If you’re thinking about getting a new website for your business, you’ve probably got a few questions before you get started. How much should you budget? How long will it take? Do you need a completely new website, or could you improve the one you already have?
Choosing a web design agency isn’t just about finding someone who can make your business look good online. Your website needs to explain what you do, make it easy for potential customers to get in touch and give your business a solid foundation to grow.
At The Web Designer Cardiff, we work with businesses across different sectors, from recruitment and property to technology and professional services. Every project has its own requirements, which is why we believe it’s important to understand what a business needs before deciding how its website should work.
We also know that having a website built can feel like a big undertaking, particularly if you’re not familiar with the technical side. Our aim is to make the process straightforward, explain things clearly and give you a website you can confidently use once it’s launched.
Here’s what to consider when planning a new website, from costs and timescales to design, SEO and what happens after launch.
1. How much does a website cost in Cardiff?
Website prices can vary considerably. A lot depends on how many pages you need, how much design and development work is involved, whether the content needs to be written and what you want the website to do.
A basic website built around an existing template may be suitable for some businesses. Others need something more tailored, with a design that reflects their brand, content written for their audience and a content management system that makes everyday updates straightforward.
The important thing is to understand what you’re getting for your money rather than comparing quotes on price alone.
What does a website cost at The Web Designer Cardiff?
Our fixed-price package for a five-page responsive website is £2,000 + VAT.
The package is designed to give businesses the main pages they need to explain their services, introduce their company and make it easy for potential customers to get in touch.
The five standard pages are:
- Home – an introduction to your business, what you offer and where visitors should go next.
- About – information about your business, your team and what customers can expect from working with you.
- Services – an overview of your services and the information potential customers need to understand what you do.
- Contact – the details and contact options people need to make an enquiry.
- FAQ – answers to common questions customers may have before getting in touch.
We also include up to three policy pages free of charge, giving you space to add relevant policies, such as a privacy policy, cookie policy or terms and conditions. The appropriate policies will depend on your business and how your website operates.
The package includes:
- Bespoke design by our in-house web, UI and UX designers.
- A custom-built WordPress theme based on the approved design.
- A responsive website designed to work across desktop, tablet and mobile devices.
- Website content written for your business.
- Stock images.
- SEO input before and after the build, so relevant content and keywords are considered throughout the project.
- On-page SEO optimisation after the build.
- A bespoke WordPress content management system setup.
- Free CMS training to help you manage and update your website.
In other words, you’re not simply paying to have five pages put online. The package brings design, content, development and SEO together as part of the same project.
Our in-house designers create the website design, which is then custom-built into a WordPress theme. SEO is considered during the process, and on-page optimisation is completed after the build.
This joined-up approach means you don’t have to coordinate separate suppliers for every part of the project. You have a team working towards the same finished website.
The £2,000 + VAT price applies to the five-page package described above. If you need extra pages, specialist functionality, integrations or a more complex website, we can discuss the requirements and establish the appropriate scope.
Hosting and ongoing maintenance are optional services, so you can discuss what support you may need once the website is live.
You can find out more about our approach to bespoke web design in Cardiff, including the design and development services we provide for businesses with different requirements.
Why do website prices vary so much?
The difference often comes down to the work that happens before and behind the finished design.
A website may look simple on the surface, but planning its structure, designing the layouts, writing the content, developing the theme and checking the finished site all take time.
There’s also a difference between putting a website online and preparing it properly for your business. Your content needs to explain your services clearly, your pages need to be easy to navigate and your website should work well on mobile devices.
SEO is another consideration. Relevant keywords and useful content need to be considered as the website is planned, rather than leaving every SEO decision until the end.
When comparing quotes from web design agencies in Cardiff, ask exactly what’s included. Find out who writes the content, how the website is developed, what SEO work is covered and whether training or support is available after launch.
A clear quote makes it easier to compare your options and understand what you’re paying for.
2. How long does it take to build a business website?
For a typical small business website, a project might take around four to eight weeks, although the actual timescale depends on the work involved and how quickly decisions can be made.
A website project generally involves several stages.
Planning: Understanding your business, your audience, the services you offer and what the website needs to achieve.
Design: Creating the visual direction and page layouts, including how visitors will move around the site and find the information they need.
Content and SEO: Writing the page content and considering the keywords, headings and page structure that are relevant to your services.
Development: Turning the approved design into a working WordPress website and setting up the content management system.
Testing and launch: Checking the website across devices, reviewing the content, testing forms and links, and making sure everything works as expected.
One of the biggest causes of delays is waiting for content, feedback or decisions. Having a clear process helps everyone understand what needs to happen next.
This is where the relationship with your web design agency matters. You should feel comfortable asking questions, talking through ideas and getting help if you’re unsure about something.
Not every business owner knows exactly what their website needs from the outset, and that’s perfectly normal. Part of the agency’s job is to help you work through those decisions.
