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How long does a website take to build?
Realistic timescales for each route, where the time goes, and what makes it late.
See the templatesThe short answer: an evening to a few months, depending on the route. A template filled in takes a day or two. A freelancer takes four to eight weeks. A studio takes two to four months. The slow part is rarely the building; it is the waiting for words and photos.
By route
| Route | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Website builder, yourself | An evening if you are decisive; a month if you are not |
| Template, filled in and hosted | Live within 48 hours of your details arriving |
| Freelancer, four or five pages | Four to eight weeks |
| Studio, bespoke | Two to four months |
| Online shop with many products | Add two to six weeks for the products |
Where the time goes
- Waiting for the client's words. The single biggest delay on every project
- Waiting for photos
- Rounds of changes
- Domain and email moves, which have waiting built in
How to make it quick
Have your words and photos ready before anyone starts. Decide who signs it off. Agree how many rounds of changes are included. A site with the content ready goes live in days whoever builds it.
Want to see yours? Pick a website template and fill it in for free. You only pay when you want it live. Already have a site? Bring it in and we fill a template from it.