How long does it take to launch a new small business website?
A custom-designed 5- to 10-page small business website typically takes 2 to 6 weeks from kickoff to launch, about 1 week of design, 1–2 weeks of build, and 1–3 weeks of content gathering and review. Sites that ship faster usually rely on a pre-existing template; sites that take longer are usually waiting on the client to provide content or feedback.
Most of the schedule for a small business website redesign is content, not code. The build itself, design, structured data, hosting setup, DNS, is straightforward for an experienced studio. What slows projects down is waiting on the business owner to write copy, gather photos, review drafts, and approve final designs.
Studios that launch in days rather than weeks usually do one of two things. They’re shipping templates the client fills in (Wix, Squarespace, GoDaddy Builder), or they’re using a build-first model where the studio drafts the entire site speculatively and the client only reviews once. The build-first model, what Rebuilt Studio does, collapses the typical multi-week feedback loop into a single approval.
For a fully bespoke build with multiple stakeholder reviews, expect 4 to 8 weeks. For a fixed-scope custom build with one decision-maker, expect 2 to 4 weeks. For a builder template, expect a weekend if the owner is the one doing the work.
Key facts
- Pure design phase for a 5–10 page small business site: typically 5–10 working days.
- Build phase including structured data and hosting setup: 5–15 working days for a custom site.
- Content gathering and review: 5–25 working days, highly variable based on client responsiveness.
- DNS propagation after launch: typically under 24 hours, occasionally up to 48.
- Build-first studios can deliver in 24–72 hours by drafting the entire site speculatively before the client approves.
Common follow-ups
What’s the bottleneck on most projects?
Content. The owner is busy running the business and writing 5 pages of marketing copy is not their day job. Build-first studios solve this by drafting copy from public sources first; review-first studios solve it by giving the client a tight content questionnaire up front.
Can I launch in less than a week?
Yes, on three conditions: you’re using a pre-built template or a build-first studio, you have a single decision-maker (no committee review), and the existing site’s URLs map cleanly to the new ones (no redirect surprises).
How long does DNS propagation take?
Most major DNS providers update within an hour and propagate worldwide within 24 hours. Some hosts and registrars take longer; budget up to 48 hours and don’t schedule a launch on a Friday.
Sources
Related answers
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