Quick answer: A typical commercial glass installation in Florida takes 6-16 weeks from bid award to substantial completion. The breakdown: shop drawings 2-4 weeks, owner/architect review 1-2 weeks, AHJ submittal and NOA review 2-4 weeks, material lead time 4-10 weeks (running in parallel), installation 1-4 weeks. Custom finishes, blast-rated assemblies, and curved glass add 4-8 weeks.
After contract award, the glazier produces shop drawings showing exact mullion locations, glass sizes, hardware schedule, and structural calculations. For HVHZ work, this phase also includes pulling the right Miami-Dade NOA or Florida Product Approval for the assembly. Shop drawings take 10-15 working days for a typical storefront and 15-25 working days for a curtain wall.
The architect and owner mark up shop drawings — color selection, hardware tweaks, threshold details, sealant joints. The glazier revises and re-submits. This phase often adds 1 round of revision, which adds another 5 working days.
Some Florida AHJs review storefront submittals quickly (5-7 business days); others take 15-20. Miami-Dade County is generally fast on NOAs but slow on construction permit review for the building. Plan for 3 weeks average.
Aluminum extrusions are typically 3-5 weeks lead time. Stock glass is 1-2 weeks. Custom glass (low-E, laminated, frit, ceramic-coated) is 4-8 weeks. Custom-anodized or PVDF-painted aluminum is 8-12 weeks. Material lead time runs in parallel with shop drawings and submittal, so the total isn't additive — it's the longest single track.
A 200 SF restaurant storefront installs in 2-3 working days. A 5,000 SF curtain wall installs in 4-8 working weeks. Speed depends on access, site congestion, and weather. Florida summer thunderstorms can shut down crane work mid-day — schedule accordingly.
Bid early with full architectural drawings. Choose stock aluminum colors and standard NOA glass. Lock the GC's structural opening before shop drawings — re-engineering after framing changes is the single biggest schedule killer. Order material on signed contract, not on permit issuance.
A typical commercial glass project in Florida takes 6-16 weeks from contract to substantial completion. The breakdown: 2-4 weeks shop drawings, 1-2 weeks review, 2-4 weeks permit, 4-10 weeks material lead time (parallel), and 1-4 weeks installation.
A small storefront tenant improvement (under 200 SF) using stock aluminum and standard tempered glass can install in 2-3 weeks from contract — if shop drawings are simple and the permit is fast.
Curtain wall requires more engineering, more shop drawings, and longer material lead times. Unitized curtain wall is fabricated in panels off-site, which adds 6-10 weeks to the schedule but reduces field install time.
Sometimes — paying expedite fees to extrusion suppliers can shave 1-2 weeks. Stock glass and stock aluminum colors save 2-4 weeks vs. custom. Working with a glazier who carries the right stock inventory saves time.
Building department permit delays, structural opening changes after shop drawings, and weather. The first two are controllable; the third is not.
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