Understand what the quoted figure buys
A quote can cover a design and build while leaving content, photography, migration and ongoing support to you. Another can include those tasks. Comparing only the total makes the two proposals look more alike than they are.
When comparing quotes, check the scope, whether VAT is included, the payment schedule and any recurring charges. You can find more answers in our website pricing FAQs. For ongoing website care, explore Sitewell.
| Item | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Planning and page structure | Who decides the pages and the journey to an enquiry? |
| Copy and imagery | Who supplies, edits, licenses and approves the content? |
| Design and development | Is the design tailored, and which templates and interactions are included? |
| Existing website | Are content transfer, URL mapping and redirects included? |
| Forms and integrations | Does the quote include testing delivery into the receiving system? |
| Launch and handover | Who handles launch checks, access, documentation and training? |
| After launch | What support is included, for how long, and what counts as extra work? |
When a website builder is enough
A builder can be a sensible starting point for a small, simple website if you have time to produce the content and maintain it. The subscription is only part of the cost: include your own work and any additional services you choose. There is no reason to commission a bespoke application just to publish contact details and a few service pages.
Professional help becomes more valuable when the site needs substantial content planning, a distinctive presentation, a careful migration or a customer journey you cannot implement confidently yourself. The choice should follow the task and your available time, rather than the idea that every business needs the most expensive option.
Why functional requirements change the budget
A page that explains a service is different from a booking flow that checks availability, accepts changes and manages staff permissions. Even a small number of screens can contain many rules. The work includes agreeing those rules, building them and testing exceptions.
For custom applications, use the separate web application budget guide. A booking or customer account is not a small extra merely because it appears as one item in the navigation.
Calculate ownership over a useful period
For your own comparison, use: initial project cost + recurring charges over the comparison period + planned changes + internal time. Use the same period for every proposal and keep one-off and recurring items separate. A three-year comparison can reveal costs that a headline launch price hides, but it is a planning exercise rather than a forecast.
Clarify domain ownership, access to content, licences and the process for moving to another supplier. Ask whether the agreed fee includes a period for correcting defects and how new requests are priced. Read what website maintenance includes to separate support from future development.
Get a more useful estimate
Prepare the purpose of the website, the main audiences, the pages you expect, the systems it must connect to and the content you already have. State a budget constraint if you have one so the scope can be discussed realistically. Our website brief checklist gives you a starting structure.
A good proposal should make it possible to see what has been included and what remains undecided. If several suppliers are quoting, give them the same requirements and ask them to identify assumptions. That is more useful than collecting totals for different versions of the project.
Get a quote against a clear scope
Tell us what you need your website to do and share your current website if you have one. We’ll help you define the scope and provide a quote for your project.