Consider a mid-size Swiss firm looking at this very question last year. “When will the website be ready?” This question is asked daily. The honest answer: It depends on scope. Anything between 6 weeks and 12 months is possible. This article shows realistic timelines for different project sizes and how to avoid delays.

Timeline Overview by Project Size

Fast Relaunch: 6-10 Weeks

Project type:

  • 10-15 pages
  • Template-based
  • Existing content
  • No integrations
  • One language
  • Clear requirements

Budget: CHF 8,000-20,000

Phases:

  1. Concept: 1 week
  2. Design: 2 weeks
  3. Development: 2-3 weeks
  4. Content entry: 1 week (parallel)
  5. Testing & launch: 1-2 weeks

Suitable for:

  • Startups with time pressure
  • Simple business websites
  • Budget projects

Risk: Quality can suffer, little time for testing and optimisation.

Standard Relaunch: 3-5 Months

Project type:

  • 20-35 pages
  • Semi-custom design
  • Content revised
  • 1-2 integrations
  • One language (or 2)
  • Standard requirements

Budget: CHF 20,000-50,000

Phases:

  1. Strategy & concept: 2-3 weeks
  2. Design: 4-6 weeks
  3. Development: 6-8 weeks
  4. Content: 4-6 weeks (parallel)
  5. Testing & launch: 2-3 weeks

Suitable for:

  • Most SME projects
  • B2B service providers
  • Professional positioning

Most realistic timeline: Most Swiss SME relaunches fall into this category.

Detailed Relaunch: 5-9 Months

Project type:

  • 40-60 pages
  • Custom design
  • Content newly created
  • Multiple integrations
  • 2-3 languages
  • Custom features

Budget: CHF 50,000-120,000

Phases:

  1. Research & strategy: 3-4 weeks
  2. UX concept: 2-3 weeks
  3. Design: 6-10 weeks
  4. Development: 10-16 weeks
  5. Content production: 8-12 weeks (parallel)
  6. Testing & optimisation: 3-4 weeks
  7. Launch & stabilization: 1-2 weeks

Suitable for:

  • Larger SMEs (50-200 employees)
  • B2B with complex requirements
  • International orientation

Enterprise Relaunch: 9-18 Months

Project type:

  • 80+ pages
  • Enterprise requirements
  • E-commerce or platform
  • Many integrations (ERP, CRM)
  • Multi-site, 4+ languages
  • Custom development
  • Stakeholder management

Budget: CHF 120,000-300,000+

Phases:

  1. Discovery & research: 4-8 weeks
  2. Strategy & concept: 4-6 weeks
  3. UX research & prototyping: 4-6 weeks
  4. Design system: 8-12 weeks
  5. Development: 16-32 weeks
  6. Integrations: 8-16 weeks (parallel)
  7. Content: 12-24 weeks (parallel)
  8. Testing: 4-8 weeks
  9. Pilot & rollout: 4-8 weeks

Suitable for:

  • Large companies (200+ employees)
  • Complex e-commerce
  • Multi-market launches

The Phases in Detail

Phase 1: Strategy and Concept (10-20% of Time)

What happens:

  • Kick-off meeting
  • Stakeholder interviews
  • Goal definition
  • Target audience analysis
  • Content audit (existing website)
  • Competitive analysis
  • Create sitemap
  • Wireframes (rough)
  • Define technical requirements

Deliverables:

  • Project brief
  • Sitemap
  • Content strategy
  • Wireframes
  • Technical concept

Duration:

  • Fast: 1 week
  • Standard: 2-3 weeks
  • Complete: 3-4 weeks
  • Enterprise: 4-8 weeks

Why important: Foundation for everything else. Mistakes here are expensive later.

