Commercial Art Program Timeline Checklist

Typical single-phase program: 14 to 26 weeks (3.5 to 6 months) from signed proposal to final piece hung. The critical path is almost always moulding sourcing — lock specifications early to compress the schedule.

Phase-by-Phase Timeline

Discovery & Quoting

2 to 4 weeks

Share piece list, sizes, and budget. Framer matches design intent to budget with a detailed quote.

Specification & Sample Approval

2 weeks

Lock moulding, mats, glazing, substrates. Approve physical samples where required.

Art Sourcing / Licensing

2 weeks (parallel)

Designer finalizes selections; framer can assist with acquiring originals when needed.

Moulding & Materials Sourcing

2 weeks to 6 months

Stocked profiles ship in days; large custom orders can run 90 days to 6 months from the mill. Critical path.

Printing & Framing Production

1 to 10 weeks

In-house throughput: 100 large or 250 smaller pieces per week. Fine-art Epson printing on-site.

QC, Packaging & Crating

1 week

Inspection, cleaning, and packaging — individual cartons, pallets, or custom crates.

Freight to Site

1 to 2 weeks (domestic)

7 to 10 days LTL from Fullerton, CA to the Northeastern U.S. Cruise / international coordinated to ship windows.

On-Site Installation

Up to 30 pcs / installer / day

1 installer for ~100 pcs; 2-person crew for 500 to 1,000+ pcs. Requires ready walls and closed punch list.

Total Timeline Benchmarks by Program Type

Program Type	Piece Count	Realistic Total Timeline
Boutique hotel	~150 pieces	14 to 22 weeks (3.5 to 5 months)
Full-service hotel	~500 to 800 pieces	20 to 36 weeks (5 to 9 months)
Hospital / medical office	~300 to 600 pieces	16 to 28 weeks (4 to 7 months)
Corporate HQ / office	~200 to 400 pieces	14 to 24 weeks (3.5 to 6 months)
Cruise ship refurbishment	1,500 to 3,500 pieces	32 to 52 weeks (8 to 12 months)

Top 3 Things That Blow Up a Timeline

1. Moulding Lead Time

Large custom orders can run 90 days to 6 months from the mill. Lock specs early.

2. Slow Client Decisions

Every week added to art or spec approval is a week lost on the back end — the “done by” date rarely moves.

3. File & PM Discipline

Wrong file formats and unresolved decisions rework the schedule. Assign a clear project owner.