One of the first questions clients ask us is how long their website will take. The honest answer depends on the complexity of the project and — more often than people expect — how quickly the client can supply their content.

Typical timelines by project type

1–2 weeks
Small brochure site (3–5 pages) A simple site with homepage, about, services, and contact. Achievable in under two weeks if content is provided upfront.
2–4 weeks
Standard business website (6–10 pages) Includes multiple service pages, case studies or a portfolio, FAQ section, and contact forms. Typical for most small and medium businesses.
4–8 weeks
Larger or more complex sites Sites with custom functionality, e-commerce, booking systems, or a large number of pages. Design and development phases are more involved.
8–16+ weeks
Enterprise or bespoke builds Custom applications, large e-commerce stores, or websites requiring extensive integrations. Usually involves a dedicated project team.

What actually causes delays?

In our experience, the most common reason websites take longer than expected isn't the agency — it's content. Specifically:

  • Copy (text) — if you haven't written your page content, the designer is building around placeholder text that will change everything once replaced
  • Images and photos — professional photos or sourced stock imagery take time to organise
  • Decision-making delays — when multiple stakeholders need to approve designs, feedback rounds can add weeks
  • Changing requirements — adding new pages or features mid-build extends the timeline significantly

The fastest websites get built when content is ready before the project begins. If you can provide your text, images, and logo files at the start, you'll be live significantly faster.

How Sitelify approaches timelines

Our standard packages follow a clear process: we start with a brief and strategy call, then move into design, development, and review — typically in that order. We set clear milestones at the start of each project and hold to them.

For most clients, we aim to have an initial design mockup within the first week, a functional build for review within 2–3 weeks, and a live site shortly after the final round of revisions is approved.

The fastest we've launched a site is 5 working days — but that client had every piece of content ready from day one. More typically, a clean 5-page site takes 10–14 working days from project kick-off to launch.

Tips to keep your project on track

  1. Prepare your content before the project starts. Even rough drafts are better than nothing.
  2. Designate one point of contact. Multiple reviewers with different opinions can stall projects indefinitely.
  3. Give feedback quickly. Most delays happen at the client side during review rounds. Aim to respond within 48 hours.
  4. Agree your requirements upfront. Scope changes mid-project will extend your timeline and may incur additional costs.