How Long Does It Take to Build a Website?

Updated: 12 October, 2026

How long does it take to build a website? For a small business, anything from a few weeks to a few months. The size of the site matters, but in our experience the biggest factor is usually how quickly the words, photos and decisions arrive. This guide breaks a typical project into stages, gives realistic timings for each kind of site, and shows what you can do to keep things moving.

Typical timelines

• Brochure website (a few pages): usually live within three weeks.

• Editable website (you update it yourself): a little longer than a brochure site, allowing time to show you how to use it.

• Website with bookings: around two months, because the booking rules, notifications and payments all need setting up and testing.

• Online shop: around two months, depending on the number of products and how delivery and payments work.

• Bespoke projects: scheduled once the scope is agreed, because connections to other systems vary so much.

These are working timelines from the first call to launch, assuming the content is ready when it's needed.

The stages of a website project

1. Discovery (a few days)

A call about your business, your customers and what the site must do, followed by a written quote and a plan of the pages. Being clear about the goal at this point saves weeks later.

2. Content (the stage that most often slips)

Every page needs words and pictures. If you're writing them yourself, this is where projects stall, so start early. If we write them, we'll need a short conversation and any facts only you know, such as prices, opening hours and the names of your team.

3. Design (around a week)

A design for the main pages, which you review on your own phone and computer. One or two rounds of changes are normal. Quick, clear feedback keeps the project on track.

4. Build (one to six weeks)

The approved design becomes a working site: pages, forms, bookings or a shop, and the content management system if you'll edit it yourself. This is where the type of site makes the biggest difference to the timeline.

5. Testing (a few days)

Checking every page on phones and computers, testing forms and payments, and making sure the site loads quickly.

6. Launch (a day)

Connecting your domain, setting up email, submitting the site to Google Search Console and linking your Google Business Profile.

What slows a website down

• Waiting for content. Text and photos are the most common cause of delay.

• Too many people approving. One decision-maker with the final say keeps things moving.

• Changing the brief halfway. New features after the design is approved add time and cost.

• Third-party systems. Booking platforms, payment providers and property feeds can take time to set up on their side.

• Domain and email access. If nobody can find the login for your domain, launch day waits.

How to get your site live sooner

1. Gather your logo, photos and any existing text before the first call.

2. Decide who signs off the design and content.

3. Start with the pages you need now; add the rest after launch.

4. Answer questions within a day or two where you can.

5. Find your domain and email logins early.

Should you rush it?

A fast launch is worth it if you're opening a new business or the old site is broken. Otherwise, a couple of extra weeks to get the content right usually pays off: it's the words, not the speed of the build, that persuade visitors to get in touch. If you rely on summer trade, aim to launch in spring so the site has time to settle on Google first.

Planning a project?

Tell us what you need and when, and we'll give you a written quote and a realistic timeline. Our web design packages start at £1,500 in Gibraltar and €1,750 in Spain; read how much a website costs for the detail, or request a quote.

Frequently asked questions

Can a website be built in a week?

A very simple one-page site can, if all the content is ready. Most business sites take longer because content, feedback and testing all need time.

Why do online shops take longer?

Every product needs adding, and payments, delivery rules, stock and emails all have to be set up and tested before the shop can take real orders.

What do you need from me to get started?

Your logo, photos you'd like to use, the services or products you offer, and the name of the person who'll approve the design.

Does a redesign take as long as a new site?

Often a little less, because the content already exists. Allow time to map old addresses to new ones so you keep your Google traffic.

When will my new site appear on Google?

Usually within days of launch once it's submitted to Search Console, although it can take longer to settle into its long-term positions.