Having a website built: a step-by-step guide for a successful project
Website projects rarely fail because of technical issues; they almost always fail because of an unclear brief, wrong expectations about timeline, or feedback that comes too late. This step-by-step guide prevents those three classic pitfalls.
- Five steps: write a brief, request quotes, evaluate the design proposal, guide the build phase, and run an acceptance test before launch.
- The brief is the most underestimated step: without a clear description of your target audience, features, and budget, you get quotes that cannot be compared.
- Always request two to three quotes and evaluate the portfolio of past projects, not just the price.
- Delahaye Solutions builds Starter sites (€1,250 one-off) and Business sites (€2,950 one-off) with a fixed price and timeline, including a free intake call.
Loek Delahaye
founder, Delahaye Solutions · 10+ years as software architect and CTO
Published:
Why do so many website projects go wrong?
Website projects fail because of three recurring causes: a vague brief that leads the agency to make assumptions that later turn out to be incorrect, feedback that comes too late or is too general causing design rounds to stack up, and unclear ownership of content (who supplies the copy and images?). Technical errors, developer delays, or a disappointing end result can almost always be traced back to one of these three causes. The good news: all three can be prevented with a tight project process from day one.
Five steps for a successful website project
This step-by-step guide works for any type of site: a brochure site, webshop, portfolio, or company site. The order is non-negotiable: you cannot evaluate a quote without a brief, and you cannot test without a built site.
1. Write a clear brief
The brief describes who will visit the site (target audience and purpose of the visit), what features the site needs (contact form, booking system, webshop, login portal), what the budget is, and when the site should go live. The more specific, the better the quotes you get back. A two-page brief is enough: more is not needed. Add concrete example websites that appeal to you and describe what you value about them.
2. Request quotes from two to three parties
Send your brief to two or three agencies or freelancers. Ask per quote: what is included, what is explicitly not included (content, hosting, maintenance after launch), how many revision rounds are there, and what is the turnaround time? Also evaluate the portfolio: are there projects comparable to your scope and sector? A low price is not an advantage if the execution does not match your project. Also pay attention to the communication style in the first contact.
3. Evaluate the design proposal critically
Most agencies first deliver a wireframe (schematic layout without colour or final text) or a full design in Figma or Adobe XD. Test the proposal on three points: does the navigation structure match the way your target audience thinks and searches, is the most desired action (quote request, purchase, contact) clearly visible, and does the visual style match your brand identity? Give written feedback per section. Verbal feedback or 'it doesn't feel right' delays the project.
4. Guide the build phase with targeted feedback
During the build phase, the agency delivers interim versions on a staging environment. Review those versions for three things: does all functionality work as described in the brief, does the site load quickly on a mobile network, and are all content elements you supply (logo, copy, images) correctly implemented? Give feedback bundled per version, not spread across multiple chats. The tighter the feedback cycles, the smaller the chance of scope creep and additional costs.
5. Run an acceptance test and launch in stages
Before launch, run through a checklist: do all forms and integrations work, are the 404 page and error pages set up, is the sitemap submitted to Google Search Console, does the site load in under 2.5 seconds on a 4G connection (Core Web Vitals), and is the Google Analytics or Vercel Analytics tag active? Preferably launch on a Monday morning, not on a Friday afternoon: if problems arise there is immediate capacity to fix them.
Three pitfalls that delay every project
Pitfall 1: delivering content too late. Agencies plan the build phase based on the content you supply. Copy and images that arrive a week late cost you two weeks of lead time. Arrange the content before the build phase begins. Pitfall 2: too many stakeholders in the review process. When three people give feedback without a decision maker, contradictory changes arise. Appoint one contact person who makes decisions on behalf of the organisation. Pitfall 3: skipping the acceptance test. 'The agency checked it' is not an acceptance test. Have someone who was not involved in the project walk through the site as a real visitor, on both desktop and mobile.
Frequently asked questions about having a website built
How long does it take to have a website built?
A simple brochure site or portfolio typically takes two to four weeks from brief to launch. A site with custom functionality (booking system, client portal, webshop) takes four to twelve weeks, depending on complexity. The biggest time consumers are the delivery of content and the feedback rounds. The faster you deliver content and feedback, the sooner the site goes live.
What does having a website built cost in 2026?
A simple brochure site built by a freelancer costs approximately €500–€2,000. An agency charges €1,500–€5,000+ for a comparable site. Delahaye Solutions builds Starter sites (one section, contact form, fast) for €1,250 one-off and Business sites (multiple pages, integrations, e-commerce module) for €2,950 one-off. Custom platforms start from €5,000. Prices exclude VAT and any hosting costs.
Do I need to supply the content myself?
That depends on the agreement with the agency. Some agencies offer copywriting as an option; others build the site based on content you supply. In both cases, you must determine the direction: what does the site say, for whom, and with what goal? Make sure the copy is ready before the build phase begins. Photos you supply should be at least 1,000 pixels wide and free of copyright restrictions.
Who manages the site after launch?
Discuss this before the project starts. Options: you yourself via a CMS (if the agency integrates a CMS such as WordPress, Sanity, or Contentful), the agency via a maintenance contract (typically €50–200/month for updates, backups, and small adjustments), or a hybrid where you manage content yourself but leave technical updates to the agency. Delahaye Solutions offers a Care package from €39/month including technical support.
Should I choose WordPress or custom development?
WordPress is a good choice for a brochure site or blog if you want to manage copy yourself. For a site with complex integrations, strict GDPR requirements, or fast load times as a core requirement, custom development (Next.js, Laravel) is generally better and cheaper to maintain in the long run. Read our article on WordPress versus custom development for an honest overview.
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