Website build timeline, week by week

How long does it take to build a website? In my projects, a landing page takes from 10 days, a multi-page business website usually three to four weeks, and a large website on a custom CMS up to 30 days of work. The build itself is rarely what stretches a project. Waiting is: for copy approvals, for photos, for logins to the domain.

Below is a week-by-week website build timeline for a typical small business site, what you need to do in each phase, and the usual reasons projects slip.

Before week 1: the call and the agreement

Every project starts with a free 30-minute intro call, then a short audit of your current site and competitors, a proposal with a page list, price and deadline, and a written agreement. The first payment (30% of the total) starts the clock. Deadlines go into the contract, and late-delivery penalties can be added if you want them.

This phase usually takes a few days, mostly depending on how quickly you can review the proposal.

Week 1: discovery and structure

• Brief and interview. I ask about your services, prices, service area, best customers, what they ask on the phone and what competitors do. If you filled in a written brief, this call is shorter.
• Page map. A list of every page, what search it targets and what action it should lead to.
• Access. Domain registrar, current hosting, Google Business Profile, Analytics. Getting logins early prevents delays at launch.

Your job this week: answer questions, send photos you have, share access. One hour of your time saves days later.

Week 2: copy and design

• Copy. I write the homepage and the main service pages first, because design follows content. You get them as a document to review.
• Wireframes and design. Layouts for desktop and phone, starting with the homepage and one service page. These set the pattern for the rest.

Your job this week: review copy and design. Changes are welcome; three rounds of revisions are included. The fastest projects are the ones where the owner gives feedback within a day or two.

Week 3: build

• Templates. Each page type gets built: homepage, service page, contact, about, location pages if needed.
• Editing panel. On a custom CMS, I set up the fields you will actually use: prices, services, photos, reviews.
• Integrations. Forms to email and CRM, click-to-call, booking or calculators if planned.
• Tracking. Google Analytics 4, Tag Manager and conversion events.

Your job this week: approve the remaining copy and send any last photos.

Week 4: testing and launch

• Testing. Every form, every button, several phone sizes, different browsers. Speed checks on mobile.
• Redirects. If you are replacing an old site, every old address that has traffic is mapped to its new one.
• Launch. DNS switch, SSL check, sitemap submitted to Search Console.
• Training. A short Zoom session on the editing panel, with time for your questions.

After launch, support continues: fixes if something misbehaves and answers to questions while you get used to the panel.

Timelines by project type

These are build times once the brief is clear and materials are in. Calendar time can be longer if approvals take weeks.

A landing page on a shorter clock

A landing page follows the same steps on a compressed schedule. The first two or three days go to the brief and the copy for one offer. Design and build take the next several days, because there is only one page type to create. The last days are for your review, tracking tests and launch. That is how a landing page can be ready from 10 days, as long as feedback comes quickly and the offer is clear from the start.

A large site on a custom CMS

Bigger sites add phases rather than just more pages. Before design starts, there is usually a content inventory: which pages exist today, which ones get traffic, which ones can be merged or dropped. Page types multiply too, for example service pages, location pages, team profiles and project galleries, each with its own fields in the editing panel. Catalog or listing data may need importing and cleaning. All of this fits into about 30 days of work when the brief is clear, but the calendar time is often longer because more people on your side are involved in approvals.

What slows website projects down

1. Slow feedback. A design waiting two weeks for comments adds two weeks to launch. Block an hour in your calendar for each review.
2. Too many decision-makers. If three partners each give separate comments, collect them into one list first.
3. Missing access. Nobody knows who registered the domain. Find out before the project starts.
4. Scope creep. "While we're at it, can we add a shop?" Additions are possible, but they extend the timeline and the price.
5. No photos. Stock photos are a last resort; arranging a quick shoot of your team and work takes planning.

How working across time zones affects the schedule

I work remotely from Europe with clients in North America. In practice that means calls in your morning (Eastern Time mornings are my afternoon), messages answered within one business day, and work happening while you sleep. Many owners find the overlap helpful: feedback sent in the evening is often addressed by the next morning.

To make the schedule predictable, everything is in writing: the page list, the deadline for each phase and the payment stages (30% to start, 40% after design approval, 30% at launch).

How to start on the right foot

The easiest way to shorten a timeline is a good brief. My guide to writing a website brief includes a free template, and the website brief form asks the same questions online. If you want to see how a project runs from start to finish, read how I work. Starting prices for each type of project are on the website pricing page.

Before you sign with anyone, run through the questions to ask a web designer, and compare business website packages.