How much does a website cost in the UK?

When considering getting a website, you need to know how much a website costs and all the variables that affect the price. The cost of a WordPress website in the UK is not a one-price-fits-all; it comprises many factors that web designers need to consider. Each contributes to the overall cost, from hosting and domain registration to themes and plugins.

Bespoke websites are the ultimate in customisation. They’re tailored to a business’s specific needs, and every detail is considered, which can add up to a big cost.

Plus, the level of customisation and professional services such as design, development and ongoing maintenance add to the cost. Whether you’re a small business owner or a large corporation, the complexity of your website and the team you work with will determine the cost of bringing your online presence to life.

Who to Work With

When contacting web design agencies or a website development agency, consider the following:

Agency or Freelancer

Choosing an agency or freelancer affects both cost and quality. Freelancers may offer cheaper rates due to lower overheads, but hiring a website designer through an agency brings a wealth of experience and professional services under one roof. Although the initial quote may be higher, choosing an agency means investing in a team of dedicated professionals who bring different skills and industry knowledge to your project.

Agencies offer complete solutions from SEO to content creation, streamlining the development process and potentially more value for money than working with multiple freelancers. An established agency’s reputation and track record means your website will go live and thrive in the digital world.

Cude Design – What are we?

Cude Design offers the best of agency expertise with the flexibility and affordability of remote work. Our team of experts is based across the Southeast of the UK and has been working remotely since 2013, well before the global shift towards this model. This approach allows us to keep our rates competitive by removing the overheads of a physical office and passing the savings on to you without compromising on quality.

We specialise in WordPress site design and development for businesses ranging from small startups to large corporations. With Cude Design, you get a partner that can deliver the full spectrum of services, from web hosting solutions to bespoke online stores. We’ll manage every aspect of your online presence from the initial design phase to the launch of your website.

Our services include modern web design, development, content strategy and SEO services to get your online store at the top of the digital food chain. Choose Cude Design for a solid, beautiful, and functional online presence.

How Much Experience Do They Have?

When considering the cost of a website, the experience of your chosen web designer is a major factor. A new freelancer may offer lower rates than a seasoned professional or a well-established web design agency with 10 years of successful projects. Choosing a web designer with a long track record means the development process will be smoother, as they can use their knowledge to avoid common pitfalls.

A web design agency worth their salt will have a strong portfolio, showing a history of good work. Their industry tenure is a key indicator of their ability to deliver a high quality website. It’s not just the look of their own website that matters but their experience and the breadth of their work.

When looking for the right web design agency, consider their market knowledge, the size of your project, target audience, agency size, and portfolio. These are key factors in determining if they’re right for your business.

Make sure the agency is familiar with the platforms that are important to your business, whether for website development or mobile app creation. If your business needs a strong online presence, consider an agency that specialises in web design and SEO and can scale its services to match your business’s size and needs.

Our Experience helps with:

About Your Project

While who you choose to work with will determine the website design cost, your requirements will also determine the investment. We cover the key questions that will impact the investment required. Understanding the specifics of small business websites is key to estimating functionality and cost, considering their unique requirements for features and benefits and the type of web design company they need.

1. How many pages?

Whether you’re building a new website or redesigning an existing one, it’s a good idea to list the pages you need. For example, a standard informational website would have the following pages: Home, About, Services, Blog, and Contact. You may have more than one Service page, so it’s a good idea to write down whether the multiple service pages can use the same layout or if each one needs a different layout.

The more layouts we need to design, the longer it will take to build your website.

2. Who are your competitors & what are their websites like?

Your closest competitors are the benchmark for your website’s appearance. Depending on your competition, websites you like the look of, and your target audience, this will impact how long it takes to design the WordPress website.

For example, a pest control company targeting a small area wouldn’t need a high-end, design-focused website. The core of the website would be to ensure it’s found on search engines, have a well-thought-out user journey, and place a well-placed call to action. For this reason, a simple brochure/informational WordPress website would be perfect.

Compare this to a space satellite agency. They would be targeting the B2B market, and the website would need to look professional and expert. In this example, the design phase would be more detailed, and the user experience and core message would take more time to create.

3. Do you need any functionality?

Understanding what specific functionality you need is fundamental to determining the cost of the website. A brochure website is an online version of a printed brochure, perfect for a small business website that needs to present static information. Visitors can browse your services or products, read the content, and contact you through a contact form, email, or phone.

If your requirements are more dynamic, like those of an eCommerce website, then development involves complex functionality like payment processing, inventory management, and customer account systems. This level of complexity is above that of a simple brochure site and is reflected in the development cost.

If you need a website with interactive features like a membership system, development involves implementing secure user authentication, profile management, and possibly recurring payment functionality. Each additional feature requires careful planning and execution, which a website builder can’t always accommodate.

