What a realistic timeline actually looks like
Most custom website projects break into four phases: discovery and strategy (roughly the first 1-2 weeks), design (2-3 weeks), development (2-3 weeks, often overlapping with late design), and testing plus launch (final few days to a week). For a straightforward brand or business site, that lands the whole project in the 4-8 week range.
Template-based sites compress dramatically since the design phase mostly disappears - customizing an existing template can take as little as 1-2 weeks. Web applications extend in the other direction, often taking 2-4+ months depending on how many features and integrations are involved.
What actually causes delays
The single biggest source of delay isn't the development studio - it's how quickly the client provides feedback, content, and approvals. A studio waiting a week for sign-off on a design direction loses that week regardless of how fast their own work is.
Scope creep is the second major cause - adding new pages or features mid-project without adjusting the timeline. Every genuinely new addition pushes the launch date; the question is just whether that's decided upfront and planned for, or discovered as a surprise near the deadline.
How to keep your project on schedule
Have your content (copy, images, case studies) ready before development starts, not requested mid-build. Set a clear, fast feedback loop upfront - agree to a 48-hour turnaround on reviews so the project doesn't stall waiting on internal approvals.