How Long Does It Take to Build a Website?
You don't want to wait six months for a website, so here’s an honest answer, broken down by what actually affects the timeline.
SHORT answer
For a standard custom website for a local Orillia business — 5 to 10 pages, built properly with SEO and custom design — expect 4-6 weeks from the day we start to the day it goes live.
Ai web builds can be turned around in under a week. Complex builds with e-commerce, integrations, or large page counts can take three to four months.
what affects the timeline
How fast you get us your content
This is the number one reason websites take longer than expected. We need your photos, your service descriptions, your logo, and any other materials before we can build. If those take four weeks to pull together, the project takes four weeks longer. Tip: before you hire anyone to build your site, start gathering your materials. Photos of your team and your work, a list of all your services, and any branding files you have.How many revisions happen
A standard build includes two or three rounds of revisions. If feedback comes back quickly and is specific ("move this button to the left, change this colour") the process moves fast. If feedback is vague or keeps changing, it drags out.How complex the build is
Five pages with a contact form is straightforward. Fifteen pages, location-specific content for six cities, an integrated booking system, and a blog: more moving parts, more time.How many people need to approve things
Sole proprietors move fast. Businesses with partners, office managers, and "I just want to show my wife" — things slow down. There's nothing wrong with that, but factor it in.
typical timeline
Week 1: Discovery call, proposal, contract signed, deposit paid. You send us your materials
Week 2–3: Design concepts built and presented. First round of feedback
Week 3–5: Full site built based on approved design. Content placed, SEO set up
Week 5–6: Your review, revisions, final approval
Week 6+: Testing, final checks, launch. That's 4-6 weeks for a smooth project where everyone is responsive. 8-10 if life gets in the way — which it usually does.
What You Can Do to Speed Things Up
Get your content ready before we start.
Respond to feedback within a day or two.
Give specific notes rather than general feelings.
Limit the number of people who have sign-off.
The fastest projects we've ever done were clients who came in prepared, gave clear feedback, and trusted us to make design decisions within the agreed direction.
Ready to MAKE YOUR WEBSITE?
McGrawesome Design has been building websites for Orillia and Simcoe County businesses for over six years. We're not going to oversell you something you don't need — and we're not going to hand you a template and call it custom.
