I did a survey of six web design firms in Wilmington, NC, to find out what they would charge for a simple website for a small business. The average quote to build a small business website was $2,340. The quotes came from six web design firms and ranged from $1,000 – $5,000.
My request was for a small business site with only a few pages about my business and contact information, but that I wanted a website that I could update myself and easily add information to. The quotes did not include hosting, but just to build the website.
Most firms quoted both a custom site and a site built from a template. The range of prices quoted for a custom site was $1,200 – 5,000 with the average being $3,040. The range of quotes for a site built from a template was $1,000 – $3,500 with the average being $1,640.
There are businesses that have special needs and must have custom website development. But there are an overwhelming number of small business that need a basic website with a place for them to contribute their own content about their services. Should this cost $2,340?
For many small businesses, NO. A WordPress site with a free template can be set up for just the cost of hosting which is $7-9 per month. Or if you don’t feel comfortable setting it up yourself, you can find someone to install WordPress and your template for about $100.
In my next few posts I will outline the steps to set up your website and give you the resources to get it done without spending $2,340.