How long DOES it take to build a website? It Depends…
Your experience level, the platform you choose and the complexity of the site factor into the question, “How long does it take to build a website?” It is possible to build out a fully functional website in a weekend as I demonstrate in my how to article on websites. If you follow the guidance there using the platform and features I’ve laid out you can be up and running in just one or two days.
However, if you’re looking to use a different platform or with more features your mileage may vary.
Full Disclosure – Affiliate Links
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. That means if you click on them and make a purchase I receive an affiliate commission. That being said, I only recommend products and services I use myself and think would be useful to you when building a website.
Website Builders – How long does it take to build a website?
Website Builders like Wix, Squarespace and Shopify provide simple editors and can have you up and running in a matter of hours. However, for any features more advanced than simple text and image content like an email list of forms to collect information, you are going to pay a premium.
If you just need an informational site to demonstrate legitimacy these website builders can be a good solution. However, if you need advanced features you will have to pay to upgrade to get them and your monthly bill could quickly become expensive.
Website Builders Summary
Skill Level Required: Novice
Price: Inexpensive for a basic site, quickly more expensive as premium features are added
How Long does it take to build a website: A few hours
WordPress Websites
Full disclosure, this is my go to approach. I’ve been using WordPress for over a decade. Once you are familiar with how to use it you have a very powerful system at your disposal. It does take some practice and I recommend a good reference book such as “WordPress: The Missing Manual” (Affiliate Link) to get you started.
In my website in a weekend approach I use WordPress to show you how to create a simple site that you can expand on later. Unlike Website Builders you can add a lot of functionality without paying a lot extra.
WordPress Websites Summary
Skill Level Required: Moderate
Price: Inexpensive starting at $2.95 with BlueHost (Affiliate Link) – Additional features often can be implemented for free.
How Long does it take to build a website: Can be done in a weekend, could take a week or two if creating a more complex site.
HTML Coded Websites
Unless you are a web developer, experienced with HTML, CSS, JavaScript and a back end programming language like PHP or ASP.Net this route will mean you are going to hire a web developer or agency to construct your website. Finding the right developer or agency is going to take time. On top of that, you will spend time explaining what you want for your website and then it will take time to construct it.
This is by far the slowest option. However, it can result in a fully featured site that does exactly what you want it to.
This level of custom design isn’t inexpensive. Custom built websites often cost several thousand dollars.
HTML Coded Websites Summary
Skill Level Required: Expert
Price: Expensive if hired out to professional developers – $3000 – $10,000
How long does it take to build a website: Several weeks to several months
