One of the most common scheduling mistakes on commercial projects is underestimating how long glazing takes. Glass is not like drywall. You can't accelerate fabrication by adding crew. Lead times are real, and if you miss the window for submittals or shop drawing approvals, you're waiting — no matter what your schedule says. This guide breaks down each phase of a typical commercial glazing project so you can build a realistic schedule from day one.
The Five Phases of a Commercial Glazing Project
Every commercial glazing scope — whether it's a single storefront or a full curtainwall system — moves through the same basic sequence: submittals, shop drawings, fabrication, installation, and punch/closeout. Each phase has a typical duration. Each phase has failure modes. Understanding both is how you keep glazing on your critical path instead of blocking it.
Phase 1: Submittals — 2 to 3 Weeks
The submittal phase begins when the glazing sub receives a formal notice to proceed or is included in a pre-construction workflow. The sub assembles product data sheets, manufacturer cut sheets, and preliminary specifications for the systems they plan to install. These go to the GC, who forwards them to the architect and engineer of record for review.
Two to three weeks is typical for a complete submittal package on a mid-size commercial project. Larger or more complex scopes — full curtainwall systems with custom profiles, specialty fire-rated assemblies, or blast-resistant glazing — can take longer to compile. The clock doesn't start until the glazing sub has the information they need: approved drawings, confirmed system specifications, and clarity on any design-assist items that affect product selection.
Common delays in this phase: incomplete construction documents when the sub is brought on, specification conflicts between the architectural and structural drawings, and slow architect review turnaround. A well-organized glazing sub can compress their own preparation time significantly, but they cannot control how fast the design team responds.
Phase 2: Shop Drawings — 2 to 4 Weeks
Shop drawings are the fabrication-ready engineering documents the glazing sub produces based on approved submittals and field-verified dimensions. They show exact glass sizes, frame profiles, anchor locations, sill conditions, and connection details. They are the document the fabricator uses to cut and assemble every piece of the system.
Producing shop drawings takes two to four weeks depending on system complexity. A simple aluminum storefront on a single elevation can be drawn faster than a multi-story curtainwall with multiple conditions, radius corners, or custom fin details. Once produced, shop drawings go back to the architect and structural engineer for review and stamp. That review cycle adds additional time — typically one to two weeks — and revisions can add another round.
This is often where schedules first start to slip. If the architect's shop drawing review takes three weeks instead of one, that delay flows directly into fabrication. Proactive GCs stay on top of the review queue and flag slow-moving submittals before they become schedule problems.
Phase 3: Fabrication — 4 to 8 Weeks
Fabrication is the phase with the least flexibility. Once shop drawings are approved and the glazing sub releases to fabrication, the glass and frames enter the manufacturer's production queue. You cannot rush a tempering oven. You cannot skip the lamination process. The lead time is what it is.
For standard commercial systems — aluminum storefront, punched impact windows, basic curtainwall — fabrication typically runs four to six weeks from the release date. For longer spans, custom glass sizes, specialty coatings (Low-E, fritted, custom tints), insulated glass units with specific spacer requirements, or systems with extended lead times due to high demand, eight weeks or more is realistic.
Fire-rated glass assemblies often have the longest fabrication lead times — some specialty fire-rated products run ten to fourteen weeks from order. If your project includes fire-rated glazing, that scope needs to be identified and released to fabrication as early as possible.
ACG tracks fabrication lead times for every manufacturer we work with. When you use our Scope Engine, lead time data is factored into the schedule we return with your scope. You won't be guessing.
Phase 4: Installation — Variable
Installation duration depends on the scope, the building's conditions, and the coordination environment. A single-story retail storefront might install in two to five days. A ten-story curtainwall system might take six to ten weeks of field time. There is no single number that applies across project types.
What does affect installation speed reliably: access. If the glazing crew can work continuous floors without waiting for structural or exterior envelope coordination, they move fast. If they're being sequenced around other trades — waterproofing, EIFS, roofing — every interruption adds time. Schedule glazing installation with clear access windows and a defined sequence, and the crew can keep pace. Fragment their access and productivity drops significantly.
Weather is a factor in Florida. High winds above certain thresholds stop crane-assisted curtainwall installation. Summer storms cause daily delays at the elevation work. Build weather contingency into any schedule with significant exterior glazing work, particularly for projects in hurricane season.
Phase 5: Punch List and Closeout — 1 to 2 Weeks
Closeout includes punch list walk, any replacement glass for scratched or damaged units, hardware adjustments, final cleaning of glass surfaces, and as-built documentation. For a well-run project with quality control during installation, punch list is minimal — a few units at most. For projects where quality wasn't monitored, closeout can drag on for weeks as the sub chases replacement glass with the same fabrication lead times as the original order.
The fastest path to closeout is quality control during installation, not after. ACG's field supervisors inspect each floor as work progresses, flagging issues before they're covered by other trades or become difficult to access.
