Hiring a web designer · November 2026
How long does it take to build a website? Most small-business sites take six to twelve weeks.
That is from the first real conversation to the day the site goes live. The design and building are rarely what slow a project down. The words, the photos, the logins and the decisions are. Here is what each stage involves, what changes the timeline, and how to keep your project moving, based on 17 years of building websites for businesses like yours.
A Typical Timeline
Every project is a little different, but most follow these six stages. Some of them overlap.
1. Planning: about 1 to 2 weeks
What the site needs to do, who it is for, which pages it needs, and what your current site does well. This is where the timeline and responsibilities get written down.
2. Words and photos: 1 to 4 weeks
Page content, service descriptions, photos of your team and your work. This stage varies the most, and it can run alongside design.
3. Design: 1 to 3 weeks
The look of the homepage and key pages, with time for you to review and ask for changes. Clear feedback keeps this short.
4. Building: 2 to 4 weeks
Every page is built to work on phones and computers, with forms, maps, tracking and the basics of search set up correctly.
5. Review and testing: 1 to 2 weeks
You check every page. We test forms, phone links, speed and every browser and screen size, and fix what turns up.
6. Launch and the first month
The switch itself takes minutes. Then we watch Google Search Console, forms and leads for a few weeks to catch anything the move disturbed.
What Changes the Timeline
These are the things that turn a six-week project into a six-month one, or keep it on track.
Who writes the words
Content is the most common cause of delays. Know up front whether you are writing it, or whether writing help is included.
How big the site is
A focused ten-page site moves faster than one with fifty service pages, a blog and location pages.
Special features
Online stores, booking, member areas and connections to other software all add planning and testing time.
Moving an existing site
Redirecting old pages, keeping email working and protecting your Google rankings take care. Done right, it adds days, not months.
How fast feedback comes back
A project can only move as fast as its approvals. A week of waiting at each review adds up quickly.
How many people approve
One decision maker keeps things moving. A committee often means more rounds of changes.
How to Keep Your Project on Schedule
The owners whose sites launch on time almost always do these four things.
Gather your logins early
Domain, hosting, email and Google accounts. Finding a lost login in week eight can hold up a launch. Our guide who owns your website? lists what to look for.
Start on content right away
Write down what you do, who you do it for and what makes you different. Rough notes are fine. They are much easier to shape than a blank page.
Pick one decision maker
Gather everyone’s opinions, then let one person give the final word to your designer.
Put review dates on the calendar
Agree on when you will see each stage and how quickly you will reply. Both sides then know what on time means.
Be Careful With These Promises
Fast is good. Too fast to be true usually means something important was left out.
“Live in 48 hours”
Usually a template with your name dropped in, little thought about what your customers need, and no plan for search.
No timeline in writing
If nobody will commit to dates, nobody is responsible when the project drifts for months.
No plan for after launch
A site that nobody updates or watches starts aging the day it goes live. Ask who looks after it next.
We have seen where cutting corners leads. Read switching to a cheaper web company? You usually get cheaper results.
Common Questions
Can a website be built in a week?
A very small site with all of its content ready can be. Most businesses are better served by a few extra weeks of planning and testing, because that is what makes a site bring in calls instead of just existing.
Will my current website go down while the new one is built?
No. The new site is built and tested separately, and your current site stays up until the moment of the switch.
Does moving from another web company take longer?
A little, mostly to keep your email running and your Google rankings intact. Our page on switching web companies explains how a careful move works.
How long until the new site shows up on Google?
If old page addresses are redirected properly, Google usually picks up the new site within days to a few weeks. Brand-new sites take longer to earn rankings.
Is it time to replace my current site at all?
Our guide how long should a website last? covers the 8 signs we look for, and when a refresh is enough.
What should I ask a designer about timing?
Ask for the timeline in writing, what they need from you and when, and what happens if a deadline slips. More in questions to ask a web designer before hiring them.
Planning a New Website?
Start with a free review of your current site. We will tell you what is worth keeping, what needs to change, and what a realistic timeline looks like for your business. No pressure and no obligation.