We want clients to feel involved without feeling overwhelmed. That means explaining things in plain English, being patient when something needs further discussion and helping keep the project moving.
3. What should a Cardiff business look for in a web design agency?
There’s more to choosing a web design agency than looking at a portfolio and comparing prices. You’re choosing a team to help present your business online, so it’s worth finding people who understand what you’re trying to achieve.
Here are a few things I’d recommend considering.
Look at the agency’s previous work
Take time to browse the agency’s portfolio. Do the websites feel appropriate for the businesses they represent? Is the information easy to find? Does the design appear to have been created with the client’s needs in mind?
It’s also useful to look at projects from different industries. A recruitment website, for example, may need to make job searches straightforward, while a property website might need interactive tools that help visitors take the next step.
At The Web Designer Cardiff, our website design portfolio includes projects with quite different requirements.
Our work for SmallSpark involved UI and UX design, web development and training for a technology business working in spacecraft systems. The project needed to present specialist technology clearly, while giving the client a website its team could manage and update. The client’s testimonial also highlights the value of communication, ideas and being available as the website develops.
For Pertemps Group, the work included refreshed branding and websites for recruitment services. The design and development needed to support the different services and make it easier for the team to manage its online presence.
These are useful examples of why website design should start with the needs of the business, rather than using exactly the same approach for every client.
Ask who will be working on your website
Design, development, content and SEO all influence the finished result. It’s worth asking how those parts fit together and whether the people responsible for them work closely with one another.
At The Web Designer Cardiff, our in-house web, UI and UX designers create the design, which is then custom-built into a WordPress theme. SEO input is part of the process before and after development, with on-page optimisation completed once the build is finished.
The aim is to make sure the design, content and technical work support one another, rather than treating them as separate jobs.
Make sure the quote is clear
Before committing, check what’s included in the price.
Does the quote cover the website design, development, content, stock images, SEO setup, training and testing? How many pages are included? Are policy pages covered? What happens if you need additional functionality?
You should also understand what is and isn’t included after launch. Hosting and maintenance, for example, may be separate from the initial website build.
A clear scope helps avoid surprises and gives both sides a shared understanding of the project.
Choose a team you can work with
This is one of the most important things to consider, and it can be overlooked when comparing technical specifications.
You may be working with your agency for several weeks, so communication matters. You need to feel comfortable asking questions, explaining what you want to achieve and discussing anything you’re unsure about.
At The Web Designer Cardiff, we want to be a digital partner, not simply a supplier that hands over a website and disappears. That means listening, being approachable, allowing time for questions and being flexible where the project allows.
We understand that clients have different levels of technical knowledge. Our job is to help make the journey easier, explain the options and work with you towards a website that suits your business.
Be realistic about SEO promises
SEO should be considered during the website project, but no agency can honestly guarantee a particular position in Google.
Search visibility depends on several factors, including the quality and relevance of your content, competition, the technical condition of your website and the authority your business builds over time.
Ask what SEO work is included and what it involves. Keyword research, relevant page content and on-page optimisation are specific activities you can discuss and understand. Promises of instant rankings are much less useful.
If you want to understand what can be done to improve your website’s visibility over time, take a look at our SEO services in Cardiff. These cover areas such as keyword research, on-page optimisation, technical SEO and content strategy.
4. Should you redesign your website or improve the existing one?
A new website isn’t always necessary. Sometimes, improving the one you already have is the better option.
If your current website is technically sound, easy to manage and works well on mobile devices, you may be able to make meaningful improvements without starting from scratch. Updating the content, improving navigation or making your calls to action clearer could be enough.
A redesign may be worth considering if the website no longer reflects your business, looks dated, is difficult to use or makes it hard for customers to find the information they need.
It can also make sense to rebuild if the existing website is difficult to maintain or its underlying structure makes new features and content awkward to add.
Before deciding, ask yourself:
- Does the website explain what we do clearly?
- Can visitors find the information they need?
- Is it easy to contact us or enquire?
- Does the website work properly on phones and tablets?
- Can we update the content without unnecessary difficulty?
- Does the site reflect our current services and brand?
- Are there technical problems or limitations that are holding us back?
If most of the problems are small, targeted improvements may be enough. If the issues affect the structure, usability or functionality of the website, a redesign may be a better long-term investment.
The right answer depends on your current website and what you want to achieve. A good agency should explain the options rather than automatically recommending a complete rebuild.
A real example: when a website needs to do more
The Chapman Property project is a good example of how a website can serve a practical purpose beyond presenting information.
Alongside UI and UX design, web development and training, the project included instant online property valuations, a mortgage calculator, a rent affordability calculator, online appointment booking and an integration with Street CRM.
Those features address specific tasks that visitors and the business need to carry out.
It illustrates an important point: a redesign should be driven by what the website needs to do. For some businesses, that means improving the presentation of their services. For others, it means giving visitors useful tools or connecting the website with the systems the business already uses.
