Ask around and you will hear everything from “it is free” to “I was quoted several thousand”. Both can be true. The difference is what you get and what you are still paying for later.
The price on the tin is rarely the whole price
When you compare quotes, look beyond the headline number. Ask what is included in each of these:
- The build. Is it custom or a template? How many pages?
- Hosting. Is it included, or an extra monthly fee?
- The domain. Who owns it, and who pays to renew it?
- Email. Do you get a professional address, and does it cost extra?
- Updates and security. Is somebody looking after it, or are you on your own?
- Changes. What do they charge each time you want something updated?
- Contract length. Can you leave? What happens to the site if you do?
Typical options
Do it yourself with a drag-and-drop builder. Cheap upfront, but costs you evenings, and results often look generic and perform poorly on search.
A cheap freelancer or a friend. Can be good, but check who owns the domain and who looks after it afterwards.
A traditional agency. Often excellent work, but quotes can run into the thousands, which is out of reach for many small trade businesses.
A specialist for trades. A fixed-price build and a small monthly fee, with everything handled for you.
Our price, so you can compare
At WebForTrade it is £250 once for the custom design and build, then £49.95 a month for hosting, updates, security, support and a Gmail address on your own domain.
Over the first year that is £849.40 in total (£250 plus twelve months at £49.95). After that it is £599.40 a year. You own the domain throughout. See exactly what is included.
Is it worth it?
Look at it against what one job is worth to you. If a roofer, builder or heating engineer wins one extra job from the website, it is likely to have covered the cost. The question is whether the site will bring in work, which is why the structure, wording and local setup matter more than the price.
Questions worth asking every provider
- Do I own the domain?
- What exactly does the monthly fee cover?
- What do changes cost?
- What happens if I want to leave?
- Can I see examples of sites you have built for trades like mine?
The cheapest quote is not the cheapest website. Add up the whole cost, and check who owns what.
Ready to compare?
Get in touch and we will walk you through it, with no pressure.