixed” only by unscrewing the oven’s bolts rather than a proper recut; (3) patch, sand, and paint around the cabinets; (4) glue on the exterior of one cabinet; (5) under-cabinet lights that don’t work; (6) drywall over-cut around the switches plus boxes marked “patch” that were never patched; and (7) the mis-cut 1-gang backsplash opening that should have been a 2-gang. The general contractor (Juan) is due back Wednesday June 10 for lights and drywall, and the electrician is expected back next week to finish the power box on the backsplash wall. Functional: June 4, 2026 — ~72 days from demolition 7 snags outstanding |
Looking at the timeline above, the hands-on work (demolition, cabinet install, countertop install, finishing) adds up to roughly 2–3 weeks. The remaining 5–13 weeks is waiting: waiting for appointments, waiting for quotes, waiting for stock, waiting for fabrication. The biggest time-savers are responding to IKEA quickly, following up when things stall (especially after the pre-installation visit), and starting to order cabinets the moment your quote is approved rather than waiting for IKEA to initiate.
In particular, the gap between quote approval and actually placing the cabinet order can quietly stretch to 2 weeks if no one is driving it forward. Stay on top of this step — it is easy to lose time here without realizing it.
An IKEA kitchen renovation involves multiple parties, and it is not always obvious who coordinates what. This table clarifies ownership so nothing falls through the cracks.
| Task | Responsible Party | Details |
|---|---|---|
| You (the homeowner) | ||
| Kitchen design & layout decisions | You | Work with IKEA planner to finalize design, approve revisions, and confirm the plan. |
| Ordering cabinets & tracking stock | You | Place orders, monitor restock availability, arrange multiple deliveries as needed. Note: some items cannot be ordered retail and must be coordinated through IKEA customer service. Their callback IVR queue is unreliable — do not assume you will receive a callback. |
| Countertop initial measurement coordination | You | After cabinets are installed, you coordinate with IKEA’s countertop partner to schedule the measurement visit. |
| Countertop installation coordination | You | Once fabrication is complete, you coordinate with the countertop partner to schedule the installation date. |
| Appliance selection & delivery | You | Purchase and arrange delivery of all appliances. Ensure dimensions match your kitchen plan. |
| Over-the-range microwave installation | You | The over-the-range microwave is entirely the homeowner’s responsibility. IKEA’s cabinet installer will not mount it, and the countertop partner will not work around it (or may — conflicting advice is common). General contractors often decline to take this on, framing it as an “IKEA-side issue,” even when they are the ones who hold the electrical sub-contract. Expect to fall back on the appliance retailer’s own installation contractor for both the electrical receptacle and the mount. Confirm in advance who is cutting the wall opening for the receptacle — this is a frequent point of finger-pointing on install day. Also confirm whether your microwave model needs a bump-out kit: many manufacturers do not supply one, and the generic third-party kits commonly available force a 3″ depth that pushes the unit visibly proud of the cabinetry. A custom-fitted bump-out at the minimum clearance required by the manufacturer (often well under 1″) produces a far cleaner result. This appliance sits in a scheduling gap: it must be in place before the final backsplash measurement, but the backsplash itself cannot be installed until after countertops. Plan for several weeks without it. |
| Condo board approval | You | Submit renovation plans, contractor insurance, and timeline to your condo board before work begins. |
| Temporary kitchen setup | You | Plan for 2–4 weeks without a functioning kitchen between cabinet and countertop installation. |
| Your demolition / general contractor | ||
| Deciding when to start | Your GC | Your contractor may refuse to begin work until you have ordered and received every single part from IKEA. Starting with half-delivered items means your kitchen is out of commission longer. At their discretion, some contractors will begin demolition if you have at least the basic cabinet structures (frames, rails, legs) and are only missing cosmetic pieces like doors or panels that can be fitted later. This varies by contractor — discuss upfront. |
| Demolition | Your GC | Remove existing cabinets, countertops, backsplash, and appliances. |
| Electrical work | Your GC | Relocate outlets, install arc fault breakers, create hardwired lighting channels. |
| Plumbing modifications | Your GC | Adjust plumbing for the new sink and dishwasher location. |
| Drywall patching & prep | Your GC | Repair walls after demolition and electrical work, before cabinet installation. |
| Cabinet installation coordination with IKEA | Your GC (if asked) | Your demolition contractor can coordinate directly with IKEA to schedule cabinet installation once demo and prep are complete. Ask them to handle this — they know when the space will be ready. |
| Post-install finishing | Your GC | Sink hookup, faucet installation, baseboard, paint touch-ups, and final adjustments after countertops are in. |
| IKEA & IKEA partners | ||
| Kitchen planning & design consultation | IKEA planner | In-home visit, measurements, floor plan, product list, and installation quote. |
| Pre-installation visit | IKEA installer | Third-party contractor verifies measurements and identifies any issues before installation. |
| Cabinet installation | IKEA installer | Assemble and mount all SEKTION frames, doors, drawers, and hardware. Covered by 5-year installation warranty. Note: The installer may also install under-cabinet valances and lighting during this visit. If you have a single-piece panel backsplash, this is premature — these items need to come off before the backsplash goes in, then be reinstalled after. Confirm sequencing with your installer before they begin. |
| Countertop fabrication | IKEA countertop partner | Custom fabrication off-site (2–4 weeks after measurement). |
| Countertop & backsplash installation | IKEA countertop partner | Install finished countertop, sink cutout, edge finishing, and backsplash panels. |
Renovating a kitchen in a condo adds several layers of complexity that house owners do not face.
