How long does it take to build a website?
Written by Carl, the person who builds every site. Updated 14 October 2026.
A 4 to 5 page small business website takes me about 5 to 8 working days of building. A 6 to 12 page site takes about 8 to 14. Selling online, connecting to other systems and designing a brand from scratch each add a few days. In practice the biggest delays are rarely the build: they are waiting for the words, the photos and access to the domain.
Typical build times
- 4 to 5 pages: about 5 to 8 working days.
- 6 to 12 pages: about 8 to 14 working days.
- 12 pages or more, with a client or member area: about 14 to 25 working days.
- A small catalogue adds 2 to 4 days. A full online shop adds 4 to 8.
- Each connection to another system adds 1 to 3 days.
- A brand designed from scratch adds 3 to 6 days.
These are the same ranges the estimator shows you next to the price, worked out from the same answers.
What actually holds a website up
Agencies talk about six to twelve weeks, and most of that is calendar, not work: meetings, handovers between people, and waiting in a queue. With one person doing the work there are no handovers. What is left is waiting on things only you can provide.
- The words. Writing six pages about your own business is harder than it sounds, and it is the most common reason a launch date slips. Having them written for you removes the wait.
- Photos. Real photos of your work, your team or your premises beat stock photos, but someone has to take them.
- The domain. If an old web designer or an IT company controls it, getting it pointed at the new site can take days of chasing. I do the chasing, but I cannot make them answer faster.
- Feedback. You get a preview link on day one. The sooner you comment, the sooner it is finished.
If you need it sooner
A priority build moves you to the front of the queue and cuts the time by about a third, for an extra 20%. It is only worth it if a real date depends on it, such as an opening or a launch.
Common questions
- When does the clock start?
- Once you have read the planning documents, said yes and paid half. You see a preview link from the first day.
- Can I see it while it is being built?
- Yes. You get a private preview link on day one and it fills in as I work. No four-week silence followed by a big reveal.
Work out your own number
Nine questions, two minutes, and a PDF breakdown in your inbox. No call needed.