Web Design
How to Register a .com.au Domain
How to get a .com.au domain: eligibility, choosing a name, registering it, WHOIS privacy and the .au direct option if you have no ABN.
How long does it take to design a website? It depends far more on the project than on the designer: the number of pages, the features, how quickly content is ready and how fast feedback comes back. A simple site with content ready moves quickly; a store or custom build with lots of pages takes longer. With us, you get a timeline with your quote after the discovery call, based on your actual scope.
How long does it take to build a website?
Every website goes through the same stages. How long each one takes is what sets the overall timeline. Here’s how we run a project, and what speeds up or slows down each stage:
| Stage | What happens | What makes it faster | What slows it down |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Discovery and scope | A discovery call, then a written scope with your pages, features and timeline | Knowing what the site needs to achieve | Changing goals partway through |
| 2. Page plan and content | We agree the page structure; you supply the text and photos | Content ready before design starts | Waiting on words, photos or product details |
| 3. Design | The look and layouts, with rounds of feedback | Clear, combined feedback from one decision-maker | Several people giving different feedback |
| 4. Build | Pages, forms and features built and tested | A theme rather than a fully custom design | Extra features, integrations or many products |
| 5. Testing and launch | Checks on phones, tablets and desktops, forms and links; then go live | Domain and hosting access sorted early | Missing logins or domain details |
| 6. Support | Follow-up support after launch | A short list of final tweaks | Large new requests after launch |
Our packages include 3 rounds of feedback on Essentials, and follow-up support after launch runs 2 weeks on Essentials, 4 weeks on Standard and 8 weeks on Advanced.
How long does it take to make a simple website?
A simple website, such as our Essentials package with up to 5 pages, is the quickest kind to build because there are fewer pages to design, write and test. The biggest factor is usually content: if your text and photos are ready when we start, the project can move straight from design to build. If they aren’t, the site waits on them.
How long does it take to build a custom website?
A custom or larger site takes longer at every stage. A bespoke design means more design rounds, more pages mean more content and testing, and features such as bookings, member areas, CRM automation or an online store with many products add build time. Our Advanced package (25 to 50 pages, a bespoke industry-specific site) and E-commerce package are scoped in more detail for that reason, and the timeline is set in the scope.
What slows a website project down?
In our experience, the same few things delay most projects:
- Content that isn’t ready. Our packages assume you supply the business information and content, so the words and photos are often the critical path.
- Slow or scattered feedback. Feedback from several people, sent at different times, can stretch each round.
- Scope that grows. New pages or features added halfway through push the timeline out.
- Missing access. Not knowing who holds the domain, hosting or old website logins can hold up launch.
- Third parties. Waiting on a payment gateway account, a booking system or a supplier’s product data.
How to speed up your website build
- Decide who has the final say on design and content.
- Gather your text, photos, logo and product details before the project starts.
- Find your domain and hosting logins early.
- Combine feedback into one list for each round.
- Keep new ideas for a second phase after launch, rather than adding them mid-build.
How long does it take to migrate a website?
Moving an existing site to a new platform or host takes longer than a fresh build of the same size, because every page and address has to be mapped and redirected to protect your search rankings, then checked again after launch. Our website migration service sets the timeline after we’ve reviewed the existing site.
How long before my website appears on Google?
After launch, Google has to find and crawl your new site. Google says crawling can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks (Google Search Central). Submitting a sitemap in Google Search Console and linking your Google Business Profile to the site helps Google find it. Appearing is not the same as ranking well, though: that takes good content and SEO over time. Our article on how long SEO takes explains why.
How long does a website last?
There’s no fixed lifespan. A well-built site with regular updates can serve a business for years, but most need a refresh when the design looks dated, the site is slow or hard to use on a phone, or it no longer reflects the business. Regular maintenance keeps a site working longer: see our website care plans, and our article on signs you need a website redesign.
How we plan your timeline
We don’t publish a one-size-fits-all timeframe, because the honest answer depends on your scope and how ready your content is. After a free discovery call, we write a scope with your pages, features and a timeline, and we’ll tell you what you need to supply and when. Our web design packages start at $5,000 + GST for up to 5 pages, and our small business website design page explains what a typical small business site includes.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a website take to go live?
Once the site is built, tested and approved, going live is quick: the domain is pointed at the new site and final checks are done. The time before that depends on the stages above.
Can a website be built quickly?
A small site can move quickly when the content is ready and decisions are made fast. Rushing the design rounds or testing usually costs more time later, so a realistic timeline in the scope is better than a fast promise.
Does a bigger budget make it faster?
Not necessarily. More budget usually means more pages and features, which take more time. What speeds a project up most is ready content and quick, clear feedback.
Who writes the content?
Our packages assume you supply the business information and content. If you’d like help with copywriting, that’s quoted as extra design and marketing work at $175 + GST an hour.
The short version
How long it takes to build a website depends on its size, its features, how ready your content is and how fast feedback comes back. A simple site with content ready is quickest; larger and custom builds take longer. Ask for a written scope and timeline before you start.
If you’d like a timeline for your website, book a free 30-minute discovery call.