It’s important to outline your website’s functionality early on so we can give you an accurate quote and a smooth build process. We will create a detailed specification that outlines exactly what your site will need—from a basic brochure layout to a full e-commerce platform—and tailor the build to your small business needs. Understanding this functionality will also impact how much a website costs monthly for maintenance and updates.

4. Premium Theme vs Bespoke/Custom WordPress Website

Our website designers offer two options for building your online presence: choosing a premium theme or commissioning a bespoke website. Both impact the cost of a website.

Choosing a premium theme is a cost-effective option if you want to keep costs down. Premium themes provide a foundation for website builders to work on; they can adapt pre-existing layouts and functionality to your brand. This approach allows for quick and affordable deployment of your WordPress website, and our team will focus on branding and content integration.

On the other hand, a bespoke website is the ultimate customisation. This involves our website designers and developers starting from scratch, using a website builder tool to create custom visuals and functionality for your needs. While this custom approach provides ultimate flexibility and uniqueness, it requires a bigger budget and a longer time frame, as building a site from scratch is more complex.

Ultimately, it comes down to your requirements, the scope of the project, and how much you want to invest. A premium theme will keep costs down and speed up the process, while a bespoke website will give you a tailored solution with endless customisation possibilities.

5. How big is your business and how many people are involved?

The size of your business and the number of people involved can impact the project timeline and complexity. The old project management saying ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’ is true for web development. We have found that projects with multiple people involved in the feedback process require more iterations. This can extend the time for design approval and content review, especially compared to working with smaller businesses with fewer decision-makers, and the process is more streamlined.

Larger businesses require more comprehensive communication strategies like regular meetings to ensure alignment and consensus. This is more efficient than coordinating feedback across multiple emails between multiple people.

A good example is working with charities, where decisions are made by committees. While these groups are collaborative, the diversity of input they provide can prolong the decision-making process and impact the project timeline.

6. Website Launch Timelines

Web developers are often asked how long it takes to launch a website. While we understand the need to go live as soon as possible, it’s important to set a realistic timeline that allows for planning, development, and feedback.

A realistic launch date allows for a structured build process so the client and development team can work together without a looming deadline. A very tight deadline can pressure our developers and result in long hours.

It’s worth noting that fast-tracking can cost more. A balanced schedule, on the other hand, will result in a more cost-effective and well-executed launch of your online business and allow for attention to detail and quality assurance.

Prices are for a fully functioning brochure website: Home, About, Service (use design multiple times for more pages), Blog and Contact Page.

Website Type and Complexity

What are the different types of websites?

The type of website you need is a determining factor regarding the website design cost. There are many types of websites, each with its characteristics and requirements. Here are the most common types of websites:

• Basic Website: A basic website is a simple website with a few essential pages: home, about, contact, and services page. This type of website is for small businesses or individuals who want to have an online presence without much functionality. The simplicity of a basic website means lower design and development costs.
• E-commerce Website: An e-commerce website is designed for online transactions where users can buy and sell products or services. This type of website requires more complex design and functionality, a shopping cart, a payment gateway, and an inventory management system. The additional features and security measures necessary for an e-commerce site mean higher development costs.
• Blog Website: A blog website is for publishing articles, news, and other written content. It’s for individuals or businesses who want to position themselves as thought leaders in their industry. While a blog website can start simple, it may require additional features like a comment section, social media integration, and SEO tools, which can impact the overall cost.
• Portfolio Website: A portfolio website showcases a person’s or company’s work, skills and experience. This type of website is for creatives like designers, artists and writers who need to display their projects and achievements. The design of a portfolio website focuses on visual appeal and user experience, which can impact the cost depending on the level of customisation required.

How Complexity Impacts Cost

The complexity of the website is another factor that impacts the cost of website design. Designing and developing a complex website requires more time, effort, and expertise, which means higher costs. Here are the factors that contribute to the complexity of a website:

• Number of Pages: A website with many pages requires more time and effort to design and develop. Each page needs to be designed and created individually to ensure consistency in design and functionality, which can add to the overall cost.
• Custom Features: Websites with custom features like shopping carts, payment gateways, or interactive elements require specialized expertise and extra development time. These features enhance the user experience but add to the complexity and cost of the project.
• Responsive Design: A website with responsive design adapts to different screen sizes and devices to provide users with an optimal viewing experience on desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Creating a responsive design requires extra planning and testing, which can add to the cost.
• Content Management System (CMS): A CMS like WordPress allows for more accessible content updates and management. However, setting up and customizing a CMS requires expertise and time, which adds to the overall cost. A CMS benefits websites that need regular updates and content changes.