Total Typical Timeline: 13 to 24 Weeks
Adding up all five phases: a typical commercial glazing project runs 13 to 24 weeks from the time the sub receives approved documents to the time the scope is closed out. Simple storefront-only projects can move faster. Complex curtainwall or specialty glazing projects with long fabrication lead times can take longer.
The most important implication for scheduling: the glazing sub needs to be engaged at the front end of the project, not brought in at permit. If you're targeting a glazing installation start in month eight of a project, the submittal process needs to begin in month four or five. Working backward from your installation window is how you identify when the glazing sub needs to be on board.
| Phase | Typical Duration | Key Dependency |
|---|---|---|
| Submittals | 2–3 weeks | Approved drawings, confirmed specs |
| Shop Drawings | 2–4 weeks | Approved submittals, field dimensions |
| Fabrication | 4–8 weeks | Approved shop drawings, release to fab |
| Installation | Varies by scope | Material delivery, trade access |
| Punch / Closeout | 1–2 weeks | Substantial completion, QC during install |
What Causes Glazing Delays
Most glazing delays are predictable, and most are preventable. The common causes break down into three categories:
RFIs and Design Gaps
When construction documents have unclear or conflicting details at glazing conditions — sill heights, anchor locations, threshold conditions, connection to adjacent systems — the glazing sub has to stop and issue RFIs before they can finalize shop drawings or proceed with installation. A single unresolved RFI can stall an entire floor of work if it affects a condition that repeats across the building.
The best mitigation is a pre-construction coordination meeting between the glazing sub, the architect, and the structural engineer before shop drawings begin. Identifying and resolving document issues before fabrication starts is far less costly than resolving them in the field.
Material Lead Times
Lead times for specialty glass products can be long, and they're not always predictable. A product that ran six weeks last quarter might be running ten weeks today due to manufacturing capacity or raw material supply. Fire-rated glass, electrochromic glazing, custom coatings, and large-format structural glass are the most common categories where lead times surprise teams that haven't checked recently.
ACG verifies current lead times before returning any scope. We don't quote from memory — we check. That means the schedule we provide reflects actual current conditions, not last year's numbers.
Coordination Gaps Between Trades
Glazing intersects with waterproofing, EIFS, roofing, structural steel, and interior finishes. When those trades run late or their sequencing conflicts with glazing, installation gets fragmented. A curtainwall crew that can only work every other floor because waterproofing hasn't cleared the floors below is running at a fraction of its potential productivity.
The solution is a detailed look-ahead schedule that coordinates glazing installation access with the other trades working on the envelope. Your glazing sub should be part of weekly coordination meetings, not just a name on a subcontractor list.
How to Keep Glazing on Schedule
A few practices that consistently produce on-schedule glazing scopes:
Bring the glazing sub in early. The earlier the sub is engaged, the earlier submittals can begin. Waiting until the GC's own permit is in hand to issue a glazing subcontract is one of the most common sources of schedule pressure downstream.
Use a pre-construction phase. Involve the glazing sub in design-assist or pre-construction coordination before construction documents are complete. Issues that take a week to resolve during design take weeks of field time to work around during construction.
Track submittals aggressively. Submittal review cycles are often slower than anyone plans for. Track each submittal's submission date, review period, and return date. When a submittal is approaching the end of its scheduled review period without a response, escalate — don't wait.
Release long-lead items first. Fire-rated glass, specialty structural glass, and custom-coated units have the longest fabrication lead times. Identify these items early and get them released to fabrication before the rest of the scope. Partial releases are normal for complex projects.
ACG's Scope Engine factors lead times and typical phase durations into every scope we return. You get a realistic schedule alongside pricing — not just numbers, but a timeline that reflects how the work actually moves. See our portfolio for examples of projects we've delivered on time in Florida's demanding construction environment, and visit our services page for a full breakdown of what we install.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does storefront installation take?
A typical single-story commercial storefront installs in two to five working days for field installation alone, assuming materials are on site and conditions are ready. The total timeline from sub engagement to completed installation — including submittals, shop drawings, and fabrication — is more commonly eight to fourteen weeks for a straightforward scope.
What has the longest lead time in commercial glazing?
Fire-rated glass assemblies consistently have the longest fabrication lead times, often running ten to fourteen weeks or more for specialty rated products. Custom insulated glass units with unusual sizes or coating combinations, and structural glass with long-span configurations, also tend to have extended lead times. Always verify current lead times with your glazing sub — they change based on manufacturer capacity.
Can glazing be fast-tracked?
Some phases can be compressed — experienced shops can produce shop drawings faster, and some manufacturers offer expedited fabrication for a premium. But there are limits. Tempering, laminating, and insulating glass all require process time that cannot be shortened without compromising quality. The most reliable way to fast-track glazing is to start the submittal process earlier, not to rush fabrication.