The verdict in three sentences
For a mid-sized company, building a corporate website realistically takes 4 to 6 months in 2026, for a budget of EUR 40,000 to 90,000 (about USD 43,000 to 97,000). Development is almost never the bottleneck: content and internal approval loops are what push dates back. A communications director announcing a date to the executive committee should therefore build a backward plan with explicit buffers on every approval phase.
The typical plan, phase by phase
The durations below apply to a corporate site of 30 to 60 pages, bilingual, with a CMS and a few integrations (CRM, recruiting, newsletter). They are 2026 ballpark figures observed on projects for companies with 250 to 2,000 employees.
| Phase | Low estimate | High estimate | Deliverables | Share of budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scoping and workshops | 2 weeks | 3 weeks | Goals, sitemap, specifications | 8 to 10% |
| UX and wireframes | 2 weeks | 3 weeks | User journeys, template layouts | 10 to 12% |
| Visual design | 2 weeks | 3 weeks | Desktop and mobile mockups, design system | 12 to 15% |
| Development and integrations | 6 weeks | 10 weeks | CMS, templates, connectors | 40 to 45% |
| Content and approvals | 4 weeks | 4 weeks | Approved copy, visuals, translations | 10 to 15% |
| QA and go-live | 2 weeks | 2 weeks | Testing, fixes, redirects, cutover | 8 to 10% |
| Total | 18 weeks (4 months) | 25 weeks (6 months) | Live site | EUR 40,000 to 90,000 |
Content and development overlap partly: copywriting starts as soon as the sitemap is approved, otherwise the plan grows by 4 weeks.
What makes a timeline slip, and by how much
On mid-market projects, delays nearly always have the same causes. Identifying them at scoping lets you price them into the backward plan.
| Cause of delay | Average observed delay | Countermeasure |
|---|---|---|
| Mockup approval by the executive committee | 2 to 4 weeks | One decision-making sponsor, 2 revision rounds max |
| Content not delivered by business units | 3 to 6 weeks | Dedicated copywriter, delivery calendar per department |
| Legal or compliance review | 1 to 3 weeks | Legal counsel involved from scoping |
| Translations | 1 to 2 weeks | Started in parallel with development |
| HRIS or CRM integration | 2 to 4 weeks | API access secured by week 2 |
| Scope change mid-project | 2 to 8 weeks | Phase 2 scheduled after launch |
A simple rule: add a 15 to 20% buffer to the nominal plan before communicating a date. On 20 weeks, that means announcing launch at week 23 or 24.
Budget by complexity
| Site profile | Pages | Languages | Budget | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard corporate | 30 pages | 2 | EUR 40,000 to 55,000 | 4 months |
| Corporate with careers | 40 pages + jobs | 2 | EUR 55,000 to 70,000 | 4.5 to 5 months |
| Multi-business group | 60 pages + subsidiaries | 3 | EUR 70,000 to 90,000 | 5.5 to 6 months |
| Investor relations option | Reports, financial calendar | All | + EUR 8,000 to 15,000 | + 3 weeks |
| Accessibility audit option (WCAG 2.1 AA) | Audit and fixes | All | + EUR 5,000 to 10,000 | + 2 weeks |
Mini case study
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Isabelle, communications director of a 900-employee industrial company in Nantes, must present a date to the January executive committee. Her project: 45 pages, two languages, a careers module linked to her recruiting tool, approved budget EUR 62,000. Nominal plan: 3 weeks of scoping, 5 weeks of UX and design, 8 weeks of development, 4 weeks of content partly in parallel (2 weeks net impact), 2 weeks of QA, or 20 weeks. With an 18% buffer, she announces 24 weeks. Starting on February 2, launch lands in mid-July, before the summer break when approvals stop. Each week of delay beyond that costs about EUR 1,200 in project team time.
FAQ
Can a mid-market corporate site ship in 3 months?
Yes, if you cut scope to 20 or 25 pages, with content already ready and a single decision maker. Expect 12 to 14 weeks for EUR 35,000 to 45,000.
Which phase is most often underestimated?
Content. In 7 projects out of 10, writing and approval by business units take 2 to 6 weeks longer than planned.
Agile or waterfall?
A hybrid works best: scoping and design run sequentially, then development in 2-week sprints with a demo at the end of each sprint.
How do we choose the launch date?
Avoid financial closing periods, summer and the last two weeks of December. Plan cutover on a Tuesday or Wednesday, with 2 weeks of hypercare after.
Who should lead on the client side?
An internal project manager available 30 to 50% of their time, with a sponsor on the executive committee. Without that, timelines grow by 20% on average.
Let's scope your project. Share your scope, languages and target date: we build a 4 to 6 month backward plan and a budget between EUR 40,000 and 90,000. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
