Installation Timeline: What to Expect with New Windows and Doors

Replacing weary frames and sticky sashes with crisp new windows and doors changes a home more than most projects. Light sharpens, drafts fade, road noise softens, and rooms feel finished again. The path from idea to a sealed, trimmed, and warrantied installation has a rhythm. When you know the tempo, you can plan furniture moves, school runs, even the dog’s nap schedule without stress.

I have managed and installed hundreds of sets, from one bay window in a Victorian terrace to full-home refits with twenty openings and a triple-track patio door. The steps repeat, yet the details vary: lead time swings with season, material choice shapes the day’s pace, and an awkward lintel can turn a tidy timetable into a puzzle. Here is how a typical timeline unfolds, and where to build in breathing room.

The first conversation and why it matters

Most projects start with a short call to scope the job. A good firm will ask for rough counts, window types, access notes, and whether you are leaning toward upvc windows and doors, timber, or aluminium windows and doors. If you have a wide-span slider, a conservation bay, or a top-floor flat without lift access, flag those early. This first exchange sets the tone, and it helps the supplier assign the right surveyor.

From that first call to an on-site survey usually takes 3 to 10 days in quieter periods and up to 2 weeks in peak spring and autumn. If you are working on a chain of trades, account for that variability. Small jobs, one or two openings, sometimes get squeezed into cancellations and can move faster.

The survey is the foundation

The technical survey is the single most important appointment before fabrication. Expect the surveyor to measure each opening in three dimensions, check plumb and level, inspect sills, note cill heights relative to flooring, and probe the https://postheaven.net/jorguskeks/key-factors-when-choosing-between-aluminium-or-upvc-products-from-top-local condition of the surrounding reveals. On older homes, we look for hidden lintels, bowed brickwork, past movement, and signs of damp around the heads and sills. With aluminium windows and doors, tolerances are tighter and frame flex is lower, so we measure with less forgiveness.

The survey takes anywhere from 45 minutes for a simple pair of casements to several hours for a full house with mixed products. If you have trickle vent preferences, handle colors, glazing bar layouts, or a security upgrade in mind, have those conversations now. Changing your mind after production starts can cost time and money. Good surveyors also plan the installation path. A three-panel composite door may be 100 kilograms. If the only route involves a tight staircase, we will plan to dismantle the frame on site or bring extra hands.

If a structural issue appears, we may propose a separate lintel install or a change in frame design. Occasionally, a job pauses while a structural engineer signs off a large opening. That adds days, sometimes a week or two, but it prevents cracks and jams the first winter.

Choosing materials and why lead time differs

Material choice influences both schedule and how the installation day feels.

uPVC windows and doors move quickly in production. Most double glazing suppliers quote 2 to 4 weeks from survey to delivery for standard white, sometimes a week longer for foiled colors. Install time per opening is often shorter because uPVC is lighter and the trims are forgiving. Aluminium windows and doors take a little longer, typically 4 to 6 weeks, and large sliders or bifolds can push that to 6 to 8 during busy periods. The payoff is rigidity, slimmer sightlines, and longevity, yet you will need to plan for more hands on site and a stricter fit to the opening. Timber needs the most time. Factory-finished wood units can take 6 to 10 weeks, and weather during installation matters more for finishing touches.

Hardware and glazing choices also move the needle. Toughened glass is standard in critical locations, and laminated security glass or acoustic glass adds a few days. Triple glazing adds weight and sometimes stretches lead time. Decorative grids, integral blinds, and custom colors usually add a week.

The contract, deposit, and schedule lock-in

Once specifications are set, you will receive a written quotation that lists frame material, color, hardware, glazing type, energy ratings, U-values, and fit-out details like trims and cills. Read this carefully. If you want trickle vents or child-safety restrictors, make sure they appear in writing. Check hinge sides and door swing directions. Minor errors here ripple into costly refits.

Most firms take a deposit around 10 to 25 percent to begin fabrication. The day this deposit clears often becomes your production start date. At that point, your slot in the factory line is real, and your installation window can be penciled in. Expect a provisional week range first, then a confirmed day or days once the frames are loaded to the van. That confirmation usually lands 3 to 7 days before install.

Making the home ready

Your installers will respect your home, but dust is a fact. Old putty, timber, and plaster become fine airborne grit. Clear a path to each opening, remove curtains and blinds, take down picture frames near the work, and protect nearby furniture. For a full-home refit, I suggest a room-by-room staging plan. Empty one room entirely, then move forward as openings are completed. If you need to keep a baby’s room quiet during naps, we can schedule that window to the first hour of the morning.

Pets and alarms deserve thought. Motion sensors near windows often need to be disabled for a day. Cats bolt when unfamiliar people open holes in the house. We prefer to schedule a pet-safe room and keep it closed until the evening. If your smoke detectors are hyper-sensitive, let us know, as dust can set them off.

