How long does it take to build a website? Realistic timelines

“How long will it take?” It is often a client’s second question, after the budget. The honest answer: it depends. But “it depends” without an explanation helps no one. Here is what really determines how long a web project takes, and how to avoid unpleasant surprises.

Average timelines by type of project

• Brochure website package (up to 5 pages, content ready): 1 to 3 weeks
• Bespoke brochure website, 5 to 10 pages: 3 to 6 weeks
• Brochure website with a blog and features: 5 to 8 weeks
• Online shop (up to 100 products): 4 to 6 weeks
• Complex online shop (500+ products): 6 to 12 weeks
• Custom development: 6 to 12 weeks depending on complexity, sometimes more

These timelines run from the moment the quote is approved and all the necessary material has been received.

The phases of a web project

Phase 1: Scoping (1 week)

Brief, goals, site structure and technology choices. This is the foundation. Poor scoping means a project that drifts.

Phase 2: Design and mock-ups (1 to 3 weeks)

Visual design of the home page and page templates, with rounds of feedback until the client approves them. This is often where timelines slip if feedback is slow to arrive.

Phase 3: Build and development (2 to 4 weeks)

The coding. The approved mock-ups become real, responsive pages, tested on different browsers and devices.

Phase 4: Content and SEO (1 to 2 weeks)

Adding the text and images and optimising for SEO. If the client supplies ready-written copy, this phase is quick. If everything has to be produced, it takes longer.

Phase 5: Testing and launch (1 week)

Final tests, fixes, going live and setting up the domain and hosting.

The factor that delays projects most: the client

Let us be frank. In the vast majority of projects that overrun, the main cause is not the provider: it is how long the client takes to give approval.

Situations that derail a project:

• Text and images not supplied on time (or of poor quality)
• Feedback on mock-ups arriving 3 weeks after they were presented
• Fundamental changes midway through (“actually, we would like to add a shop...”)
• A change of contact person during the project
• Approvals that have to go through several levels of management

How to keep to the timeline on your side

• Prepare your copy before the project starts: it is the most often neglected point, and the one with the biggest impact
• Gather your photos and visuals: a high-resolution logo, team photos, product images
• Appoint a single contact person on your side for approvals
• Respond to approval requests within 72 hours: a provider cannot wait 3 weeks between rounds of feedback

Timelines that are too short: the “I want it in 2 weeks” trap

A website delivered in a rush is almost always a sloppy website. Testing is cut short, SEO optimisation is skipped and design details are neglected. A website in one week is only realistic with a scope fixed in advance and content ready from day one: that is the principle of a fixed-price package. For a bespoke website, be wary of promises of just a few days.

Genuinely urgent? A single landing page can be delivered in 1 to 2 weeks while the full website is being built. It is a sensible option for an immediate launch.

Key takeaways

A good web project takes 1 to 3 weeks for a brochure website package (fixed scope, content ready) and 4 to 8 weeks for a bespoke website. Shortening that timeline beyond a certain point comes at the expense of quality. Dragging it out unnecessarily (projects that stall for 6 months) reflects poor organisation or poor follow-up. Ask for a schedule with the quote, and stick to it on your side.