Design Approach and Development Method

Choosing the Right Design Approach

The design approach and development method used to build a website can impact costs. Here are the standard design approaches and development methods:

• Custom Design: The custom design approach involves creating a design from scratch, tailored to your brand and requirements. This method requires more time and effort as it involves planning, designing, and developing. While custom design offers uniqueness and flexibility, it comes with a higher price tag due to the extensive work involved.
• Template-Based Design: A template-based design approach uses pre-designed templates as the foundation of your website. This method requires less time and effort, as the basic structure and design elements are already in place. Template-based design is cost-effective and can be customized to a certain extent to match your branding. This approach is ideal for those who want to minimize expenses while still looking professional.
• Agile Development: The agile development method involves breaking down the development process into smaller, manageable tasks called sprints. This iterative approach allows for continuous feedback and adjustments throughout the project. While agile development can result in a more refined final product, it requires more time and effort, which can increase the cost.
• Waterfall Development: The waterfall development method involves completing each phase of the development process before moving to the next one. This linear approach is more straightforward and requires less time and effort than agile development. While it can reduce costs, it offers less flexibility for changes and adjustments once a phase is completed.

Now that you know the different design approaches and development methods, you can make an informed decision that fits your budget and project requirements. Whether you choose a custom design or template-based approach and agile or waterfall development, each will impact your website project’s overall cost and timeline.

Top 5 Benefits Of Using WordPress As Your Content Management System

As a website design company, we have been using WordPress for over 10 years, and we have seen that the possibilities are endless when building a website. Whether we use a premium theme as a foundation or build a bespoke website, WordPress is an amazing tool for managing your online presence quickly.

For basic websites or online stores, we list the four top benefits of choosing WordPress:

• WordPress is free and open-source software under GPL.
• WordPress is easy to use and has a shorter learning curve than other content management systems.
• WordPress is flexible and can be customized to your needs.
• WordPress has a vast community of users and developers who create new themes, plugins and add-ons to extend the platform.

Benefit 1 – Customizable and Scalable

WordPress is a great option if you’re thinking of starting a website. It’s highly customizable; we can change the look and feel of your website with themes and plugins or by building a bespoke website with a website builder.

Plus, WordPress is scalable. We can quickly add and develop new pages and functionality to your website as your business grows.

Benefit 2 – Easy to Manage

WordPress is great for a simple blog or a complex website. One of the best things about using WordPress is that it makes managing your site’s content easy.

This is thanks to website builders like Elementor and WPBakery. These page builders give you full control over the layout and design of your site so you can add, remove or edit content as needed. Plus, they allow you to scale your website as your needs change.

Benefit 3 -WordPress Integrates with Other Tools

WordPress is great for content writers. It has many integrations with other tools that can automate your workflow.

Here are some of the integrations:

• Google Analytics integration to track visits and conversion rates on your site
• MailChimp integration to create, send and track email campaigns
• Hubspot integration
• Add Google Maps to your website to make it easy to find.
• Contact Forms
• Membership
• eCommerce

Benefit 4 – Search Engine Optimisation

To get your website noticed by potential customers, you need to position your website in search engine results. With its robust SEO capabilities, WordPress is your best friend in this endeavour. Understanding SEO is crucial for any website owner. Investing in SEO services and using WordPress’s compatibility with leading SEO plugins like Rank Math and Yoast SEO can boost your website’s visibility in search engine results and drive organic traffic.

These plugins do many SEO enhancements that are important for search rankings. From crafting keyword-rich titles and meta descriptions that summarise your content to generating clean and structured URLs, WordPress and its SEO integrations make sure your website is discoverable and appealing to search engines. This involves the upfront costs of setting up a search engine-optimised website, which is necessary to increase website visibility and drive organic traffic.

These plugins also create full sitemaps, which are important for search engines to index your website’s content. They also give you real-time insights and recommendations for optimising your content so that your website follows best SEO practices.

Beyond that, WordPress’s SEO friendliness goes to its responsive design, fast loading times and easy social media integration, all of which are factors search engines consider when ranking websites. With all these SEO tools at your disposal, using WordPress for your business website is not just an option but a must.

Benefit 5 – Best Web Hosting

WordPress’s flexibility extends to its hosting, offering many web hosting services to optimise performance and reliability. The platform can integrate with the best web hosting providers so your WordPress website runs smoothly, loads fast and is always available to your audience 24/7.

From shared hosting, perfect for new, small websites looking for cost-effectiveness, to dedicated servers for high-traffic sites, WordPress can cater to any need. Managed WordPress hosting is another premium option that gives you a hassle-free experience. The host takes care of updates, backups, and security so you can focus on your business.

VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting is a hybrid of shared and dedicated hosting. Your site gets space on a shared server. This is perfect for business owners who need more control and better performance but are not ready to invest in a dedicated server.

Each hosting service has different levels of performance, security and scalability. WordPress’s compatibility with these services means you can choose a hosting plan that suits your business goals and budget. With the right hosting partner, your WordPress site can optimally boost your online presence and give visitors the best user experience possible.