Almost every business owner asks the same question at some point: how long will it actually take before my new website goes live? The honest answer is that it depends on what you want to build. A simple company site is a different project from an online shop with hundreds of products. There are, however, clear benchmarks that help you plan.
Typical timelines by website type
A straightforward presentation site with five to ten pages takes two to four weeks. That covers a freelancer or small business that needs an online presence with a contact page and a service overview.
A full custom business website, with its own design, multiple pages, and a blog, takes four to eight weeks. This is the most common choice for SMEs in Belgium.
A webshop or a site with complex features, such as booking systems, client portals, or integrations with external software, takes six to twelve weeks. The extra time goes into technical integrations, testing phases, and user validation.
What drives the timeline most
The biggest delays in a website project rarely come from the developer. In most cases, the agency is waiting on content: copy, photos, logos, and product descriptions that the client needs to supply.
Other factors that affect timing:
- Feedback rounds: the more people who need to approve internally, the longer each round takes
- Custom versus template: a fully bespoke design takes more time than a proven template
- Multilingual content: a site in English and Dutch doubles the translation and testing work
- Integrations: connecting a CRM, booking tool, or payment system adds development time
The phases of a website project
A professional website project follows fixed steps. At BOUT LAST WEEK, we work with this structure:
- Discovery: we learn about your business, your audience, and your goals
- Design: we create the visual structure and wait for your approval
- Development: the approved design is turned into a working website
- Content: copy and images are added and reviewed
- Launch: after thorough testing, the site goes live
Each phase has its own duration. A delay in one phase affects everything that follows.
How you can speed up the process
As the client, you have more influence over the timeline than you might expect. Three concrete actions that make a difference:
Have your content ready before the project starts. Writing copy after development begins is the leading cause of delays in website projects.
Limit the number of people who need to approve feedback rounds. One point of contact on your side moves faster than decisions by committee.
Give specific feedback. "This does not feel like our brand" is less useful than "the typeface is too informal and the colour does not match our brand guidelines."
What a realistic timeline means for your planning
If you want your website live before a trade fair, a seasonal peak, or a product launch, start early enough. Always add two weeks of buffer to the estimated timeline. An unexpected round of feedback or a new request halfway through the project causes delays more quickly than you expect.
Working to a tight deadline? Mention it in your first conversation. A good web agency plans its capacity ahead of time and can tell you whether your timeline is achievable before the contract is signed.
At BOUT LAST WEEK, every quote includes a realistic project schedule. You know exactly when to expect what from us, and when we need something from you. Get in touch to find out what a website for your business costs and how long it will take.