So how much does it cost to build a website??

This will be the first question most businesses or individual will want answered, however the answer very much depends on the business or individuals needs.

You probably ended up here as your looking for web services and want to find out how much does it cost to build a website?

In this article you will find out:

• Who will build your website?
• What is included in building your website?
• The price of building different types of websites?

Firstly asking how much does it cost to build a website, is the same as asking how much is a car? You can get a cheap banger or a top of the line sports car.

They both perform the same function but one does the job considerably better. The car you want has to fit your requirements, well its the same with a website.

Websites can have a variety of functionality, features and designs which will differ depending on your needs.

At this point, you should know this article is for those who require a website, which not only reflects their business, goals and brand but markets your business to your audience. A website which has been search engine optimised inline with your chosen keyword strategy and works across all platforms.

Before digging deeper into how much does it cost to build a website? its important to point out, you get what you pay for. 

If your budget is low then you will probably loose out on functionality, however your website will perform its basic function but how well will also factor into your budget. SEO, Website Maintenance & Hosting should factor into your budget, these will be ongoing costs usually billed monthly. While some businesses may not see these as essential any reputable business will invest in making their website easy to find and up to date.

If you are being offered a website really cheap, be sure to find out what is included and if it fits your requirements. We would strongly advise against dealing with anyone who provides a service with no support.

A web designer should ask extensive questions to identify your requirements. A cheap website may mean you lose quality or functionality. This is not to say that this option wouldn’t work for you.

While an expensive website may bring a certain assurances, you also don’t want to be paying for features which are not needed.

Who will build you Website?

The first point to discuss would be the choice of who builds your website. Ultimately there are three options, Offshore developers, Freelancers or a Web Agency. Each of these options will have advantages and disadvantages remember our (image) above.

You , Cost= FREE – £50

If you have the skills and time, you can use one of the many tools available for free and build a fantastic website. Tools such as WordPress, Wix or Square Space are fantastic for building a website.

This is not to assume it is easy, you will most definitely run into some big challenges without a working knowledge of how a website works, basic coding, graphic design and knowledge of how to pull them all together.

Offshore Developers, £15 – £40 /hr

Offshore Developers will charge anywhere between £15 – £40 an hr, while the price is an advantage, to keep website cost low, communication can be a huge sticking point whether its a language barrier or simply conveying your requirements via e-mail.

Another issue would be if you need assistance should a problem occur or your website may require on going maintenance.

Any reputable business would opt against using this method as it would leave too much to chance. Should you encounter issues which need fixing having limited communication could be detrimental to your business.

You could be left with a website and not know how to maintain or fix someone else’s work or struggle with the time difference, which could leave you paying out money for someone to take over the running of your site.

Freelance web design / developer, £25 – £100 /hr

Freelancers are a popular choice for many individuals due to lower costs however businesses choosing this option should know that no one individual can be a master of all trades.

To build a website you will need knowledge of design, marketing, programming, project management and user experience design (UX).

While the above options have some advantages we would not recommend that any businesses serious about their website use a one man team.

Web agency, £50 – £250 /hr

Despite their being many advantages to hiring a professional agency it is a very competitive marketplace. To make this work to your advantage you should have a list of requirements you can pass on to each agency you compare.

Your list should include your current website, websites you like, how man pages you require (About, Contact Gallery etc), any functionality you require (contact forms, special galleries, booking systems etc) and finally your business goals.

What’s included in building your website.

Once you have established who will build your website, you should know what main elements go in to making up the website cost.