You're running a business, so you need a date you can plan around. That's the number above. The rest of this page is where the time goes and how to keep it short.
You can see what a build includes on the website packages page.
Why You'll Usually Hear 4 to 8 Weeks
Search this question and you'll get answers from a few weeks to several months. Elementor's timeline guide puts a professionally built small business site of 5 to 15 pages at 4 to 8 weeks. HubSpot's guide says a professional build can take five to six months.
Most of that time isn't build time. The same Elementor guide puts a simple site of 1 to 5 pages at 1 to 2 weeks. My Pro sites are up to 5 pages. The extra weeks usually go here:
- A queue. Your project waits behind three others.
- Slow revision cycles. A mockup goes out, feedback comes back a week later, and that repeats.
- Heavy platforms. A WordPress build with a dozen plugins takes longer to set up than clean code.
- Handoffs. A project manager talks to you, then relays it to a designer, who relays it to a developer. Every handoff adds days.
I came up on the agency side, where a simple client change could sit in a ticket queue for two weeks. A contractor site or a restaurant site doesn't need that. It needs a clear layout, your services, your contact info and solid SEO.
Online stores, booking systems and member portals are different. Those are Custom projects, and the timeline comes with the quote.
What a Typical Build Looks Like
It starts with a conversation, not a template. These are the steps for a small business site once your content is in.
Discovery Call and Research
We get on a phone or video call, usually about 30 minutes. I ask what you do, who your customers are and what you want visitors to do: call, book, buy or visit. Then I look at your local competitors and plan the pages.
Design and Build at the Same Time
I design and code together, in clean HTML and CSS. There's no separate mockup to approve before a developer starts. You get a working draft you can click through on your phone.
Content, SEO and Your Changes
Your photos, services and business info go in. I write the page titles and descriptions and set up your Google Business Profile connection, Google Analytics and Search Console. You review it and tell me what to change.
Testing and Launch
I test the site on phones and desktop browsers, check page speed, click every link and make sure calls and messages reach you. Then we set the launch date.
Want to see the result? Check out real client work. These are live sites I built for real businesses, not mockups.
What Pushes the Date Back
Almost every delay is on the content side, not the build side.
- Missing content. If your photos or service descriptions aren't ready, I wait for them.
- Slow feedback. If a draft sits for a week before you look at it, that's a week added.
- Complex features. A 50-product online store is a Custom project with its own timeline.
- Several decision-makers. Three partners who need to agree on every color take longer than one owner.
- Custom photography. I can build with placeholder images, but the launch waits on the final photos.
Seasonal businesses like landscaping should start in the off-season. In your busiest months you won't have time to review drafts.
How Long Does It Take to Make a Website Yourself?
Plenty of business owners run their own sites on Squarespace, Wix or GoDaddy. There's nothing wrong with that. It just takes more of your time than most people expect. This is my rough estimate:
| Task | DIY (Your Time) | Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Picking a platform and template | 3 to 8 hours | Handled for you |
| Learning the builder | 5 to 15 hours | Not needed |
| Writing and placing content | 8 to 20 hours | I write it or place yours |
| Figuring out SEO basics | 5 to 10 hours of research | Built in from day one |
| Fixing the phone layout | 3 to 10 hours | Tested on phones and desktops |
| Google Analytics and Search Console setup | 2 to 5 hours | Done at launch |
| Total to launch | 26 to 68 hours | 2 to 3 hours (your calls and review) |
You can make a decent site yourself. The difference is time you aren't spending on your business. I compare the two routes in my website builders vs a custom site breakdown.
How to Speed Up Your Website Project
Gather these six things before our first call. Check them off as you go:
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Your logo High-resolution, as a PNG or SVG. No logo yet? I can work with your business name for now.
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Photos of your work, team or location Phone photos work. Professional photos are better, but they shouldn't hold things up.
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A list of your services or products A short description for each. It doesn't need to be perfect. I'll edit it.
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Your business info Phone number, email, address, hours and social media links.
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Domain and account access Know who holds your domain login and your Google Business Profile. I'll walk you through sharing access.
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One decision-maker One person who can approve things in a day keeps us moving. If three partners need to agree on the shade of blue, that adds time.
Want a Launch Date for Your Site?
Custom design with SEO built in. $2,500 to build, then $399 a month for hosting, updates and local SEO. Call or text me and I'll give you a date.
After launch, the monthly plan keeps going: content updates, local SEO and a monthly report. You text or call when something needs changing.
