By the MJC design team, Orlando. Updated November 2026.
Short answer: In Central Florida, a strong plan is to design in November or December and install in the first months of the year. That gets your decisions made before the January peak in demand, keeps construction away from holiday hosting and finishes the work outside hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30.
When do Orlando homeowners start kitchen projects?
Search interest for kitchen cabinets in the Orlando market follows a clear yearly pattern. In Google Trends data for the last five years, January is the peak month, about 33% above October, and September through December is the lowest stretch of the year.
The pattern is easy to explain. The holidays end, the new year starts, and many households decide this is the year for the kitchen. For you, it means that design calendars and installers get busier at the same time.
How does hurricane season affect a remodel?
The National Hurricane Center sets the official Atlantic hurricane season from June 1 to November 30. The peak is September 10, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October.
A storm does not need to hit Orlando to slow a kitchen project. Watches and warnings pause work, power outages stop tools, deliveries get rescheduled and, after a storm, many trades shift to repairs. A kitchen torn out in late summer also leaves you without a working kitchen in the months when a full refrigerator and a working sink matter most.
What about the holidays?
Thanksgiving and the December holidays put more pressure on a home kitchen than any other weeks of the year. Starting demolition in late November means hosting family with no sink, and a project that slips can collide with a holiday meal. The weeks around the holidays work better for decisions than for construction: you can design, compare samples and approve a quote while the kitchen still works.
Does the 2027 cabinet tariff change the timing?
It can, depending on where the cabinets come from. Under a proclamation published in the Federal Register on January 9, 2026, the Section 232 tariff on imported kitchen cabinets and vanities is scheduled to rise from 25% to 50% on January 1, 2027, except for countries that reach an agreement with the United States. For the duty, what counts is the date the cabinets enter the country.
If you are comparing imported lines, ask each seller how that date affects your price and delivery. Our guide to kitchen cabinet tariffs in 2027 explains which cabinets the tariff covers. Tariff policy changes quickly, so check the latest notice before you sign.
What does a kitchen calendar look like in Florida?
| Months | What is happening | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| September and October | Low search interest, peak hurricane activity | Ideas, budget and first conversations |
| November and December | Low search interest, season ends November 30, holidays | Design visit, 3D design, samples and approval |
| January to May | Peak interest in January, outside hurricane season | Production and installation for projects designed early |
| June to August | Hurricane season under way | Smaller projects, or designing for the fall |
Why design in November and December?
If you want new cabinets in the first months of 2027, November and December are the months to design them. Your decisions get made, the quote gets approved and production can be scheduled while most people are still collecting ideas. A January installation depends on the size of the kitchen and on the schedule your cabinet maker gives you in writing, so ask for the dates before you sign. Our guide to how long custom cabinets take breaks down each phase.
How MJC handles this
The design visit and the 3D design have no cost, so you can design in November or December without committing to anything until the quote is right. The mobile showroom van brings door, finish and granite samples to your home, which saves a showroom trip during the busiest weeks of the year. Bring your target dates to the design visit and ask whether they are realistic before you approve the quote.
The cabinets are built to measure in the MJC shop in Orlando, and project management covers planning, scheduling and coordination with everyone involved. Read what happens at the free 3D design visit.
Frequently asked questions
Can you remodel a kitchen during hurricane season?
Yes, but plan for delays. Keep water, food and a way to cook outside the kitchen, store loose materials indoors when a storm is forecast, and ask how the schedule handles weather days.
How early should I start planning a kitchen remodel?
Start with the date you want the kitchen finished and work backward through design, approval, production and installation. For a spring kitchen, the fall is the time to start the design.
Is winter a good time to remodel in Florida?
For many households, yes. January to May falls after the holidays and outside the official hurricane season. The tradeoff is demand, since January is the peak month of interest in the Orlando market, so design before the rush.
Does a vacation rental follow the same calendar?
Not exactly. Rental owners usually schedule around their booking calendar and block the quietest weeks for construction. Design ahead so the work fits inside the blocked dates.
Plan your project with MJC
Get a free 3D design and see door, finish and granite samples at your home. Cabinets are built to measure in our Orlando shop at 5014 Forsyth Commerce Rd. Complete custom kitchens start at $15,000.