How Long Does It Take to Build a Website for a Service Business?

One of the most common questions service business owners ask before starting a website project is: how long will this take? The answer depends entirely on how the site gets built and how quickly you can provide what's needed.

Here's a realistic look at timelines across different approaches.

DIY on Wix, Squarespace, or GoDaddy

• ✓Time to first draft: 1–3 days if you block out time to do it. Realistically, 2–4 weeks for most business owners who fit it in around actual work.
• ✓Time to something you're happy with: 4–8 weeks. Getting the copy right, choosing photos, and iterating on the design takes longer than people expect.
• ✓The real blocker: Your own time. Most service business owners underestimate how long it takes to write good copy and lay out a professional-looking site.

Hiring a freelancer

• ✓Finding and vetting someone: 1–3 weeks to search, compare, review portfolios, and sign a contract.
• ✓Build time (once started): 2–5 weeks for a typical 5-page site. Depends on the freelancer's workload and how quickly you provide feedback.
• ✓Total elapsed time: 6–10 weeks from first contact to a live site. Sometimes longer if the freelancer is juggling other clients.

Hiring an agency

• ✓Discovery and proposal: 1–3 weeks before work even begins. Agencies have processes.
• ✓Design and development: 6–12 weeks depending on scope, revisions, and internal approvals.
• ✓Total elapsed time: 2–4 months is typical. Larger agencies sometimes run 6 months for a complex project.

Done-for-you services (like Lobus Industries)

• ✓What you provide upfront: Basic info about your business: services, location, phone number, any photos you have, and a sense of what you want.
• ✓Build time: About a week to a first draft, sometimes faster.
• ✓Total to go live: Most clients are live within 7–10 days of providing their information. The whole process is handled for you.

What actually causes delays

Across every approach, the biggest source of delays isn't the build — it's waiting on the client. Getting logo files, writing copy, providing photos, approving drafts, and registering a domain name all take time when you're running a business simultaneously.

The fastest path to a live site is having your core info ready: what you do, where you serve, how to contact you, and 3–5 photos of your work. That's honestly all you need to get started.