The installation day, hour by hour

Arrival time is typically 8 to 9 a.m., depending on traffic and parking. A simple two-person crew can handle two to six standard windows in a day, depending on size and finish. Add more time for sash windows, bays, or large doors. A single composite door may take half a day if extensive trimming is needed, while a flush-fit uPVC casement can be a tidy two-hour exchange.

The pattern looks roughly like this:

Site prep and protection. Dust sheets, floor runners, and protection boards go down first. We set up extraction and vacs to catch as much debris as possible. Removal of the old unit. We score caulk lines, carefully pry away trims, slice fixings, and separate sashes. In brick openings, we avoid hammering the inner reveals to protect plaster lines. Removing a window without damaging the surrounding finish saves time at the end. Inspection of the opening. We clean and vacuum the cavity, check for rotten timbers, confirm the integrity of the sill or threshold, and measure again. If we uncover a damp issue or void, we address it with treated packers, trims, or fresh mortar. On old stonework, we often use expanding tapes instead of heavy foam to allow movement while sealing properly. Setting the new frame. We dry-fit, check square and level, then fix using proper anchors or frame fixings into brick or block. Pack carefully at the hinge points and lock points. Aluminium windows and doors demand even packing to avoid twist. We test-swing sashes and doors before final fixing. Sealing and finishing. External sealants vary. On brick, I prefer low-modulus neutral cure silicone for flexibility, matched to the frame or mortar where possible. On render, a color-matched mastic looks clean. Internally, we use trims or make-good plaster depending on the contract. Trickle vents are installed and tested. The glazing beads go in after the panes are seated, with packers positioned to support loads correctly, especially on large doors. Hardware and adjustments. Hinges, keeps, and locking points are fine-tuned. Your handle action should feel smooth without grating. For multipoint doors, we adjust compression for a firm seal that does not require force to close.

By late morning, the first openings are often in, and the team moves in a loop so the house is never left open. If weather turns, we switch to a one-by-one approach to keep the home secure. We will not remove more than we can replace in the same day unless we have agreed on temporary boarding.

How long the whole job takes

Time on site depends on three variables: number of openings, complexity, and making-good scope. Some realistic ranges:

One standard uPVC window: about 1.5 to 3 hours, including finish. Three to five uPVC casements: a single day with a two-person crew. A full-home refit of 10 to 14 windows mixed with one back door: usually 2 to 3 days with a two- or three-person team. A bay window: often half a day to a full day, depending on structure and trims. An aluminium three-panel slider: 1 day, sometimes with a morning return to fine-tune and trim if plaster lines are delicate. Timber installs: add time for careful finishing, paint touch-ins, and curing. Plan an extra day for a mid-sized job.

When double glazing suppliers stack their calendars near holidays, an installation window can shift by a day or two. Factor that into painter or flooring bookings. The smartest projects leave trades a little air between tasks, rather than elbowing them together.

Special cases that shift the timeline

No two houses behave the same. A few patterns come up often.

Victorian and Edwardian terraces often have out-of-square openings. A laser line reveals a few degrees of lean, especially on bays. We can fit the frame plumb and square for smooth operation, then dress the uneven reveal with trims that visually align. This adds a bit of finishing time.

Concrete or steel lintels are common in post-war homes, but I still find brick arches on cottages that have moved over time. If the survey suggests a weak lintel and we confirm it on the day, we may have to pause and install a lintel. That turns a morning into a day and requires dust control and brickwork skills.

Apartments and high rises involve building management rules, parking permits, and sometimes hoists. Plan extra time for lift bookings and protection of common areas. Installers often need to work within quiet hours, which compresses the day.

Coastal homes face wind and saline air. We choose marine-grade hardware and, if the forecast gusts above safe handling limits, postpone large glazed units. Safety and glass do not duet well with high wind.

What it feels like after the installers leave

Good crews finish with a methodical wrap-up: hardware demonstration, lock and key handover, care and maintenance notes, a check of trickle vents, and instructions for the first few days. Expect a little mastic smell that fades within a day. Operate sashes and doors a few times to get a feel for the action. Modern frames settle microscopically as packers bed and seals relax. We sometimes schedule a courtesy check a week later to tweak compression on a door strike or ease a child-stay.

If plaster or paint touch-ups are part of the contract, they may happen the same day on small fixes or the day after to let sealants cure. In winter, low temperatures slow curing. Keep the heating a touch warmer on the first evening, and avoid heavy window dressings that press onto fresh mastic.

Energy performance and why some frames feel different right away

You will feel the change in the first cold snap. Double glazing with warm-edge spacers and argon fill lifts the internal pane temperature, so rooms shed less heat to the outside. Upgrading from older, leaky seals to modern compression gaskets eliminates the whistle you may have stopped noticing. Aluminium windows and doors with thermal breaks perform far better than their unbroken ancestors, but they still feel different to the touch than uPVC or timber. That is normal. The performance shows in the bills and the comfort, not in the surface feel.

