The age-old question for website designers and developers is, “How long does it take to build a website?” It’s not a difficult question to answer, but there are a multitude of variables that come into play for a website developer to answer properly. Though it may not be the answer you’re looking for since it’s not definitive, most would answer with, “It depends on the client and their needs.” This answer can be frustrating to those that are in need of a website done quickly or theirs redone, but don’t know anything about this industry. We get it and are here to help. Hang tight and keep reading for a more concrete answer.
Time Frames On How Long It Takes To Build A Website
If you wanted a straight answer of how long it takes to build a website, the answer is that it can take from 2 hours to 2 years. It all depends on what you need out of your website, the functionality, aesthetics, and what you’re using it for. A two-hour website (that are bad for SEO and driving traffic to your site) are made from a website builder like Squarespace. A two-year website are typically for complicated E-commerce sites that contain a multitude of categorization levels. Don’t lose hope yet!
For small to medium-sized businesses, the average amount of time for a professional website project is 3 to 4 months. This time frame includes the process from start to finish. Now that you know how long it takes to build a website, you probably want to know more about this process.
The Process Breakdown
Of How Long It Takes To Build A Website
When you hire someone that is building your website for your, the process is typically broken into four stages. Depending on if you hire an agency versus a single person and the scope of your project, the time frame may differ on how long it takes to build a website. However, the process should look no different. Here’s how the process should generally go and how long it takes to build a website from the ground up:
#1: Discovery, Collaborating and Creating A Plan
1-2 WEEKS
This is similar to gathering all your ingredients when you are about to cook a delicious meal. When you’ve hired someone to build your website, you need to have already done your due diligence with a few items. You’ll need to know what elements are needed and what you want the website to look like. If you have little to no idea on what those things are, you may be wasting time and money hiring someone to try to figure that out for you. That’s not to say that an experienced developer won’t give insight; they will probably explain what features may make more sense for your website to contain.
You will be discovering and collaborating together in order to create a plan for the coming months. Two weeks may seem like a lot of time to devote to a single stage in creating a website. However, you want your website to reflect your brand, contain exceptional functionality, and have a design that positively affects the user’s experience. That will take time and lots of communication. Getting everyone on the same page during this stage will determine how long it takes to build a website of your dreams. By the end, you will have a plan of action.
#2: Layout and Design
1-3 WEEKS
During this stage, the website designer(s) will create mockups on how your website may appear. These aren’t sketches like you may be thinking. You will be able to see what your website can look like based on the information and requirements shared with your designer(s). This stage will require your continuous approval. Since the development of the website has yet to begin at this point, it’s encouraged that you make whatever changes to your site’s design. Asking for full mockups of every page will make this process seem tedious at this point but will help the development stage go smoother. Look at the elements that each page will include, the layout, and how everything will appear via mobile devices. Stay engaged with your designer(s) throughout this stage because it may alleviate some time in how long it takes to build a website.
#3: Development
1-2 MONTHS
Since all the mockups have been approved, you’re ready to start development. This is where everything comes together and magically turns into a functioning website. There may be a few differences on how it looks when developed versus the mockups; but it should look very similar. You don’t have to do a whole lot during this stage because the developers are coding tirelessly.
As with every big project, there will be setbacks and changes. Of course, this can affect how long it takes to build a website you’ve already put so much time, thought, and money into. Even though there may be less communication during this stage, stay in touch with your developer(s). A good developer will keep you in-the-know, but it doesn’t hurt to reach out to them to check in.
#4: Time For The Review
1-2 WEEKS
It’s always best to have a final review before launching anything. The same goes for your website. This stage is full of revisions, revisions and more revisions. It’s to be expected that changes will be made throughout each stage. However, the changes in this stage should be more finessing than big changes. It’s the home stretch, and hopefully you’re thinking, “This was worth the time in how long it takes to build a website that suits my business.”
If you have more questions or are looking to build your website, Dorian Solutions can get you started today. Contact us to find out more!
