How long to complete with no chain?

[SheldonSaysSo1]

How long can we expect things to take to purchase a house without a chain? We agreed on a quick sale but things seem to have slowed down a few weeks in. Is this to be expected or a sign of delays?

In normal times, I'd say 12-16 weeks, although it can be a lot quicker, if everyone is playing ball.
Are you buying or selling?
Whichever, you should be contacting your solicitor at least weekly for an update, and if you have completion dates in mind, make sure everyone knows about that ASAP.
If the buyer has to get a mortgage, that could be a potential area of delay, so you'd want to specifically ask whether the survey has been commissioned and paid for yet and find out whether there's a date for that. Then keep tabs on the progress from there.
If you are the buyer, get confirmation as to whether your solicitor has received the draft contract and supporting paperwork from the sellers yet, and find out when they expect to receive the searches. Be specific, ask when they were submitted. If no contract has been sent yet, get on to the estate agents and ask what the delay is. Ask specifically what needs to happen before exchange can take place, and ask for a timeframe.

Banks are delaying their mortgage underwriting, and coming up with lower desktop valuation fingers which might explain the delays.

We're buying with nothing to sell. Currently valuation has been done and contract packs received. I am not sure about searches - I'll ask about this. I am concerned if we don't move quickly we might be affected by later lockdowns if Coronavirus peaks again. I'm really aiming for more like 10 weeks which seemed very doable at the beginning but now it looks unlikely.

So my surveyor was at the new house on Friday and I'm choosing my solicitor.
I did get a quote from a local firm who is representing the vendors.
Are you able to use the same solicitors ??
I was going to ask them tomorrow and I do have another option but thought I'd ask.

Thanks !

I should think you can use the same firm but not the same solicitor. They are there to act in your best interests so things will be conflicting if they work for both sides. Ask around for other local recommendations too.

5-6 weeks. We were first time buyers with a mortgage.

Both time around 8 weeks with an excellent solicitor and property buying empty both times. No mortgage on one.