Acoustic glass helps by shifting the frequency at which sound transmits. If you live near a busy road, the reduction can be dramatic, though low-frequency rumble is harder to silence fully. Laminated panes add security and quiet in one move, at the cost of weight and a slightly longer lead time.

Working smoothly with your installer

Great outcomes come from clear roles. Installers coordinate materials, fitting, and basic making-good. You, in turn, can set the job up for success with access, timely decisions, and realistic expectations. Complex trims, full plaster repairs, and decorating beyond minor blends are often outside the window contract. If you want a seamless look, plan a painter to follow a day or two behind, especially after large openings or bays.

If you have chosen a bold external color, share a photo of your brick or render. Many double glazing suppliers offer sealant and trim colors that harmonize, and these small choices make the finished work feel intentional. For aluminium frames with slim sightlines, discuss sightline alignment across mullions before production. On a façade, a few millimeters change the look.

Weather and the calendar

We fit year-round, yet weather changes tactics. Light rain is fine for removal and fitting, but heavy rain can stall external sealing, and wind complicates glass handling. In hot months, mastic skins fast and needs careful tooling. In winter, we may warm sealants and use accelerators. Installers plan around a weather window, and you should too. If a storm rolls in, it is better to shift a day than rush. Ask your installer how they handle weather calls and when they decide to postpone.

Lead times swell in March through June and again in September through November. If you want new windows and doors before a holiday or a family visit, book early. If your timeline is tight, ask if any standard sizes are in stock. It is rare, but sometimes a standard uPVC color and size pair with your needs and save weeks.

Aftercare: the quiet part of the timeline

Once the frames are in and you have lived with them for a week, note anything that feels off. A handle that needs a firm pull, a trickle vent that rattles in high wind, a door that brushes the gasket more than you like. Most adjustments are minor and quick. Keep your paperwork handy. A well-run company registers your warranty, certificates for building regulations compliance, and in some regions an insurance-backed guarantee. Ask when those documents arrive. Two to six weeks after completion is typical.

Maintenance is light. Keep drainage channels clear. Wash frames with mild soapy water, not harsh chemicals. For aluminium, a soft cloth preserves the powder coat. For uPVC, avoid abrasive pads. Lubricate hinges and locks annually with a light, non-greasy spray. If you have coastal exposure, rinse salt spray more often.

Cost awareness without surprises

Time and cost are cousins. Rushed decisions can lead to last-minute changes, which mean delays and extras. Upfront clarity on scope prevents that. If you are comparing quotes from double glazing suppliers, compare like for like: profile system, glass spec, hardware grade, and installation method. A cheap quote that excludes making-good can look dear once you add a plasterer. If you value security, specify laminated glass in accessible areas and a three-star cylinder on doors. Those choices barely change the timeline, but they matter in real life.

A short homeowner’s checklist for a calm install

Confirm opening counts, sizes, and swing directions in writing before production. Clear paths and remove window dressings the evening before. Arrange parking or permits so the crew can unload close to the home. Plan a pet-safe room and note alarm sensors that need temporary disarming. Keep a small contingency day free in case weather or a surprise adds time.

What to expect when choosing between uPVC and aluminium on timing

Homeowners often ask whether uPVC saves time beyond the factory lead. The answer is yes, modestly. On site, uPVC’s lighter frames move easily, and trims hide minor variances cleanly. Aluminium, while more exacting, rewards with sharp lines and satisfying operation. If your project blends both, we plan the sequence so aluminium goes into the truest openings and uPVC handles the quirky ones, smoothing the day’s pace.

If you pair a heavy aluminium slider with several uPVC casements, do the slider first while energy is high and light is good, then let the team march through the simpler windows. That cadence often keeps a two-day schedule on one and a half days, with the second afternoon reserved for detailing and a patient clean.

Final thoughts from the jobsite

The best installations feel unhurried, even when the team moves quickly. That comes from preparation, not speed. A firm survey, a clean spec, a realistic slot on the calendar, and a house ready for boots and tools are what keep the day quiet and the result tight. Whether you choose upvc windows and doors for value and insulation, aluminium windows and doors for strength and slim profiles, or a mix, the timeline rests on these steady steps.

Give yourself a little grace on the calendar. Weather throws the odd elbow, a lintel might demand respect, and glass sometimes arrives late from the toughening plant. Build in a day of slack, keep communication open, and you will end the week with smooth handles, clean sightlines, and quieter rooms. That, in the end, is what makes the planning worth it.

Doorwins
Address: Office 11, Dearden House, W Gate, London W5 1BS
Phone: 020 8629 1250

Doorwins Windows and Doors is widely known as the number one windows and doors specialists in London. We supply and professionally fit premium aluminium windows for residential and commercial projects.

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