When you look to build a website, there will always be concern about how much it is going to cost to build it. The first thing we often do when stuck on a problem is turn to Google and frantically type ‘How much does it cost to build a website UK?’. Well, to save the hours of scouring the internet for answers, we can tell you how much you can expect to pay.
Ultimately, the answer will depend on what your website is being built for. Is it to create a whole new online store? Or perhaps you’re looking to start a basic website. Consequently, the amount you will pay will obviously be very different depending on what you need and where you go. This website will explore the question ‘how much does it cost to build a website, UK’.
“Hey, Google, how much does it cost to build a website UK?”
If you’re looking for a straightforward number, it’s a little bit trickier than that. Pricing usually depends upon what you’re looking for in a website and can vary as a result. Specifically, there are two factors determining how much work is involved. The first is the size and the second is the complexity of your site. Are you interested in a baseline website with a portfolio site? This normally comes with 5 core pages and is simple with minimal functionality. For a baseline website, you can expect to be paying £2-5k.
This is a beginning rate, as something a little more complex that offers functionality for your business can reflect in the cost of it too. For example, if you’re looking to develop an eCommerce website in addition to a baseline portfolio, there is going to be a price increase.
There is a big range when it comes to the cost to build a website for a small business. It could cost less than £2,000 or more than £8,000. So, what factors should you bear in mind when considering the pricing of the website you’re after?
How much does eCommerce affect the price?
A website that sells products is known as an eCommerce site. This can often involve a lot more content for a website builder. Ecommerce platforms can also often contain monthly or annual fees of their own that are separate from the actual building process. Subsequently, this adds an additional cost to the overall running of the website.
Ecommerce sites, however, are usually also an efficient way for money to be transferred between customers and businesses. This is done in a way that is trusted and protected. This insurance can be worth the initial pay-out for the design, especially if you’re in a market that thrives in an online format.
What are the typical website costs for start-ups and solos?
The method used for creating a website will be key to the difference between how much your website costs. For example, creating a website with a web builder is hugely cheaper. All you need to pay for is a small subscription to the site, (some are free) and your domain name. On the other hand, it can cost over £2,000 if you’re using a web developer or web design agency.
If you’re completely new to the world of website design, do not fear. There are many accessible website builder options such as Squarespace and Wix. These will provide you with the templates needed to design the perfect start-up website. This is perfect for companies that are just starting out or are looking to test the waters of website building.
Squarespace and Shopify are also great especially if you’re not too confident in tech and need an easy e-commerce solution. Often, they use a drag and drop method, where you simply drag the content blocks you require to build your site. If you’d like to know my thoughts on which of these sites are best, head over to my blog post here.
Regardless of which method you choose, you must have an SSL certificate. An SSL certificate is a digital certificate that authenticates a web site’s identity and enables an encrypted connection.
If you feel you want some help, then check out our brand+web packages for start-ups and solos, which start from £2250+ VAT. You can also view an example website from our Micro Brand+Web package here.
The ForestLink: micro brand+web package example
How much does a website cost in the UK after you’re established?
Once you have had 2 to 3 years in business, and your brand is established, you’ll be in a different place. By then, you’ll know your target market inside out, have a bigger budget, and so can afford to do up your website. At this point, you can then commission an agency or web designer to upgrade your site. Website design agencies can be a great investment, as they want to help you achieve your business goals.
Not sure where you’re at in your business? Read our article on DIY brand Vs hiring an expert here.
If you have the budget, using a web design agency will pay off in the long run. This is because they can build a website to your exact needs and specifications. It’s a great investment for your business. The result is a more bespoke website, tailored to your needs and this will have a greater impact on your audience.
A well-made website lasts for years and sees ongoing results. If you still feel you want some help, then check out our solutions for Established SMEs page, to view recent websites we’ve created for our client. In order to provide you with an accurate quote, we like to have an initial conversation to understand the full scope of the project.
What about SEO?
An effective skill to learn from the beginning of web design is ‘search engine optimisation’. This is where you include relevant words to your content and repeat certain phrases throughout the website. This allows for search engines to pick up your content when people type in something relevant.
When typing in ‘how much does it cost to build a website UK’, you will often get advertisements for web design websites offering their services. You will also get a list of top-ranking websites that have used this phrasing within their website. By doing so, they have ranked higher in the search engine.
SEO is a skill you can learn; however, some opt to invest in professional help. You can add SEO to your website design from the get-go. But be aware this will impact the cost. However, SEO is worth investing in so your business can see long term results by ranking higher. We use a partner company PinkSEO.Marketing for our SEO expertise.
How much does a website cost in the UK for established SMEs?
For truly bespoke websites, SMEs should opt to use a website design agency or web designer. When you have a bigger budget, you can really tailor your website to suit your needs and build a unique website. For a detailed quote by the website designer, there will be questions you need to consider and provide the answer to them. These could be:
- How large is your site? How many pages does it have?