Typical bottleneck:

  • Unclear requirements
  • Stakeholders not available
  • No decision authority

More on partner selection →

Phase 2: Design (20-30% of Time)

What happens:

  • Moodboards
  • Design concept
  • Style guide (colors, fonts, etc.)
  • Design key pages
  • Design all templates
  • Responsive variants (mobile, tablet)
  • Feedback loops (2-4 rounds)
  • Design approval

Deliverables:

  • Design mockups (all pages)
  • Style guide
  • Responsive designs
  • Asset export for developer

Duration:

  • Template customisation: 1-2 weeks
  • Semi-custom: 4-6 weeks
  • Custom: 6-10 weeks
  • Enterprise: 8-16 weeks

Typical bottleneck:

  • Too many stakeholders with opinions
  • Endless feedback loops
  • No clear decision authority

How to accelerate:

  • Max. 2-3 decision makers
  • Structured feedback (not “don’t like it”)
  • Limit feedback rounds (e.g., max. 3)

Phase 3: Development (30-40% of Time)

What happens:

  • Frontend development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
  • CMS setup and configuration
  • Program custom functionality
  • Implement integrations
  • Content migration
  • Testing (continuous)

Deliverables:

  • Functional website on staging server
  • CMS set up
  • Integrations functional

Duration:

  • Simple (template): 2-3 weeks
  • Standard: 6-8 weeks
  • Custom: 10-16 weeks
  • Enterprise: 16-32 weeks

Typical bottleneck:

  • Unclear requirements (retrospective)
  • Scope creep (“can we add…”)
  • Integrations more complex than thought
  • Content not ready on time

How to accelerate:

  • Requirements clearly defined
  • No scope creep (move to Phase 2)
  • Test integrations early

Phase 4: Content (Parallel, 20-30% of Time)

What happens:

  • Content audit
  • Write/revise texts
  • Translations
  • Acquire images (shoot or stock)
  • Produce videos
  • SEO optimisation
  • Content entry into CMS

Deliverables:

  • All texts finalised
  • Images optimised and uploaded
  • Videos ready
  • Meta data (SEO)

Duration:

  • Transfer existing: 1-2 weeks
  • Revise: 4-6 weeks
  • Create new: 8-12 weeks
  • In-depth (multilingual): 12-24 weeks

Typical bottleneck:

  • THE number 1 reason for delays
  • Customer underestimates effort
  • “We’ll do it ourselves” doesn’t get done
  • Approval processes take forever

How to accelerate:

  • Content plan BEFORE project start
  • Commission external content production
  • Clear deadlines and responsibilities

Hidden costs →

Phase 5: Testing and Optimisation (10-15% of Time)

What happens:

  • Browser testing (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge)
  • Device testing (desktop, mobile, tablet)
  • Function testing (links, forms, etc.)
  • Performance testing
  • SEO check
  • Accessibility check
  • User testing (optional)
  • Bug fixing
  • Optimizations

Deliverables:

  • Bug reports
  • Performance report
  • Launch-ready website

Duration:

  • Basic: 1-2 weeks
  • Standard: 2-3 weeks
  • Full: 3-4 weeks
  • Enterprise: 4-8 weeks

Typical bottleneck:

  • Testing underestimated
  • Too many bugs (= poor development)
  • Last-minute change requests

How to accelerate:

  • Start testing early (not just at end)
  • Automated tests
  • Change freeze 2 weeks before launch

Phase 6: Launch (1-2 Weeks)

What happens:

  • Final content check
  • DNS preparation
  • Implement 301 redirects
  • Create backup
  • Set up monitoring
  • Go-live
  • Post-launch monitoring (48-72h intensive)
  • Bug fixing (hot fixes)

Deliverables:

  • Live website
  • Monitoring active
  • Team trained

Duration:

  • Technical launch: 1 day
  • Preparation + stabilization: 1-2 weeks

Typical bottleneck:

  • DNS problems
  • Unplanned bugs
  • SSL certificate issues
  • Missing redirects

How to accelerate:

  • Work through launch checklist
  • Soft launch (for internal tests only)
  • Team available for 48h post-launch

The 7 Most Common Delays

1. Content Not Ready (Most Common Delay)

Problem: “We’ll do texts ourselves” is underestimated. Customer is busy, content doesn’t come.

Delay: 4-12 weeks

Solution:

  • Content deadline BEFORE design start
  • Commission external content production
  • Dummy content for design, finalise later

2. Endless Feedback Loops

Problem: Too many stakeholders, no clear decisions, always new opinions.

Delay: 2-8 weeks

Solution:

  • Define max. 2-3 decision makers
  • Limit feedback rounds (e.g., 3)
  • Structured feedback (not “don’t like it”)
  • Deadlines for feedback

3. Scope Creep

Problem: “Can we quickly add…” becomes 40 additional requirements.

