Clients are usually given a start date, a launch date and very little in between. Here is what the weeks actually contain, and which of them depend on you rather than on us.
A typical five to ten page website takes four to eight weeks: roughly one week of discovery, one to two weeks of content and copy, one to two weeks of design, one to two weeks of build, and one week of testing and launch. The stages that slip are almost always the ones needing client input, particularly content and approvals.
The stages
| Stage | Duration | Who drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery and planning | 3 to 5 days | Both |
| Content and copy | 1 to 2 weeks | You, or us if commissioned |
| Design | 1 to 2 weeks | Us, with your approval |
| Build | 1 to 2 weeks | Us |
| Testing and revisions | 3 to 5 days | Both |
| Launch | 1 day | Us |
| Post-launch watch | 2 weeks | Us |
Week by week
Week one: discovery
Goals, audience, competitors, structure, what success looks like. You should leave this week with an agreed sitemap and a content list. If a project starts without this, it usually finishes late.
Weeks one to two: content
Copy gets written and photography organised. This runs alongside early design work. It is the most common source of delay, and the delay is rarely the writing itself but the waiting for someone to have time.
Weeks two to four: design
Key templates designed, reviewed and revised. Two rounds is normal. More than three usually means the brief was thin rather than the design was wrong.
Weeks four to six: build
Design becomes working code, CMS is configured, integrations connected. You should get a staging link partway through rather than waiting until it is finished.
Week six to seven: testing
Cross-device testing, forms, tracking, redirects, accessibility, speed. Your job here is to click everything and report anything odd.
Launch week
Redirects go live, DNS changes, tracking verified, sitemap submitted. Launch mid-week, never Friday.
Where projects actually slip
- Content arriving late. By far the most common. Design cannot finish around text that does not exist.
- Approval bottlenecks. Feedback that needs five people and nobody has final say.
- Scope added mid-project without adjusting the timeline.
- Third-party dependencies, such as waiting on someone else's API credentials.
- Photography, which routinely takes three to four weeks to organise.
Four of those five are on the client side. That is not a complaint, it is the single most useful thing to know before you start.
How to keep it on track
- Name one decision-maker with final say on approvals.
- Have content ready at kickoff, or commission it as part of the project.
- Book time in the calendar for reviews rather than fitting them in.
- Agree how many revision rounds are included.
- Start photography on day one.
- Do not add scope without agreeing a new date.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to build a website?
Four to eight weeks for a typical five to ten page business site, one to two weeks for a landing page, and three to six months for a large site or web application. The variable is rarely the build; it is content and approvals.
Why do website projects run late?
Usually content arriving late or approvals stalling, not development. Projects where copy and photography are ready at kickoff and one person can approve work generally finish close to schedule.
How many design revisions are normal?
Two to three rounds. More usually indicates a brief problem rather than a design problem, either because goals were never agreed or too many people have veto power without a stated priority.
Can a website be built faster?
Yes, by reducing scope, using an existing design system, having content ready, and giving one person approval authority. What does not work is adding people to the team, which usually slows things down.
What do I need to do during the project?
Provide content, approve work at each stage promptly, test the staging site, and answer questions quickly. Expect to spend a few hours a week. Projects where the client disappears for a fortnight lose that fortnight.