Start with what the site must achieve
A sole trader who needs a credible online business card and a law firm that wants its website to bring in instructions for six practice areas are both buying "a website". They are not buying the same thing. One is a few pages on a template; the other is a research-led project with dozens of pages, regulatory requirements and integrations with the firm's systems.
That is why the most useful first step is not asking for a price but writing down what the site must achieve: which enquiries it should generate, for which services, from which buyers. A good web designer will ask you exactly that before quoting.
We do not publish project prices, and this guide does not quote market price ranges either: figures found online are rarely based on comparable scopes and quickly mislead. What we can do is show what drives the cost, so you can read any quote with confidence.
What drives the cost of a business website
Strategy and structure
Research into your buyers, competitors and search behaviour determines which pages the site needs and how they connect. This is the part cheap quotes leave out, and the part that decides whether the site will rank and convert.
Number and type of pages
Ten pages built from two templates is a different job from forty pages built from eight. Every new page type means design, build, content and testing.
Design approach
A bought theme is quick to set up but looks like many other sites. A custom design is built around your brand and your buyers' decisions. Many projects sit in between, with a well-adapted theme or a design system. Our web design page explains how we approach it.
Content and photography
Who writes the text, and to what standard? Content is the most underestimated part of most projects. Professional photography of your team, premises or work adds cost but often does more for trust than any design detail.
Platform
WordPress, Shopify or a custom build each have different set-up effort, licence costs and maintenance needs. Our page on WordPress web design covers the most common choice for service businesses.
Functionality and integrations
Online booking, quote calculators, client portals, CRM connections, property feeds or payment features each add development and testing time.
Compliance and accessibility
Forms and analytics must respect UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018; cookies and email marketing fall under PECR, with guidance from the ICO. The Equality Act 2010 makes accessibility a real consideration, and designing to WCAG is the practical way to address it. Doing this properly takes time, and it belongs in the quote.
Migration and redirects
Replacing an existing site means moving content and redirecting old URLs so you do not lose the search visibility you already have. Our website redesign page explains why this step matters.
Why costs differ by type of business
- Small business websites can be modest in scope, but still need a clear structure, good copy and a working enquiry route. The cheapest option is rarely the one that produces enquiries.
- Law firms need a page per practice area, profiles of solicitors, and content that meets SRA requirements, including the SRA Transparency Rules on publishing information such as prices and service details for certain services.
- Dental practices and private clinics need treatment pages that respect GDC guidance and CQC requirements, and often an online booking integration.
- Hotels usually need integration with a booking engine, room and rate presentation, and strong photography.
- Ecommerce is a different kind of project altogether, with product data, payments, shipping and returns; see our guide to ecommerce website costs.
What a proper website quote should contain
A quote you can compare should state, in writing:
- the number and type of pages, and which templates are designed;
- whether strategy, keyword research and a sitemap are included;
- who supplies and writes the content, and how many revision rounds there are;
- the platform, the theme or framework, and any paid plugins or licences;
- which integrations and forms are built;
- technical SEO, redirects, analytics and cookie consent set-up;
- accessibility and browser and device testing;
- what happens after launch: support period, training and maintenance;
- who owns the domain, hosting account, design files and content;
- the payment schedule, and whether prices are shown excluding or including VAT.
If a quote is a single number with "website design" next to it, ask for this breakdown before you compare it with anything.
Hidden and ongoing costs to ask about
The build is only part of the cost of owning a website. Use this overview to check what each quote covers and what you will pay later.
| Cost item | One-off or recurring | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | Recurring | Is the domain registered in my company's name? |
| Hosting | Recurring | What level of hosting, where, and who manages backups and security? |
| Maintenance and updates | Recurring | Who updates the platform, plugins and theme, and how often? |
| Software and plugin licences | Recurring | Which paid licences are included, and in whose name? |
| Fonts and stock images | One-off or recurring | Are licences included for web use and for my business? |
| Content and photography | One-off, then ongoing | Who writes and updates the content after launch? |
| Third-party tools | Recurring | Are booking, CRM, email or consent tools billed separately? |
| Changes after launch | As needed | What is the rate or arrangement for new pages and changes? |
| VAT | On each invoice | Are prices quoted excluding VAT, and does VAT apply to this supplier? |
VAT on website quotes
Business quotes in the UK are often shown excluding VAT, so check before you compare. If your web designer is VAT-registered, VAT is added to their invoices; GOV.UK lists the current VAT rates. A VAT-registered business can usually reclaim VAT on business costs, but your accountant should confirm how that works for you.
If your supplier is based outside the UK, as we are in the Netherlands, the VAT treatment can be different. Ask your accountant how it applies to your business, and make sure the quote states clearly how VAT is handled.
When a cheap website becomes expensive
A low price often means that strategy, content or technical care has been left out. The costs arrive later:
- the site does not rank because there is no structure behind it;
- visitors leave because the text does not answer their questions;
- a page builder or theme becomes slow and fragile with every update;
- the domain or hosting is registered to the supplier, and moving away is difficult;
- after two years, a full rebuild is needed.
Cheap is not always wrong: for a new sole trader testing an idea, a simple template site can be the sensible choice. The mistake is expecting a template budget to produce the results of a strategic project.
How to compare quotes and what we do
Give every supplier the same brief: goals, services, page list, content responsibilities, integrations and your timeline. Ask each to quote against it and to state what is excluded. Then compare scope, ownership and aftercare first, and price last. Ask who will actually do the work and how they will measure success after launch.
We do not publish project prices because no two scopes are the same; our pricing page explains how we work instead. The first step is a paid strategy session of 50 minutes with the founder, for £225 excl. VAT. It is a conversation about your ambition, market and whether we fit, not an audit or plan, and there is no fee credit. If we take on the project, you receive a proposal with a fixed scope and a fixed price. After launch, our website maintenance keeps the site secure and current.