How long it takes to build a website, by type, and what slows it down.
The build itself is rarely what takes the time. Waiting for words, photos, logins and decisions is. Here are typical timelines for each kind of site, the usual causes of delay, and a list of what to have ready so yours goes up on schedule.
The short answer
A simple DIY site can go up in 1 to 3 days, and a custom small business site from an agency or freelancer typically takes 4 to 8 weeks, Elementor's 2026 guide says. An online store set up by a professional takes 8 to 16 weeks. Ours take about two weeks: a working demo within a week of signing, launch within a week of your approval. The pace depends mostly on when your photos and words arrive.
Typical timelines by type of site
Ranges from Elementor's 2026 guide to website build times, with ours for comparison.
| Type of site | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Simple brochure site on a DIY builder | 1 to 3 days |
| Custom small business site from an agency or freelancer | 4 to 8 weeks |
| Small online store, DIY | 3 to 6 weeks |
| Online store set up by a professional | 8 to 16 weeks |
| Large custom website | 4 to 6 months or more |
| Point It Here, up to 10 pages and one backend system | About 2 weeks |
What slows a website down
- Words and photos. The most common hold-up. A designer can build the pages in days and then wait weeks for the text about your services.
- Logins. The domain registrar, the old host, your Google Business Profile, your booking or POS tool. Tracking down a password set up by a former employee can take longer than the design.
- Too many approvers. Every extra person who has to sign off adds a round of feedback.
- Scope that grows. "While you're at it, can we add a store?" resets the clock.
- Integrations. Connecting ordering, booking or payments means waiting on another company's setup and approval.
- Rules for your trade. Clinics, law firms and childcare centers may need wording checked before it goes live.
What to have ready before you start
- Your logo, in the sharpest file you have.
- Ten or more photos of your place, your people and your work. Phone photos in good light are fine to start.
- A list of your services or menu, with prices where you are willing to show them.
- Hours, holiday hours, address and the towns you serve.
- Two or three websites you like, and one you do not.
- Logins for your domain registrar, current website, Google Business Profile and booking or ordering tool.
- The one person who approves the site.
Our project brief walks through all of this in plain English, and you can save your place and finish it later.
How our two weeks run
| Step | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Sign and commission | Day one | You sign the contract and pay the $200 commissioning fee, credited to your total. The two weeks start here. |
| Working demo | Within a week of signing | A working version of your own site, with your real menu or services and photos, on your own phone. We change it until it matches what you pictured. |
| Your decision | When you are happy | Pay the remaining $299 and launch, or stop there with only $200 spent. |
| Launch | Within a week of your approval | We audit for speed and accessibility, test it and publish it, then connect your Google listing and start counting calls, forms and bookings. |
Apps and custom software get a timeline of their own, written into the assessment before you commit.
Questions owners ask us
Can a website really be done in a week?
A DIY builder site can go up in a few days if your content is ready. A custom site in a week is possible only for a very small site with everything supplied. Ours take about two weeks, with a working demo inside the first.
Why do agency websites take two months or more?
Most custom small business sites take 4 to 8 weeks, Elementor's 2026 guide says, because of discovery meetings, several design rounds, content writing and approvals by more than one person. Bigger sites with stores or many integrations take longer still.
What happens if I am slow getting you photos and text?
The launch moves back by about as long as the content takes. We can start the demo with what you have and placeholders for the rest, so you see progress while you gather the remainder.
Does moving my domain add time to a launch?
Usually not, because a domain can point at a new site without transferring it. A registrar transfer can take several days and has a 60-day wait after a new registration, so we do it after launch if it is needed.
How long does an online store take compared with a regular site?
Elementor's 2026 guide puts a professionally set up store at 8 to 16 weeks against 4 to 8 for a regular custom site. Products, shipping, tax and payments all need setting up and testing.
When does the two-week clock start with you?
When you sign the contract and pay the $200 commissioning fee. You see a working demo within a week, and we launch within a week of your approval.
Related
Want your site live in two weeks?
Every project starts with a signed contract and a working demo: $200 for a website, or a website and apps, and a quoted demo price for everything else.