How much does creating a website cost?
This is probably the most frequent question we get. And we get it, you don’t like the “it depends” answers when thinking about how to budget your business. So let us give you firm numbers.
A basic brochure site (one that introduces your business, lists your services, contact info) will run you about £500-£2,000 in the UK. More advanced shopping cart websites (which allow you to list products, have a shopping cart, and process payments) range from £2,000-£8,000 or more depending on how complex you want it to be.
What defines the price?
Since websites are not a single, predefined entity, there is a great deal of flexibility in price. Factors relating to website price are listed below.
- Complexity – design and functionality of the website
- Platform – some frameworks are easier to use and therefore are less cost intensive
- Content – whether you will be providing content or need help to generate it
- Number of Pages – more pages = more work, therefore more time, more cost
- Custom Features – booking systems, membership sites, calculators
How do you get an accurate quote?
We usually like to have at least a high level of detail on what you want, including descriptions, even if they are rough, to give a more accurate estimate.
Knowing how many pages you have, going the eCommerce route, or showing specific cool features you’ve seen can give us a better estimate for your quote.
We prefer to answer questions rather than provide a quick and painfully incorrect estimate. This means the quote we provide also means you will not have to cover a hidden cost for us to perform additional requested services later.
Evaluating the true cost of the lowest quote
The first quote you get is almost always the lowest, but that’s because it’s also the least comprehensive. Building a website is not a process you would want to repeat in the near future, or ever. Remember to ask the cheap service providers exactly what they are providing. It’s usually a lot less than you think.
A very low quote may include none of the following: mobile framework construction, contact support, or even getting your website noticed on Google. These are absolute necessities of a working framework.
What to avoid
When you are reviewing estimates, be mindful of a few red flags. Quotes that are too low or missing a cost breakdown may also be missing important elements that you will end up paying for later. Also, be highly suspicious of quotes for a complex site that promise a unusually quick development time, because those are almost always poor quality rushed jobs.
- Long standing work without an agreement
- Undisclosed fees
No support after completion of the project
Refusal to provide examples of their work or clients
We are transparent with all our pricing. You know exactly what your investment will cover.
Ongoing costs to factor in
There are virtually no websites that are built at a total one-time cost. Once you have everything built and your website goes live, you can expect to incur ongoing costs. One of these is the cost to maintain your website hosting. Your domain registration should also be kept up to date, as it is your website’s unique address.
Many business also opt to outsource site maintenance, updates, and other website support work after the initial build is complete. Make sure you understand all the ongoing costs that will be incurred after your site goes live.
Stretching your budget
Even if your budget is low, a little creativity can supplement what you have. If you are able to organise the site’s completed content (all the site’s text and images) before a website is built, you can often save money since the time a developer (or you) has to wait for you to prepare the content or the developer has to write the content, is time you are paying for.
Even prioritising what you hope to accomplish on your site can be helpful. If budget is especially low, aim to develop a site that covers the basics. Once you are receiving an income from your website, invested money to develop additional features.
If you are curious and would like a quote, please reach out to us via the form on our Contact Us page.