Article · 6 min read

How long does it take to build a website?

Realistic timelines by site type, how the stages break down, and the four causes of slippage. With a reverse schedule from a launch date.

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Between two weeks and three months, depending on the project. The gap almost never comes from development: it comes from how fast content and approvals arrive.

Timelines by project type

Type of siteRealistic timeline
Landing page2 to 3 weeks
Brochure site (5 to 10 pages)3 to 5 weeks
Multilingual corporate site5 to 8 weeks
Online shop6 to 12 weeks
Custom development6 to 10 weeks

These assume an approved quote, a paid deposit and feedback from you within 48 hours. They stretch mechanically if any of those three is missing.

How the time splits

On a five-week brochure site, the typical split is:

  1. Scoping and structure (3 to 5 days. Site map, content of each page, decisions on scope.
  2. Mockups) 5 to 7 days. Main screens, two rounds of adjustments included.
  3. Development (10 to 15 days. Build, content, forms, technical SEO.
  4. Acceptance) 3 to 5 days. Page-by-page check, mobile testing, fixes.
  5. Go-live : 1 day. Switch, redirects, connection to measurement tools.

Development is therefore barely half the calendar. That is why "the site is almost finished" means very little: the final stages are short but cannot be compressed.

The four causes of delay

Content. By far the first cause. A site waits for copy, photos, a high-resolution logo, a list of references. Until they arrive, the project moves forward on empty pages.

Multiple approvals. When three people must approve a mockup and none of them decides, every stage takes an extra week. Appoint one contact empowered to decide.

Scope changes mid-project. Adding online booking halfway through does not only cost the development of the feature: structure, mockups and testing all have to be revisited.

Technical access. A domain name whose credentials nobody can find, a former provider who does not answer, hosting registered to an employee who has left: these are weeks lost on administrative points.

Reverse schedule from a launch date

If you have to be live for a specific date (an opening, a trade show, a campaign) work backwards:

  • D‑7: go-live and final checks.
  • D‑14: development finished, acceptance starts.
  • D‑30: final content delivered, mockups approved.
  • D‑45: quote signed, scoping done.
  • D‑60: consulting providers.

In other words, for a launch in two months, the decision has to be made now. For a launch in three weeks, only a reduced format (a landing page or a one-page site) is realistic.

Going faster without cutting corners

Three levers actually work:

  • Provide content before the start, even imperfect. Rough copy can be edited; missing copy blocks.
  • Reduce the initial scope. Five pages live in a month beats twelve pages in four months. The rest can be added afterwards.
  • Block approval slots in advance in everyone's calendar, rather than arranging them as you go.

One lever does not work: adding people to the project. That multiplies back-and-forth without shortening any stage.

Let us talk about your project

A 30-minute call is enough to define the scope, the budget and the schedule. You leave with a written estimate, no strings attached.

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