How long does it take to build a small business website?

By Jennie Tewell

A custom small business website with Made by Crane usually takes about 2 to 3 weeks to build, depending on how many pages and features it has. A ready-made site launches within 7 days of us getting your words and photos.

The biggest thing that decides how fast your site launches isn't the design or the build. It's how quickly your content comes together.

Typical timelines by package

• Essential (up to 5 pages): about 2 weeks
• Signature (up to 8 pages, with a blog or events, a gallery and lead capture): about 2 to 3 weeks
• Premier (up to 12 pages, plus a follow-up email sequence and a starter brand): about 3 weeks
• Ready-made site: within 7 days of getting everything from you

These timelines assume your words and photos arrive on time.

What happens, step by step

Here's how a custom project moves from first message to launch.

1. Inquiry. You tell us about your business with a short form.
2. A 20-minute call. We talk through what you need and whether we're a good fit.
3. Proposal and deposit. You get a proposal and contract. Your deposit books the start date.
4. Questionnaire. A short set of questions about your business. Your words and photos are due within 14 days.
5. Design direction. We design your homepage first, so you can see the direction before we build the rest.
6. Build and review. We build the full site. You review it in rounds and we refine it. Essential includes 2 rounds of revisions, and Signature and Premier include 3.
7. Launch. Your site goes live, with a short walkthrough video for your editor.
8. Care begins. Your care plan starts the month after launch, with a check-in at 30 days.

Why the homepage comes first

Designing the homepage first is the best way to keep a project on schedule. It sets the look for everything else: colors, fonts, photo style and tone. Once you're happy with it, the rest of the pages follow that direction, and there are far fewer surprises late in the project.

What slows a website down

In our experience, timelines slip for a few common reasons:

• Content arrives late. Words and photos are the slowest part of almost every website. If content runs more than 14 days late, the project pauses until it arrives.
• Too many people deciding. When several people need to sign off, rounds of feedback take longer.
• Scope grows. Adding pages or features mid-project adds time. Extra pages are $150 each, and bigger features are quoted separately.

How to launch faster

A little preparation goes a long way. Before we start, it helps to gather:

• Your logo, if you have one
• A site or two you like the feel of
• Anything your current site does that you want to keep
• Photos you'd like to use
• Rough notes on your services, prices and the questions customers ask most

Rough is fine. We'd rather have notes on time than perfect copy late.

When can you start?

We take on projects case by case, so every client gets real attention. Feel free to check with us on our availability, especially if you have a launch date in mind.

What about website builders?

On Squarespace or Wix, you can technically launch in a weekend. In practice, most owners find the time goes into choosing a template, writing the words, sizing photos and getting everything to look right on a phone. It's faster to start, but the hours are yours.

If speed matters most and you don't need a custom design, a ready-made site is the quickest way to launch with us. Pick a template, send your logo, words and photos, and we set it up and launch it within 7 days. Ready-made sites are available for any kind of small business.

Planning around a date?

If you have a busy season, a grand opening or an event coming up, tell us when you first reach out. We'll be honest about whether the timing works.

Start a project and we'll reply within 2 business days to set up a call. Or see the packages and ready-made sites.

Quick answers