Furniture delivery times: what is normal
Furniture held in stock arrives within days, catalogue items ordered from the manufacturer take four to ten weeks, and bespoke pieces take eight to sixteen, with the lead time recorded in writing on the order.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- The lead time must appear in writing on the order document.
- Shipping to the island adds 1 to 3 weeks to mainland lead times.
- A substantial delay allows the contract to be terminated.
- The usual deposit runs 30 to 50 per cent.
A lead time is not a friendly estimate: it is part of the contract. And when it coincides with the end of a renovation, three weeks late leaves a home unusable.
What lead time applies where
Stock held by the retailer, 2 to 10 days. Catalogue product shipped from the manufacturer's warehouse, 4 to 10 weeks. Product made to order with a chosen finish or dimension, 8 to 16 weeks. And imported pieces or upholstery in a specific fabric, which can reach 20 weeks. To all of that, on the island, add the shipping.
| Type | Mainland | With shipping to the island |
|---|---|---|
| In store stock | 2 to 10 days | the same |
| Catalogue from warehouse | 4 to 8 weeks | 5 to 10 weeks |
| Made to order finish | 8 to 12 weeks | 9 to 14 weeks |
| Bespoke | 10 to 16 weeks | 11 to 18 weeks |
| Upholstery in a specific fabric | 12 to 20 weeks | 13 to 22 weeks |
| Usual deposit | 30 to 50 % | |
| Assembly after delivery | 1 to 3 weeks | by schedule |
What the order must state
A full description with reference, dimensions, finish and fabric. The total price including tax. The deposit amount and how the balance is paid. A delivery date or a lead time expressed in weeks from signature. Whether assembly is included and within what period after delivery. And the withdrawal terms, which operate differently for an in store purchase than for a distance sale.
If it is late
A delay of a few days is ordinary and reasonable. Faced with a substantial delay, the buyer may require performance in writing within a further reasonable period and, if that also passes, terminate the contract and recover the sums paid. The communication must leave a record, and it is worth documenting the loss where the delay forces a rental to be extended or a move postponed.
On bespoke items the maker may cite supply difficulties, but that does not turn the lead time into an open ended commitment.
Planning around a renovation
Long lead items are ordered at the beginning, not at the end. Kitchen, fitted wardrobes and sofa should be commissioned as soon as the dimensions are fixed, with 10 to 16 weeks ahead of them. Leaving those orders until the works are finished is the mistake that turns a 4 month renovation into a 6 month one with nobody on site having done anything wrong.
Frequently asked
+How long does bespoke furniture take?
Ten to sixteen weeks on the mainland and 11 to 18 with shipping to the island.
+Must the lead time be in writing?
Yes, on the order document alongside the full description and payment terms.
+What deposit is normal?
Thirty to fifty per cent of the price, with the balance on delivery.
+What can I do if it is late?
Require performance in writing within a further reasonable period and, failing that, terminate the contract.
+When should I order during a renovation?
As soon as dimensions are fixed, not at the end, because of the 10 to 16 week lead times.
Sources
- 1Boletín Oficial del Estado, BOE (August 2026)
- 2Govern de les Illes Balears, Govern de les Illes Balears (August 2026)