Every trade and small business owner asks this eventually, usually after getting three quotes that are nowhere near each other. One is £300. Another is £8,000. A third just says "let's have a chat about your requirements" and never mentions a number.
Here's the honest version.
Why the range is so wide
A website's price is really the price of the thinking, writing and design behind it, not just the pages. A £300 site is usually a template with your logo dropped in and no real strategy behind it. An £8,000 quote from a bigger agency is often paying for account managers and process, not necessarily a better end result for a local trade business.
For most small businesses and trades, a properly built site sits somewhere between those two extremes, and it should be priced clearly, not "it depends."
What actually changes the price
Number of pages. A one or two-page site for a new business is a different job to a ten-page site with service pages for every area you cover.
Copywriting. Someone writing your content for you (rather than you supplying it) adds real time, and it's usually worth it, because most business owners are not naturally comfortable writing about themselves.
Booking or lead capture. A site with a working enquiry form, calendar booking, or quote funnel takes more building than a site that just states what you do.
Ongoing support. A one-off build with nothing after launch is cheaper than a build with a support period, because someone needs to be there when something needs changing six weeks later.
What you should expect for your money at each level
Entry level (£500–£800): a small, fully responsive site, a handful of pages, basic SEO groundwork. Right for a business that needs to look legitimate and be found, fast.
Mid range (£1,200–£1,800): more pages, proper conversion-focused design, and a support window after launch. Right for a business that relies on its website to generate enquiries.
Larger builds (£2,500+): content management so you can edit it yourself, booking systems, copywriting, and longer support. Right for a business scaling up or replacing a site that's actively costing it customers.
The question to ask any web designer
Not "how much," but "what happens after you launch it." A cheap site with no plan for the next two years often needs replacing entirely once it goes stale, which usually costs more in the end than paying properly the first time.
If you want a straight answer on what your business actually needs (not the biggest package available), get in touch and I'll tell you plainly, including if the honest answer is "you don't need much yet."
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