Before starting any renovation, provide written notice to your condo board and property manager. Depending on the scope, you may need formal approval (especially if common elements are involved). See the Your Obligations as a Condo Owner section for a detailed breakdown of what is legally required versus what is simply requested.
Your contractor will typically need to provide liability insurance and WSIB certificates to building management before being granted access.
Condos typically restrict renovation work to specific hours — commonly 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday to Friday. Some buildings prohibit work on weekends entirely.
Demolition is the noisiest phase. Your contractor should be aware of and respect these restrictions.
Cabinet deliveries and debris removal require elevator access. Most condos require you to book the service elevator in advance. IKEA kitchen orders can arrive on multiple pallets — coordinate delivery timing with your building's management.
Plumbing work may require shutting off water to your unit or your stack. This requires coordination with building management and advance notice to affected neighbours. Some buildings only allow shutoffs during specific hours.
Many Ottawa condo buildings have concrete structural walls in the kitchen area. This affects cabinet mounting (requires concrete anchors instead of wood screws) and may require special tools. Your IKEA planner should note this.
Condos often have soffits, bulkheads, or varying ceiling heights that affect upper cabinet placement. Ceiling can drop significantly where ductwork or structural beams run.
An IKEA kitchen order can easily be 30–50 flat-pack boxes weighing hundreds of kilograms total. In a condo, you need to plan where these will be stored before and during installation. Consider your storage locker, a spare bedroom, or staggering deliveries.
Remember: cabinets need to acclimatize inside your unit for at least 72 hours before installation.
If your new cabinet layout differs from the old one (different widths, different locations), there will be exposed floor areas where old cabinets used to sit. If you are not replacing the flooring, budget for floor patching or tile repair to cover these gaps.
As a condominium owner in Ontario, your obligations come from three sources, and they apply in this order of priority:
You are obligated to comply with all three. However, you are not obligated to comply with anything that is not enshrined in the law, the declaration, or the rules. Supplemental requests from property managers, informal building policies, or ad hoc requirements that go beyond what is written in these three sources are not binding on you as an owner.
Before beginning any renovation — whether or not you believe it touches common elements — you should provide written notice to your condominium board and their delegated property manager. This is both a practical and legal step:
In practice, most kitchen renovations that stay within your unit boundaries (replacing cabinets, countertops, flooring, painting) operate on a notice-only basis. You inform the board, confirm your contractor has the required insurance, and proceed.
| Likely required (check your declaration and rules) | Likely not required (unless in your declaration or rules) |
|---|---|
| Provide written notice of the renovation to the board or property manager | Obtaining “approval” for cosmetic changes entirely within your unit (cabinets, countertops, paint) |
| Ensure your contractor carries adequate liability insurance and WSIB coverage | Paying fees or deposits not specified in the declaration or rules |
| Comply with noise and work-hour restrictions set out in the rules | Adhering to informal elevator booking policies that are not in the rules |
| Obtain board approval if your renovation modifies common elements (Section 98) | Providing documents beyond what the declaration or rules specify |
| Act reasonably and avoid causing unreasonable damage or nuisance to other owners | Following supplemental “renovation guidelines” that go beyond the rules |
| Sharing pricing, personal information, or details beyond what the declaration or rules specifically require |
Outside the specific obligations in the Act, declaration, and rules, you have a general duty to act reasonably. This means:
This is a standard of reasonableness, not a blank cheque for the board or property manager to impose arbitrary requirements. If a request from your property manager is not grounded in the Act, the declaration, or the rules, you are generally not obligated to comply — but acting cooperatively and in good faith will make the process smoother for everyone.
When providing notice or documentation to your condo board or property manager, share only the bare minimum that your declaration and rules require. Common mistakes include volunteering details that are not required and not yours to share:
Property managers and boards sometimes request information out of curiosity or habit rather than legal obligation. Before providing anything, ask yourself: is this specifically required by my declaration or rules? If it is not, you are under no obligation to share it.
