How Long Does It Take to Build a Website?
A simple site: 2–4 weeks. A business site with CMS: 4–8 weeks. A custom web app: 3–6 months. The real variable isn't the developer — it's how ready you are.
Quick answer
A simple brochure site: 2–4 weeks. A business site with CMS: 4–8 weeks. A custom web app or platform: 3–6 months. The real variable isn't the developer — it's how ready you are when the project starts.
Why Timelines Vary So Much
Two projects that look identical on the surface can have wildly different timelines depending on what's underneath. A "five-page website" for a dentist is completely different from a "five-page website" for a SaaS company that needs an interactive demo, booking integration, and a headless CMS backend.
The three things that actually determine how long a build takes: the complexity of what you're building, how much content and decisions you can supply upfront, and how many rounds of revision you go through.
Timeline by Project Type
Brochure / landing page
A few pages, no backend, mostly static. Fast to build. Slow to start if the client hasn't decided what they want.
Small business website
Home, About, Services, Contact, maybe a blog. Some CMS integration. Design decisions take longer than the code.
E-commerce store
Product catalogue, checkout flow, payment integration, mobile-first layout. The integration work takes time.
Web app or platform
Authentication, database, custom logic, user roles, billing, dashboards. Every feature adds scope.
Enterprise or complex product
Multi-stakeholder requirements, compliance, integrations, team coordination. More handoffs = more time.
What Slows Projects Down
Most delays don't come from the developer's side. These are the most common causes of a project running late:
Waiting on content
Text, images, logos — if you don't have them ready, work stops. Developers can't build pages around content that doesn't exist yet.
Changing the brief mid-build
Every new requirement pushes the timeline. Scope changes mid-project are expensive and common.
Slow feedback cycles
A one-week wait for approval adds one week to the timeline. Reviews and sign-offs need to be fast.
No clear decision maker
When five people have to agree before anything moves, nothing moves quickly.
Underspecified requirements
Ambiguity at the start means rework later. The more detailed the brief, the faster the build.
Integration surprises
Third-party APIs, legacy systems, and payment providers regularly surprise developers mid-build.
How to Get to Launch Faster
Have content ready before you start
The single biggest accelerator. If you can hand over all text, images, and copy on day one, the project moves in a straight line.
Prioritise ruthlessly
Identify what the site must do to launch, and push everything else to phase two. A leaner scope ships faster.
One person owns decisions
Nominate a single point of contact on your side who can approve and respond quickly. Review by committee adds weeks.
Agree a milestone plan upfront
A project with clear checkpoints moves predictably. If a milestone slips, you know early enough to adjust.
Don't change scope mid-build
New features during development push everything back. Write ideas down and save them for after launch.
Timeline checklist
Have a deadline in mind?
Tell us what you need to build and when. We'll give you a straight timeline estimate and let you know what we need from you to hit it.
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