How long does a shopfront replacement take?
Aluminium takes 3 to 4 weeks after drawing sign-off, steel 5 to 6, frameless 4 to 6, timber 6 to 8, and shutters 2 to 3 weeks after survey. Planning adds at least 8 weeks, or two months in Scotland.
5 minute read. Last updated November 2026.
How long does a shopfront replacement take?
Aluminium shopfronts take 3 to 4 weeks after drawing sign-off, and the full job takes longer once survey, quotation and any consents are added. Lead time depends on the material:
| Item | Lead time |
|---|---|
| Aluminium shopfront | 3 to 4 weeks after drawing sign-off |
| Frameless glass shopfront | 4 to 6 weeks after drawing sign-off |
| Steel shopfront | 5 to 6 weeks after drawing sign-off |
| Timber shopfront | 6 to 8 weeks after drawing sign-off |
| Roller shutter | 2 to 3 weeks after survey |
| Repairs | Often within the week |
The clock starts on drawing sign-off for a frontage, so your own speed in checking the drawing counts. Bi-fold lead times are confirmed on the quotation, because they depend on the hardware.
What are the stages of a shopfront replacement?
A shopfront replacement has six stages, and only the last happens on the pavement.
- Enquiry. You send a width and a few photographs, and get a guide figure.
- Survey. We measure, check the structure and note the access. This is free for new work.
- Quotation and drawing. One itemised quotation, valid for 90 days, and one drawing.
- Consents. You get planning, advertisement, building control or landlord consent, as needed.
- Order. You accept the quotation and sign off the drawing. Manufacture starts.
- Fit. Strip-out, frontage, shutter, glazing, testing and handover.
Stage 4 is the one most people underestimate. Do it before stage 5 if you can, because ordering a frontage that then fails planning is an expensive mistake.
How much time do consents add?
Planning adds at least 8 weeks in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and two months in Scotland, because that is the legal decision period for a minor application. Allow longer if the council asks for changes, and allow time before submitting to prepare the drawings.
| Consent | Time to allow |
|---|---|
| Planning permission | 8 weeks, or two months in Scotland, once valid |
| Advertisement consent, England | 8 weeks before you can appeal a non-decision |
| Listed building consent | Ask the council, and allow for specialist review |
| Building control | Ask your building control body, or council verifier in Scotland |
| Landlord's licence to alter | Depends on the landlord. Start early |
These run at the same time if you start them together, so apply for everything at once where you can. Our quotation stays valid for 90 days, which covers a straightforward application if you start promptly.
What does a real timeline look like?
A simple aluminium job with no consents can be on site 5 to 6 weeks after survey, and the same job with planning takes 14 to 15 weeks. Both examples assume a week to prepare the quotation and drawing and a week for you to sign it off.
| Stage | Aluminium, no consents (weeks) | Aluminium, with planning (weeks) | Timber, listed, with consents (weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quotation and drawing | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Applications prepared | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Decision period | 0 | 8 | 8 or more |
| Sign-off | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Lead time | 3 to 4 | 3 to 4 | 6 to 8 |
| Weeks after survey | 5 to 6 | 14 to 15 | 18 to 20 or more |
These are worked examples and not promises. The week figures for quotation, preparation and sign-off are assumptions you can change, while the lead times come from our published list. A shutter takes 2 to 3 weeks after survey, so it is usually ready before the frontage. We time the two so that they arrive for the same fit.
Will my shop have to close during the fit?
Not necessarily, because closed-day or out-of-hours installation can be arranged. The length of the fit depends on the width, how much strip-out there is and what is found behind the old frontage, so we talk it through after the survey.
Before the work starts, agree these points:
- Which days and hours the team will be on site.
- How the shop is kept secure and weathertight overnight if the work runs on.
- Whether customers can still get in, and through which door.
- How the pavement stays safe and whether a licence is needed for it.
- Where the old frontage goes, and when it leaves.
- When power to the shutter or lighting will be off.
Tell your insurer and any neighbours who share a wall. If you have stock near the window, plan to move it before the fit.
How long does a shutter on its own take?
A shutter on its own takes 2 to 3 weeks after survey, because the curtain, barrel and motor are made to the measured size. There is less design to agree than on a frontage, so the time usually depends on how quickly you accept the quotation.
Planning can still apply. An external shutter normally needs permission, so a shutter with no frontage work can still take a couple of months. If you have a security problem now, ask about interim steps such as moving stock or fitting stronger glass, which Conwy and Croydon both say does not need permission.
How long does a repair take?
Repairs are often done within the week, though parts can stretch that. A motor change is usually simple once the box can be reached. A special glass unit or an old curtain section may need ordering, and that adds time.
If the shop cannot be locked or the shutter is unsafe, say so when you call, so we can talk through what to do while you wait. A stuck shutter should be left alone until an engineer has seen it.
What usually causes delays?
Most delays come from decisions and consents and not from the factory. These are the ones we plan around:
| Cause | How to avoid it |
|---|---|
| Drawing changes after sign-off | Check the drawing with your landlord and sign-writer first |
| Hidden structure | Expect it on old buildings, and allow some contingency |
| Planning conditions | Read them. Some need details approved before work starts |
| Colour changes | Fix the RAL number before you sign off |
| Glass breakage in transit | Large panes are replaced to order, which takes time |
| Power not ready | Book your electrician before the fit date |
Tell us your target date at the start, and we will say whether it is realistic. Begin with the quote tool or contact us.
Common questions
Can a shopfront be replaced in a day?
That depends on the width and how much strip-out is involved. We confirm the time on site after the survey, and closed-day or out-of-hours work can be arranged.
How quickly can a shutter be fitted?
Shutters take 2 to 3 weeks after survey. A repair is often done within the week.
When does the lead time start?
For a shopfront it starts at drawing sign-off, and for a shutter it starts at the survey.
Related services
- Full frontage replacement
- Shopfront and shutter packages
- Aluminium shopfronts
- Timber and heritage shopfronts
Sources
- Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015, article 34
- Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Wales) Order 2012, article 22
- Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2013, regulation 26
- Planning (General Development Procedure) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015, article 20
- GOV.UK: Outdoor advertisements and signs, a guide for advertisers (England)
- Conwy County Borough Council: LDP3 shop front security
- Croydon Council: shop front security addendum
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