This is one of the most frustrating parts of the process and deserves its own section.
IKEA kitchen components (SEKTION frames, MAXIMERA drawers, specific door fronts like SINARP or ASKERSUND) frequently go in and out of stock. When your master shopping list is first created, it is common for several items to be unavailable.
What this means for you:
A single IKEA kitchen required 8 separate orders over 11 weeks (March 4 – May 17, 2026). Each order carried its own delivery fee or in-store pickup trip.
| Order | Date | What | Items | Pre-tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Order 1 | Feb 14 | Countertop + installation (later cancelled) | 9 | $3,179 |
| Order 2 | Feb 19 | Countertop + backsplash reorder (replaced #1) | 11 | $5,411 |
| Order 3 | Mar 4 | Main cabinet order | 102 | $7,289 |
| Order 4 | Mar 6 | Follow-up (1 missed item) | 1 | $158 |
| Order 5 | Mar 23 | SINARP doors, cover panels, smart remote | 6 | $425 |
| Order 6 | Mar 31 | SINARP cover panels (restocked) | 6 | $258 |
| Order 7 | Apr 10 | SINARP drawer fronts + cover panels | 8 | $680 |
Total: 7 orders over 8 weeks, with 3 items still needed. Each delivery added $49–$59 (or a trip to the store). The main cabinet order alone had 102 line items — but it still was not complete. Expect to place at minimum 4–6 separate orders for a mid-sized kitchen, spread over several weeks.
Purchasing an IKEA kitchen is not a single transaction. The process is entirely consumer-led: you are responsible for ordering each item individually as it becomes available, often across multiple separate orders and delivery windows. There is no unified checkout where you submit your kitchen plan and receive everything together. A typical SEKTION kitchen can include 80 to 100+ individual line items — cabinet frames, doors, drawer fronts, hinges, shelves, cover panels, filler pieces, legs, suspension rails, lighting, handles — and you are responsible for ordering, tracking, and receiving every single one of them.
To make matters worse, IKEA's fulfillment rules are inconsistent. In our case, cabinet frames were eligible for home delivery to our address, but door fronts for those same cabinets were not — those had to be picked up in-store. There is no clear logic to which items ship and which do not, and the restrictions can vary by postal code. This means you may find yourself placing an online order for half your kitchen and driving to the store for the other half, sometimes on the same day.
When orders do arrive, they may be partially fulfilled. Items can be dropped from an order without warning if they go out of stock between the time you place the order and the time it ships. You will not necessarily receive a notification — you discover the shortfall when you unpack the delivery and cross-reference against your shopping list. This means you need to take inventory of every shipment, compare it against what was invoiced, and maintain a running list of what is still outstanding. With multiple orders arriving on different days, this becomes a project management exercise in its own right.
Stock availability indicators on IKEA's website can also be misleading. An item may show as "High in stock" through the availability API but display as "Currently unavailable" when you actually try to add it to your cart. Delivery availability and in-store availability are tracked separately and can contradict each other. An item might show available for delivery nationally but be undeliverable to your specific postal code. These mixed indicators make it nearly impossible to plan a single coordinated order.
The result is a fragmented purchasing experience that stretches over weeks, requires constant monitoring of stock levels, and demands a level of coordination that most buyers do not expect when they sign off on their kitchen plan.
The master shopping list you receive from your pre-installation visit package is an image-based PDF that is not manageable — you cannot search it, sort it, or easily track what has been ordered versus what is still outstanding. Rather than trying to manage this yourself, contact the IKEA kitchen department directly (Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 7 PM) and ask a kitchen consultant to take ownership of your shopping list.
The consultant can pull up your full kitchen plan in their system, add restock notifications on their end for any out-of-stock items, and coordinate the ordering process with you. This means you are not solely responsible for checking inventory daily and racing to order items before they sell out again. The consultant can track everything together and contact you when items become available.
This is especially helpful when your order is split across dozens of SKUs with different availability windows. Having a single person at IKEA who knows your full project and is actively monitoring stock for you can save weeks of frustration.
Some kitchen components on your shopping list are not eligible for retail purchase — they cannot be added to your cart online or bought in-store. These items must be ordered through IKEA customer service or your kitchen consultant. You will not always know which items fall into this category until you try to order them and discover they are restricted.
When you need to call IKEA to order these items or check on stock, be aware that their callback IVR queue does not always work. You may leave your number for a callback and never receive one. If an item is time-sensitive, stay on the line rather than opting for a callback, or try calling again at a different time. Do not assume a callback request means someone will get back to you.