Delay: 3-10 weeks

Solution:

  • Define change request process
  • “Phase 2” list for post-launch features
  • Additional requirements = additional time and budget

4. Integrations More Complex Than Expected

Problem: CRM/ERP integration looks simple, but is complex.

Delay: 2-8 weeks

Solution:

  • Test integrations early in project
  • Check API documentation
  • Clarify technical feasibility before project start

5. Stakeholders Not Available

Problem: Meetings must be postponed, feedback comes late, approvals take time.

Delay: 2-6 weeks

Solution:

  • Clarify availability BEFORE project start
  • Block fixed meeting slots
  • Define backup decision maker

6. Technical Problems

Problem: Legacy system incompatibilities, hosting issues, unexpected bugs.

Delay: 1-4 weeks

Solution:

  • Technical assessment before project start
  • Build in buffer for unforeseen
  • Engage experienced developers

7. Holidays and Public Holidays

Problem: Summer holidays (July/August), Christmas, various public holidays.

Delay: 2-6 weeks

Solution:

  • Plan project timeline with holidays/public holidays
  • Critical phases not over holiday time
  • Build in buffer

How to Accelerate Your Project

1. Clear Requirements Before Start

What to do:

  • Create detailed briefing
  • Define sitemap
  • List features
  • Collect design references
  • Clarify budget and timeline

Savings: 2-4 weeks

2. Content BEFORE Project Start

What to do:

  • Do content audit
  • Have texts written (external)
  • Acquire images
  • Commission translations

Savings: 4-8 weeks

3. Clarify Decision Authority

What to do:

  • Define 1-2 main decision makers
  • Define feedback process
  • Set decision deadlines

Savings: 2-4 weeks

4. Template Instead of Custom (Where Possible)

What to do:

  • Premium template as base
  • Custom only for key pages
  • Use standard features instead of custom

Savings: 4-8 weeks

5. MVP Approach

What to do:

  • Define Minimum Viable Product
  • Move “nice-to-have” to Phase 2
  • Focus on essentials

Savings: 4-12 weeks

6. Work in Parallel

What happens in parallel:

  • Content production during design
  • Testing during development
  • SEO work during setup

Important: Not too much in parallel, or chaos.

Timeline Checklist

Before project start:

  • Budget and timeline clarified
  • Requirements documented
  • Stakeholders available
  • Content plan available
  • Decision process defined

Strategy phase:

  • Kick-off completed
  • Goals defined
  • Sitemap created
  • Wireframes approved
  • Technical concept agreed

Design phase:

  • Design concept presented
  • Feedback rounds (max. 3) completed
  • Design approved
  • Assets exported

Development phase:

  • Frontend developed
  • CMS set up
  • Features implemented
  • Integrations tested
  • Content migrated

Content phase:

  • Texts finalised
  • Images optimised
  • Translations complete
  • SEO meta data complete
  • Content in CMS

Testing phase:

  • Browser testing completed
  • Mobile testing completed
  • Performance optimised
  • SEO checked
  • All bugs fixed

Launch:

  • Final content check
  • Backups created
  • Redirects implemented
  • DNS prepared
  • Monitoring set up
  • Team trained
  • Go-live
  • 48h post-launch monitoring

The most important insights:

  1. Standard timeline: 3-5 months Realistic for most SME projects.

  2. Content is the most common reason for delay Start early, commission externally, set deadlines.

  3. Plan buffer: +20-30% Experience shows it’s needed.

  4. Faster = risk Under 2 months, quality usually suffers.

  5. Communication is critical Clear decision makers, structured feedback, fixed deadlines.

Timeline by budget:

  • CHF 10,000-20,000: 6-10 weeks
  • CHF 20,000-40,000: 3-4 months
  • CHF 40,000-80,000: 4-6 months
  • CHF 80,000-150,000: 6-9 months
  • CHF 150,000+: 9-18 months

Rule of thumb: Per CHF 10,000 budget, calculate 3-4 weeks project time (as rough guide).

A website relaunch is a marathon, not a sprint. Realistic planning saves time, money, and nerves in the end.

Back to complete relaunch guide →

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