How long does it take to design a website?

Standard custom small business websites go live in 1 to 4 weeks once we have your content and brand assets. Larger ecommerce or multi-page projects typically take 2 to 4 weeks.

Do you only work with London businesses?

We are based in the City of London but serve small businesses across Greater London, Hertfordshire, and the rest of the UK including Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Brighton, Edinburgh, and Glasgow.

Will my new website actually rank on Google?

Yes. Every website we build is SEO-ready from day one with proper schema, fast loading, mobile-first design, and on-page optimisation. With our Local Growth System we also handle Google Business Profile and local SEO so you appear in the map pack and 'near me' searches.

Do you offer ongoing website maintenance?

Yes. Our Website Management service covers unlimited edits, security updates, backups, fast hosting, and uptime monitoring so you never have to think about your website again.

What industries do you build websites for?

We have built websites for 25+ industries including plumbers, electricians, roofers, builders, dentists, solicitors, accountants, estate agents, restaurants, barbershops, beauty salons, fitness coaches, photographers, cleaners, and more.

What causes most website projects to overrun their timeline?

In our experience: 80% of overruns are client-side. Late content delivery (text, photos, logos) is the #1 cause. Brief changes mid-project come second. Agency-side overruns are usually caused by underestimating technical complexity at the quoting stage, or poor project management. Before signing with an agency, ask: 'What happens to the timeline if we're late with content?' A good agency will have a clear process for this.

Can a website be built in 1 week?

A simple landing page or basic 3-page website using a template: yes, in 3–7 days with all content ready on day 1. A proper business website with custom design, SEO setup, and more than 5 pages: no. Anyone promising a professional multi-page custom website in a week is either using a very basic template or planning to cut serious corners.

Why do some agencies quote 3 months for a website?

Larger agencies with complex processes, multiple departments, and enterprise clients often have longer timelines because their workflow involves more sign-off stages, more team members, and heavier documentation. For a London small business, a 3-month timeline for a standard brochure website from a small agency is a red flag. From a large agency, it may be justified - but you're likely paying for overhead you don't need.

What content do I need to have ready before a build starts?

At minimum: all text content (homepage, about, services, contact), your logo in vector format (SVG or AI), any specific photography you want to use, your Google Analytics / Search Console access, and hosting credentials if you're migrating. Providing all of this on day 1 is the single biggest thing you can do to keep the project on schedule.

Home/Blog/How Long Does a Website Take

Guides 6 min read 14 December 2025

How Long Does a Website Take to Build in London? Realistic 2026 Timelines

One of the most common questions we get from London business owners - and one of the most dishonestly answered by agencies trying to win business. Here's the honest answer with real timelines, by project type.

Timeline by Website Type

These are the realistic timelines we see for London businesses in 2026 - assuming all content is delivered on time by the client and the agency is working efficiently.

Landing Page

1–2 pages

1–2 weeks

A single-page lead generation site or a simple 'coming soon' page with contact details. All content must be ready on day 1.

Typically includes:

Custom or semi-custom design

Basic SEO setup

Contact form

Mobile-responsive

Red flag:

Anyone quoting more than 3 weeks for a landing page.

Small Business Site

5–10 pages

3–5 weeks

Homepage, about, services (1–3 service pages), contact, and optionally a blog. The standard for most London SMEs.

Typically includes:

Custom design

On-page SEO

Google Search Console setup

Mobile-first build

Red flag:

Quotes under 2 weeks (corners being cut) or over 8 weeks (overengineered process).

Medium Business Site

10–25 pages

6–10 weeks

Multiple service pages, location pages, team pages, case studies, and more complex functionality.

Typically includes:

Custom design system

Full SEO setup

Location pages

CMS training

Red flag:

No staging environment. No review process built into the timeline.

E-Commerce Site

Product catalogue + standard pages

8–16 weeks

Full online store with product pages, shopping cart, payment integration, inventory management, and SEO product page setup.

Typically includes:

Platform setup (Shopify/WooCommerce)

Product upload strategy

Payment gateway integration

Order management

Red flag:

Timeline doesn't account for product photography or content creation time.

Custom Web Application

Varies

12–26+ weeks

Bespoke functionality - booking systems, client portals, custom calculators, member areas. Each feature adds significant time.

Typically includes:

Full specification document

Development & testing sprints

User testing

Documentation

Red flag:

No technical specification produced before build starts. Fixed price without a scope document.

The Phases of a Website Build

Every professional website build follows a similar structure. Understanding these phases helps you manage expectations and know when delays are normal vs. warning signs.

Discovery & Strategy

- Week 1

Brief, competitor analysis, keyword research, sitemap planning. Skipping this is the #1 cause of redesigns that miss the mark.

Design

- Weeks 1–3

Wireframes, then visual design mockups for key pages. Expect 1–2 rounds of revisions. More than 3 revision rounds suggests the brief wasn't clear enough.

Development

- Weeks 2–5

Building the design into a working website. Runs partially in parallel with design for larger projects.

Content & SEO

- Weeks 3–5

Populating pages with final content, SEO titles, meta descriptions, schema markup. Most projects stall here waiting for client content.

Testing & QA

- Week 5

Cross-device testing, speed testing, form testing, link checking. Never skip this - it's where critical bugs are caught.

Launch

- Week 5–6

DNS migration, Google Search Console verification, Analytics setup, sitemap submission. A good agency manages this entirely - you shouldn't need to touch it.

How to Keep Your Project on Time

Deliver content on day 1

The most powerful thing a client can do. Have all text, images, and assets ready before the kick-off call.

Limit revision rounds

Agree a specific number of revision rounds upfront. Two rounds of feedback per phase is industry standard.

Assign one point of contact

Multiple stakeholders giving conflicting feedback is a major timeline killer. One decision-maker is ideal.

Review within 48 hours

When the agency sends work for review, respond within 48 hours. Long response gaps compound into weeks of delay.

Ready to start your project?

We build most London small business websites in 3–5 weeks and go live in 7–14 days from content delivery. Get a free quote today.

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