IKEA provides your master shopping list and appointment summary as PDF documents, but these PDFs are image-based — not searchable text. You cannot use Ctrl+F to look up an article number, compare items against your original plan, or quickly verify what has already been ordered. With a kitchen plan that can include 80+ individual line items, this makes cross-referencing tedious and error-prone. Consider manually building your own spreadsheet from the shopping list early in the process so you have a working document you can actually search, sort, and track against.
SEKTION wall and base cabinets ship with a set number of shelves depending on the SKU. A SEKTION W2D wall cabinet (30x15x20"), for example, is supposed to include 2 adjustable shelves. In our project, one of these cabinets was installed with zero shelves inside — either the shelves were missing from the box, dropped from the order, or simply never installed. The cabinet looked finished from the outside, and the gap was only caught after opening the doors to load it.
Before your installer signs off, open every door and drawer and count the shelves, dividers, and interior hardware against the product page on ikea.com. Flat-pack shelves are easy to miss in a pile of packaging, and installers will not always catch it for you. Missing shelves can be ordered separately under the cabinet's article number, but only if you notice the shortfall.
IKEA offers several countertop lines through their third-party fabrication partner:
Custom countertops (LOCKEBO, quartz) require the two-visit process: measurement, then installation.
Your backsplash choice significantly affects cost, timeline, and coordination:
Decide on your backsplash before countertop installation so everyone can plan the installation sequence.
IKEA handles cabinet installation, but everything else falls to your general contractor. Here is what a real contractor quote looked like for a downtown Ottawa condo kitchen renovation.
| Line Item | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition of existing kitchen, countertops, tile backsplash & appliances | Supply & Install | $2,200 |
| Electrical: support new layout, arc fault breakers, dining light rewire | Supply & Install | $2,500 |
| Drywall patching after electrical and demolition | Supply & Install | $800 |
| Create electrical channel for hardwired under-cabinet lighting | Supply & Install | $1,200 |
| Plumbing budget for kitchen | Supply & Install | $1,000 |
| Install customer-supplied backsplash tile | Install only | $2,500 |
| Repair floor tile holes (where old cabinets sat) | Install only | $500 |
| Venting hookup for range hood | Install only | $250 |
| Supply and install baseboard, including painting | Supply & Install | $800 |
| Kitchen contractor total | $11,750 | |
| HST (13%) | $1,528 | |
| Kitchen contractor total with tax | $13,278 |
These are things that were surprising or that would have been useful to know beforehand, based on actual experience.
Things that can catch you off guard during a kitchen renovation — especially in an older condo. These are the costs, delays, and complications that nobody warns you about until they happen.
The biggest frustration with an IKEA kitchen renovation is that nobody owns the entire project. You deal with an IKEA planner for design, IKEA customer service for ordering issues, a third-party installer for cabinets, a separate countertop partner for measurement and fabrication, and your own general contractor for demolition, electrical, plumbing, and finishing. None of these parties communicate with each other. None of them will chase the others on your behalf.
What does not exist — and would be transformative if it did — is a white-glove project coordinator: someone you hand the approved kitchen design to and say “make it happen.” They would place all the orders, track stock, coordinate deliveries, schedule the contractor, book the cabinet installation, arrange the countertop measurement and installation, and handle every call to IKEA’s customer service on your behalf. A single point of contact who owns the entire process from design approval to finished kitchen.
This service does not exist today. Until it does, you are the project manager. IKEA has confirmed this explicitly: “The homeowner acts as the project manager and is responsible for coordinating timing and sequencing between trades.” Every handoff, every scheduling gap, every follow-up call is yours. Plan for that reality from day one.
Not every frustration in a kitchen renovation is somebody’s fault. Some are genuine mistakes by IKEA or a contractor that should never have happened; others are just the inherent reality of any kitchen project, no matter who you hire. This breakdown separates the two so you know which problems to push back on and which to simply plan around. Fault is attributed by role (IKEA, the general contractor, the countertop installer) rather than by company name.
These are errors and broken commitments. They were preventable, and you are entitled to push for a fix — a redo, a refund, or a no-charge return visit.
These are not anyone’s fault. They are the nature of the work — especially in an older condo. Budget time, money, and patience for them rather than fighting them.
When something goes wrong, ask: could a competent party have prevented this? If yes, it belongs on the left — document it, cite your order number, and push for a redo, refund, or no-charge return visit. If no, it belongs on the right — absorb it into your timeline and budget rather than burning energy fighting it. The single most expensive mistake is treating an avoidable error as if it were unavoidable, and quietly paying to fix someone else’s mistake.
Use this checklist before starting your IKEA kitchen renovation.