The honest answer is that it depends on the size of the site and on how quickly you can give feedback. A single landing page can be live in days. A full website takes weeks. Most delays come from waiting, not from design work.
Here is what happens at each stage, so you can plan around it.
The short version
- A landing page: under a week is realistic when the brief is clear.
- A full website of around 10 pages: two weeks at the least, and longer if content or approvals come in slowly.
These are the timelines we work to at Branded Webs for our Launch and Flagship packages. Other agencies will quote differently, so always ask for a written timeline before you sign.
Stage 1: The brief and first call
Every project starts with a conversation about your business, your customers and what you want visitors to do. This is the cheapest stage to get right and the most expensive to rush. A vague brief creates revisions later.
Come ready to answer three questions: who is the site for, what is the one action you want them to take, and which sites do you like and why.
Stage 2: Design
Design is where the look, layout and message take shape. For a landing page it is mostly one long page with a single goal. For a larger site it also means planning how pages connect.
Ask how often you will see progress. We send an update every 48 hours during design, so nobody is left guessing and problems show up early.
Stage 3: Copy and content
Copy is the stage that surprises most business owners. A site cannot launch without words, photos and proof, and gathering them often takes longer than the design itself.
If you hire a team that writes the copy for you, this stage moves faster. If you are supplying your own text, set a deadline for it on day one.
Stage 4: Revisions
Revisions are where timelines stretch. Three things keep them short:
- Collect feedback from everyone internally before sending it. Conflicting notes from several people are the most common cause of a stalled project.
- Be specific. "Make the button stand out more" is easier to act on than "it feels off".
- Check the revision limit. Our Launch package includes 3 revisions and Flagship includes 5, which is enough when feedback is organised.
Stage 5: Build and launch
When the design is approved, it is built, tested on phones and desktops, and connected to your domain. Building on a platform like Framer keeps this stage short because design and build happen in the same tool.
Before launch, check forms, links, page titles and descriptions, and that your booking link works.
What slows projects down
- Late content: text, logos and photos that arrive after the deadline.
- Too many decision makers: several people approving the design with different tastes.
- Changing the goal midway: switching from "get leads" to "sell products" resets the project.
- Slow replies: a project that waits three days between messages takes three days longer each time.
How to get live faster
Start with a landing page and add pages later. Decide who has the final say before the project begins. Send your content early, even if it is rough. And pick a team that shows you work before you commit.
That last point is why every Branded Webs project begins with a free hero-section redesign. You see the new top of your site before you decide to go ahead, and a free 15-minute call comes first. You can see the kinds of sites we have built on our clients page.
FAQ
How long does it take to build a landing page?
With a clear brief and quick feedback, under a week. Our Launch package is built to go live in that window.
How long does a full website take?
Plan for at least two weeks for up to 10 pages, and longer if content is not ready. Our Flagship package is scoped on that basis.
Why is my web design project taking so long?
Usually it is waiting on content, feedback or approvals rather than on design work. Ask your designer what they are waiting on, and what you are waiting on, and set dates for both.