Sports Lighting Project Timeline: Design to Commissioning
A typical sports lighting project runs about 8–16 weeks, in three phases: photometric design and quoting (1–2 weeks), fixture manufacturing (3–8 weeks), and installation plus aiming and commissioning (1–3 weeks). The range depends mostly on whether you're building new poles and foundations or reusing existing ones. Knowing the phases lets you work backward from an in-service date — a season opener, a tournament — and start early enough to hit it.
This guide lays out the phases, what pushes a project toward the long end of the range, and what pulls it toward the short end.
The phases
| Phase | Duration |
|---|---|
| Design & quote | 1–2 weeks |
| Manufacturing | 3–8 weeks |
| Install & commissioning | 1–3 weeks |
Design and quoting produce the photometric study and firm pricing. Manufacturing builds the fixtures to spec. Installation sets or reuses poles, mounts and wires fixtures, then aims and commissions the system — measuring footcandles and programming controls.
What extends the timeline
The biggest schedule drivers are structural. New poles and foundations add excavation, concrete pours, and crucially concrete cure time before fixtures can be mounted — work that simply takes calendar days regardless of crew size. Permitting (zoning, electrical) and utility coordination (new or upgraded service) add lead time that's often outside your control, so they should be started as early as possible.
What compresses it
Two things shorten a project. Retrofits onto existing, structurally verified poles skip the foundation work and cure time entirely — often the difference between an 8-week and a 16-week schedule. And quick-ship inventory compresses the manufacturing phase when stock fixtures meet the design. The single most effective scheduling move, though, is to start the photometric study early: it drives quoting, manufacturing, and install coordination, so beginning it first keeps everything downstream on track. Duvon's free photometrics speed the design phase, and install coordination keeps the schedule.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a sports lighting project take?
About 8–16 weeks: design and quoting (1–2 weeks), manufacturing (3–8 weeks), and install plus commissioning (1–3 weeks), depending on poles, foundations, and site conditions.
What extends the timeline?
New poles and foundations add concrete cure time and structural work, and permitting and utility coordination add lead time.
What compresses it?
Retrofits onto existing verified poles avoid foundation work, and quick-ship inventory compresses manufacturing.
When should I start the photometric study?
As early as possible — work backward from your in-service date and start the design first, since it drives the whole project.
Can a project be done before a season opener?
Usually yes if you start early — a retrofit can finish in weeks, while a new-pole project needs the full window including cure and permitting time.
Start your project timeline with a free certified photometric study. Get it at duvonlighting.com/free-quote.