“How long will my website take?” is one of the first questions every client asks — and the honest answer is “it depends on how fast you can make decisions,” not just how fast a developer can type. Here’s a realistic breakdown of where the time actually goes.
The four phases that make up a build
Every website project moves through the same four phases, whether it takes two weeks or two months:
- Discovery and planning (2–5 days): defining pages, content requirements, and what “done” looks like.
- Design (5–10 days): layout, branding, and revisions until the look is approved.
- Development (7–15 days): building the approved design into a working, responsive site.
- Content, testing and launch (3–7 days): final copy, QA across devices, and go-live.
Typical timelines by site type
- Simple 5-page business site: 2–3 weeks
- Custom-designed site with more pages and integrations: 4–6 weeks
- E-commerce store: 6–10 weeks, depending on catalog size and payment/shipping setup
What actually slows a project down
In practice, the build itself is rarely the bottleneck. The things that add weeks to a timeline are almost always on the client side: late content and photos, slow feedback on design drafts, and scope changing mid-project. A team that already has its copy, logo and images ready can move noticeably faster than one starting from a blank page.
How to keep your project on schedule
- Gather your page content and images before the project starts, not during it.
- Give feedback on design drafts within 48 hours where possible.
- Lock the page list and scope before development begins.
- Ask for a written timeline with milestone dates up front, not just a total estimate.
Want a timeline specific to your project? See our pricing plans or get in touch for a free estimate based on what you actually need.
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