A professional small business website usually takes 2 to 4 weeks to build, and an eCommerce website 4 to 8 weeks. A template on a DIY website builder can be live within a day, while large custom sites take months. The build itself is rarely the slow part: waiting for content, photos and feedback is what turns three weeks into three months.
Those are the timelines I work to when I build a new website for a London small business, and below I’ll show you exactly where the time goes, week by week. You’ll also see what slows projects down, how to speed yours up, and the part most guides skip: how long it takes before your new site actually shows up on Google.
Key takeaways
- A brochure website (the classic 5 to 10 page small business site) takes 2 to 4 weeks with a professional.
- An eCommerce website takes 4 to 8 weeks, mostly because of products, payments and testing orders.
- Late content and slow feedback cause more delays than anything technical.
- Launch is not the finish line. Google says crawling a new page can take a few days to a few weeks.
- Plan backwards from the date you need the site, and never launch the week before your busiest period.
How long does it take to build a website? Timelines by type
How long it takes to build a website depends mainly on the type of site and who builds it. A DIY template is quickest, a professionally built brochure site takes a few weeks, and online shops take longer because there is more to set up and test. Here’s how the main options compare.
| Type of website | Typical timeline | What decides the timeline |
|---|---|---|
| DIY website builder template | A few hours to a day for a simple site | How much of the writing and photos you already have |
| Brochure website built by a professional (5 to 10 pages) | 2 to 4 weeks | Content readiness and how quickly you give feedback |
| eCommerce website (online shop) | 4 to 8 weeks | Number of products, payments, delivery rules and testing |
| Large or complex custom site | Several months | Custom features, integrations and the number of people signing off |
Notice that the middle column is about effort, not code. A brochure site with ready content and quick replies lands at the 2 week end. The same site with copy still being written in the evenings lands at 4 weeks or beyond.
How long does it take to design and build a small business website, week by week?
A small business website moves through six stages: planning and keyword research, design, content, build, SEO and testing, then launch and training. When I build a brochure site, those stages fit into 2 to 4 weeks. This is roughly how it runs when content and feedback arrive on time.
| Stage | What I do | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1: planning | Agree the pages, research the keywords your competitors rank for, plan where each service will live | Send your logo, service list, photos and any existing text |
| Week 1 to 2: design | Design the homepage and key pages, mobile first | Review and send one set of comments |
| Week 2 to 3: build and content | Build the WordPress site, add your content, set up forms | Check your wording and answer any questions quickly |
| Week 3: SEO and testing | On-page SEO (titles, headings, descriptions), test on phones and browsers, check every form | Final review and sign-off |
| Week 3 to 4: launch | Go live, connect the domain, submit the sitemap to Google Search Console, train you to update it | Start telling customers the new site is live |
Two things are worth knowing. First, keyword research happens in week one, not after launch, because it decides which pages the site needs. Adding SEO at the end means rewriting pages you’ve already approved. Second, the launch isn’t where support stops: I include 14 days of free bug fixes after every build, so anything odd that shows up in the first fortnight gets sorted.
How long does it take to build an eCommerce website?
An eCommerce website usually takes 4 to 8 weeks to build. It takes longer than a brochure site because an online shop has far more moving parts: every product needs a description, photos, prices and variations, and the checkout, payments, delivery charges and order emails all have to work perfectly before a single customer sees them.
In my experience, the shop template is the quick bit. Loading and checking the product catalogue is what decides whether you’re at 4 weeks or 8. A shop with 20 products and UK delivery is a very different job from one with hundreds of products in several sizes and colours. Placing real test orders before launch also takes time, and it’s the step you should never let anyone skip.
Can a website be built in a day or a week?
Yes, a basic website can be built in a day on a DIY builder, and a very small professional site can occasionally be done in about a week. But fast builds trade away the things that make a website bring in enquiries: planning, keyword research, proper content and testing.
Here’s the honest trade-off:
- Good for: a placeholder while you launch a business, an event page, or testing an idea before you invest.
- Not good for: a site you want to rank on Google, win enquiries from strangers, or represent an established business.
- The hidden cost: a rushed site usually needs rebuilding within a year or two, so the time you “saved” gets spent twice.
What slows down a website build?
Most website projects run late for non-technical reasons: content that isn’t ready, feedback that takes a week each round, and new features added halfway through. Coding problems are rarely the cause. These are the five delays I see most often:
- Content. The site is nearly finished and waiting for the About page, the service descriptions or decent photos of your work.
- Slow feedback. Every round of comments that sits for a week adds a week to the launch date.
- Feedback by committee. Three partners sending three different sets of comments on three different days doubles every round.
- Scope creep. “Could we also add online booking?” is a fair question, but it’s cheapest and quickest to ask before the build starts.
- Lost logins. Hunting for the domain login someone set up years ago is a surprisingly common reason a finished site can’t go live.
Need a website live by a certain date?