- What functionality/customisation do you require – what must your site do?
- Do you need to move across content from an existing established site?
- To what extent does your site need to be optimised – SEO?
- Do you require content development to produce the copy for your site?
- Have you got a strong brand and visual identity with brand guidelines to follow?
- Will you input the content, or will this be managed by the agency?
- Does your site need to adhere to accessibility guidelines?
- Do you need a specific mobile design, or can the site be responsive?
What process does a web designer use?
The first step is where your web designer designs the site. At this point, wireframes or example core pages will be produced for your website. The designer will then get these approved before the development phase. This allows you to suggest and provide minimal alterations and additional costs for the development phase. After the development phase, pages and content will be added to your website. Before launching, it will be fully tested across all platforms and devices to ensure it runs smoothly and has no glitches.
As you can see, this is a very in-depth process and is time-consuming for the web developer. It also requires a vast amount of skill, which is why the pricing is higher. However, you often get a much better result when you have gotten a professional to design your website.
Website costings; The DIY route
What factors do you need to consider when you DIY your website? Even when using sites such as Wix, Shopify or Squarespace, you will still need to ensure you cover the following:
- Domain name. Remember to pick carefully as this becomes a vital part of your business identity and will be shared to many places, such as social media platforms. The pricing of the domain name varies depending on the domain extension you choose. For example, .com vs .uk or going for something modern like .design or .club!
- Web hosting. A website needs hosting via a web server. Again, these prices can vary. A popular choice is GoDaddy.
- SSL certificate. This will keep your site safe.
- Any relevant plugins.
- Your theme (free if using Wix etc).
- Stock photos (you can get plenty free from royalty-free sites such as Unsplash).
- Resources to learn how to do it yourself (again there are plenty of free web and video tutorials).
- You may create this yourself, or you may wish to enlist the services of a professional, for example, a copywriter.
Website costings: Using a professional
As you can see, there is an appeal in doing it yourself. But ultimately, the website will reflect on this. If you need a more bespoke website, which requires a lot more skill and knowledge, you will need to enlist a professional. It can be hard to find the exact pricing of a professional. That is because it depends on many factors of design.
There is a sudden leap in pricing with a professional, but this is dependent on many factors. Here is what you need to consider when hiring a professional:
- Page volume. The more pages you have, the more costly it will be.
- Custom images and graphics. Especially when using a designer. They will be able to create bespoke graphics for you that really showcase your business.
- Custom site layout. Although themes allow a baseline to follow, a professional will be able to completely tailor your website to suit your business needs.
- Custom programming. A professional will be able to tinker with themes and allow your website to behave in the exact way you want it to. For example, having a carousel to showcase your testimonials.
- Custom logo. Do you have a logo for your business? If not, this can come in as part of a package deal.
- A number of design revisions. Remember this is all taking up a lot of time for the web designer, and so their payment should reflect this. Most come with initial concept designs. This is your opportunity to give feedback before more time is put in.
- Web content IE copywriting. If you need wording and other content producing for the site this will also incur an additional charge.
- Content upload. If you have a large site, who will be managing the content upload of all pages ones the design template has been built?
When looking at professionals to design your site, ask for multiple quotes before agreeing on a price. Don’t forget, if someone comes back with a cheap price, often it is too good to be true. The result will be very reflected in your website. You certainly do get what you pay for, especially when it comes to something as technical as a website.
How much does a website cost?
To sum up, website design can be as cheap or as expensive as you like. Depending upon the different elements that you require, the price is likely to fluctuate. Therefore, it’s suggested that when you type in “how much does a website cost UK”, the research is done thoroughly.
Lack of preparation and research can result in time and resources being wasted. Websites are the past, present and future of all relevant businesses and they should be dedicated with time and effort. This will ensure it reflects the quality your business is built upon. The fundamental aspect of building a website is to ensure that the money that you put in is returned in the form of customers, clients, and audience feedback.
It’s important to ensure you do the proper research.
You need to be reassured the company you choose will cater to the needs of your business in a manner that is effective. Don’t just jump at the first cheap quote. Below is a table where you can discover the rough costs of a website.
For true costing, seek out a web developer and reach out to them. They will be able to quote you more effectively based on your business needs. If you’d like a rough idea of how much az.design charges, here are some examples of our work.
Firstly, a new site (F4SG), built on WordPress CMS with a bespoke design. This is charged at roughly £10,000+ VAT.
F4SG: City of London Corporation: branding & bespoke build wordpress website
Secondly, a redesign and redirect from an existing site, bespoke design and build with Craft CMS. This has regular maintenance and updates and is approximately £25,000+vat.
Brigit’s Bakery: bespoke design & build Craft website
Lastly, a redesign of the existing site, bespoke design and build with WordPress CMS. This has regular maintenance and updates and is approximately £12,000+vat.
PCS Instruments rebrand & wordpress website bespoke design & build
If you’d like to know more about website costs in the UK, get in touch with us today.
