"How long will this take?" is one of the first questions in almost every project kickoff, and the honest answer depends heavily on scope and how quickly feedback comes back during the process, not just how fast the developer types.
Typical timelines by project type
- Simple brochure site (theme-based): 1–3 weeks
- Custom-designed business site: 4–8 weeks
- E-commerce store: 6–12 weeks
- Custom web application: 3–6+ months, depending on complexity
What actually causes delays
Slow feedback cycles
A week of waiting for content, images, or approval on a design mockup adds a week to the timeline, regardless of how fast the development itself is going.
Scope creep
New requests added mid-project — "can we also add this feature?" — are often reasonable, but they extend the timeline and should be acknowledged as scope changes, not squeezed into the original estimate.
Missing content
Sites frequently stall waiting on final copy, photography, or product data. Having this ready before development starts is one of the biggest levers a client has over the timeline.
How to plan a launch date you can trust
- Get a written timeline broken into phases (design, development, review, launch)
- Agree on how many rounds of feedback are included at each phase
- Build in a buffer for at least one round of unexpected revisions
Putting it together
A website's timeline is a shared responsibility — the developer's speed matters, but so does how quickly content, feedback, and decisions come back during the project. If you'd like a realistic timeline for your own project, feel free to get in touch.