Tell me the date and I’ll tell you honestly whether it’s realistic, and exactly what I’d need from you to hit it. Most of the delays above disappear once there’s a clear plan and one person to keep it moving. Book a free consultation and I’ll map out a realistic timeline with you.
DIY, freelancer or agency: which is fastest?
A DIY builder is fastest to get something online, a freelancer is usually the quickest route to a professional site, and an agency often takes longer because more people are involved in each decision. The fastest option isn’t always the one that costs you the least time overall, though.
| Option | Time to launch | Your time spent | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIY builder | Hours to days | High: you design, write, set up SEO and fix problems yourself | A placeholder or a very tight budget |
| Freelancer | A few weeks | Low to medium: content and feedback only | Small businesses that want a professional site and one point of contact |
| Agency | Usually longer, with more sign-off stages | Medium: meetings and approvals with several people | Larger projects that need a whole team |
The “your time spent” column is the one business owners underestimate. A DIY site might be live by Sunday, but if it takes you three weekends to get it looking right, that’s time you weren’t earning. If budget is part of the decision, my guide to how much a website costs in London breaks down the prices.
How long after launch will my website show up on Google?
A new website can take a few days to a few weeks to appear on Google, and longer to rank well for competitive searches. Google says crawling can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, and that it can take a few weeks for Google to notice a new site.
Being indexed and being found are different things. Indexed means Google knows your page exists. Found means you appear when someone nearby searches for your service. That second part depends on how well the site was optimised and how strong your competition is.
You can help Google find a new site faster by:
- Adding the site to Google Search Console and submitting your XML sitemap on launch day.
- Linking to the site from your Google Business Profile and social media profiles.
- Making sure nothing blocks Google, such as a “discourage search engines” setting left switched on from the build.
This is why I include on-page SEO and competitor keyword research in every build: the site is optimised from day one rather than patched later. If you want to keep climbing after launch, that’s what my monthly SEO service is for: audits, on-page fixes, local SEO for the map results, content and a report every month.
How can I get my website built faster?
The quickest way to get a website built is to have your content ready before the project starts and to give feedback within a day or two. Use this checklist before day one:
- Write a rough list of your services, the areas you cover and your opening hours. Rough is fine; it can be polished.
- Write down the five questions customers ask you most. They become your FAQs and often your best-ranking content.
- Take real photos of your work, your team and your premises this week. They beat stock photos every time.
- Find your domain login and any existing hosting details.
- Decide who signs off. One decision-maker, one set of comments per round.
- List your must-haves (booking, payments, a gallery, a shop) before you ask for a quote, not halfway through.
How long does it take to replace an old website?
Replacing an old website with a brand-new one takes about as long as building from scratch, plus time to protect the Google rankings the old site already has. That means mapping every old page to its new address and setting up redirects before launch.
Google’s own guidance on site moves says that for medium-sized sites it can take a few weeks or more before the new URLs start showing in place of the old ones. I cover how to do this safely in my guide to SEO for a website redesign. One thing to know up front: I build brand-new WordPress websites rather than editing or redesigning existing ones, so a replacement is always a fresh build with your best content carried over.
When should I start if I need a website by a certain date?
Start at least 6 weeks before you need a brochure site and 10 weeks before you need a shop. That covers a 2 to 4 week build (or 4 to 8 weeks for eCommerce) plus a buffer for content, feedback and Google picking the site up.
Work backwards from your busy season. A London gift shop wants its new site live and tested well before the Christmas rush, not launched in the middle of it. A gardener or roofer wants to be visible before spring enquiries start. Launching a week before your busiest period leaves no time to fix anything, and gives Google no time to find you.
So, how long does it take to build a website for your business?
For most small businesses, the answer is 2 to 4 weeks for a brochure website and 4 to 8 weeks for an online shop, as long as content is ready and feedback is quick. Add a little time for Google to find the site, and plan the launch around your busy season rather than in the middle of it.
If you’d like a website that’s live on a date you can plan around, and built from day one to be found on Google and turn visitors into calls and enquiries, that’s exactly what I do. Book a free consultation, or call or WhatsApp me on 07404 145722, and I’ll give you a realistic timeline for your business.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to build a WordPress website?
A professionally built WordPress brochure website usually takes 2 to 4 weeks, and a WordPress online shop 4 to 8 weeks. The exact time depends on the number of pages or products and how quickly content and feedback arrive.
How long does it take to build a 5 page website?
A 5 page small business website sits at the quicker end, often around 2 weeks with a professional if your text and photos are ready. If the content still needs writing, allow closer to 4 weeks.
What do I need to prepare before a website build starts?
Have your logo, a list of your services and areas, your most common customer questions and real photos ready. Also find your domain login and decide who will sign off the design.
Can I update the website myself after launch?
Yes, if it’s built on WordPress and you’re shown how. I include training at handover so you can edit text, add photos and post updates without needing to call anyone.
When do I pay for a website build?
Payment terms vary between designers. With me it’s 50% upfront to start and 50% before launch, so there are no surprise invoices after the site goes live.
