• Number of pages and complexity of each one. A contact page takes far less time than a searchable product catalog.
• Custom design vs. template-based design. Fully custom layouts take longer to design and build than working from a proven template structure.
• Functionality. Booking systems, e-commerce, membership logins, and custom integrations all add development time.
• Content creation. Do you already have final copy and photography, or does the agency need to write and source it?
• Ongoing maintenance. Hosting, security updates, and support are sometimes bundled into the upfront price and sometimes billed separately.

Questions to ask before you accept a quote

• Does this price include content writing, or do I need to supply my own copy?
• Are stock photos included, or is that a separate cost?
• What happens after launch — is there a maintenance plan, and what does it cover?
• How many rounds of design revisions are included?
• Is the final site built on a platform I can update myself, or will I need the agency for every change?

That last question matters more than most people expect. A cheaper site that locks you into paying a developer for every text change can end up costing more over a year than a slightly pricier site you can manage yourself.

Getting a number you can actually plan around

Rather than asking "what does a website cost," a more useful question is "what does my website need to do, and what does that cost." Once you can answer the first part — how many pages, what functionality, who's writing the content — a quote stops being a mystery number and starts being a budget line you can plan around.

If you're weighing your options for a new site or a redesign, our web development services page breaks down what's included at each plan level, or you can reach out directly and we'll walk through what your specific project would need.