This depends on your contract. We can not know what the particular circumstances of your commission is. In ideal circumstances you'd look up your contract for a project proposal. However, we do not know what kind of deal you made.*
A contract in, many ways, is just simply about enumerating operating practice so that both you as a client know what the operating procedure is. A contract is a win-win situation you should have one it saves you from a lot headaches.
In this contract you should include some a project time estimate and deadlines. Deadlines both for the designer and you as a client**, is important otherwise nothing gets done. In general the contract should include:
- Overview and objectives of project.
- Process and milestones, aka. how do we work and when we deliver what. More importantly when it is considered done.
- Fees and expenses, how are they handled.
- A work schedule.
- And finally a Billing schedule.
- Job deliverables and intellectual property releases.
- General terms of services.
So ideally you would look at what your contract stipulates to clarify. If you did commission work without a contract with all these things and more, you have problems.
* This kind of experience is often a result of not writing down a proper contract. This could happen for many reasons such as trying to get a bargain on the project cost.
** Yes, clients with no previous knowledge of buying consultancy and services often sabotage their own projects by mistake.