How Long Does It Take to Build a Website? Timelines by Project Type

One of the first questions every client asks is: "How long will this take?" The honest answer is never just a number — it's a framework. Here's a realistic timeline breakdown for every major type of website project.

Basic Landing Page: 1–2 Weeks

A single-page or 2–3 page lead generation or announcement site. Design is typically template-based with light customisation. Content is provided by the client, code is clean and mobile-responsive, and delivery is fast. The main variable is how quickly the client provides feedback.

Standard Business Website (5–15 Pages): 4–6 Weeks

This is the most common project type for small and medium-sized businesses. Week 1–2: discovery and wireframing. Week 3–4: design. Week 5–6: development, content integration, and testing. The most common cause of delay at this tier is slow client approvals or late content delivery.

Ecommerce Store: 6–10 Weeks

A Shopify or WooCommerce store with a moderate product catalogue (up to ~500 SKUs), custom theme, and standard integrations (payment gateway, shipping, basic analytics) takes 6–8 weeks. Headless ecommerce builds with complex integrations add 2–4 weeks.

Custom Web Application: 12–20 Weeks

Applications with custom business logic — SaaS dashboards, booking systems, CRM tools, client portals — require more time for architecture design, API development, and testing. A well-scoped MVP takes 12–16 weeks. Complex platforms with third-party integrations and advanced authorisation systems may extend to 20+ weeks.

What Causes Projects to Run Over Schedule?

In our experience, 80% of project delays are caused by: scope creep (features added mid-project without timeline adjustment), slow client feedback or content delivery, and unclear requirements at project start. These are all preventable with a discovery sprint before development begins.

How to Ensure Your Project Stays on Schedule

Commit to a detailed brief before development starts. Agree on a feedback turnaround SLA (we recommend 48 hours). Front-load all content gathering — waiting for copy and images is the single biggest source of delay on most projects. Treat your agency like a partner, not a vendor: the more context you share, the faster they can make good decisions independently.