If your existing website can accommodate the changes you need, improvements may be sufficient. If it can’t, a more substantial rebuild may be worth considering.
5. What should be included in an e-commerce website project?
An e-commerce website needs to do more than display products. It needs to make buying straightforward and give customers confidence throughout the process.
The work involved depends on the number of products, how your business operates and whether you need specialist features or integrations.
A typical e-commerce project may include:
- Product categories and product pages.
- A shopping basket and checkout.
- Payment gateway setup.
- Delivery options and shipping rules.
- Relevant tax settings.
- Customer emails and order notifications.
- Mobile-friendly layouts.
- Product descriptions and images.
- Basic SEO setup for relevant pages.
- Analytics and conversion tracking, where agreed.
- Testing the buying process before launch.
It’s also worth thinking about what happens after an order is placed. Do customers need accounts? Do you need stock management? Will the website connect to an accounting package, a fulfilment provider or another system?
These requirements can affect the complexity and cost of the project, so it’s best to discuss them early.
The design matters, but so does the practical experience. Customers should be able to understand the products, find the information they need and complete their purchases without unnecessary friction.
If you’re planning an online shop, ask the agency to explain how it will approach the customer journey, from browsing products through to receiving an order confirmation.
A straightforward five-page business website and a fully featured online shop are very different projects. It’s important that the proposed solution and budget reflect the actual requirements.
You can find out more about our web design and development services if you’re considering a new website or a more involved online project.
6. Should you choose a template website or bespoke WordPress development?
The answer depends on your budget, your requirements and what you want the website to achieve.
A template website can be a sensible choice if you need something simple and are happy to work within the available design and functionality.
For a business that needs a more distinctive website, a bespoke design can offer greater flexibility. The layouts, page structure and content management setup can be planned around the business rather than adapted to fit a pre-existing design.
There’s an important distinction here: a bespoke website doesn’t necessarily mean every part has to be coded from scratch. WordPress can provide the content management foundation, while a custom-built theme delivers the design and functionality required for the project.
That’s the approach we take at The Web Designer Cardiff. Our in-house web, UI and UX designers create the design, which is then custom-built into a WordPress theme. The content management system is set up around the needs of the business, and free training is included so clients can learn to manage their websites.
SEO is also considered during the process, with relevant content and keywords built into the site and on-page optimisation completed after development.
Our SmallSpark project shows how UI, UX, web development and client training can work together as part of a website project. The training helps the client manage and update the site, rather than having to rely on a developer for every routine content change.
A template can be perfectly adequate for some businesses. For others, a bespoke design and development process is a better fit because it gives them more control over how their website looks, works and supports their customers.
The key is to choose the approach that makes sense for your business, rather than paying for complexity you don’t need.
7. What does website maintenance include after launch?
Launching your website is a big milestone, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the work is finished.
WordPress websites need attention over time. Software updates, security checks, backups and occasional troubleshooting all help keep a website running properly.
Website maintenance can include:
- WordPress, theme and plugin updates.
- Security checks and technical monitoring.
- Backups and recovery planning.
- Testing forms and other important features.
- Fixing technical problems.
- Small content changes.
- Performance checks.
- Reviewing and improving content over time.
The exact service depends on the maintenance arrangement you choose. Some businesses prefer to manage routine tasks themselves, while others would rather have a team available to look after the technical side.
At The Web Designer Cardiff, hosting and ongoing maintenance are optional services. You can discuss what level of support makes sense for your website once it’s live.
It’s also worth distinguishing maintenance from ongoing SEO. Keeping a website technically healthy doesn’t automatically mean it will attract more visitors. If your aim is to grow organic traffic over time, you may also need ongoing content development, SEO work and regular reviews of the website’s performance.
Our Cardiff SEO service is a useful starting point if you want to explore work beyond the SEO setup and on-page optimisation included in a website build.
Will I be able to update my own website?
That’s a fair question, particularly if you don’t want to contact your web designer every time a paragraph or image needs changing.
Our websites include a bespoke WordPress content management setup and free CMS training. This gives you the opportunity to learn how to manage and update your website’s content.
The training is part of handing over the finished site. You should have a better understanding of how to make routine changes and where to turn if you need help with something more involved.
For example, the SmallSpark project included training for the client’s team so they could manage and update the website as it developed.
The aim is to give you a website that you can work with, rather than one that feels difficult to manage once the original project is over.
Choosing a web design partner in Cardiff
A good business website should do more than look attractive. It should explain what you offer, help potential customers find the right information and give your business a solid online presence.
Getting there involves more than design alone. Content, SEO, development, usability and the experience of managing the website all play a part.
If you’re comparing web design agencies in Cardiff, take the time to understand what each one includes, how the project will run and who you’ll be working with. Look beyond the initial quote and consider whether the agency will make the process straightforward and help you make informed decisions.
At The Web Designer Cardiff, we bring design, WordPress development and SEO input together in one process. Our five-page responsive website package costs £2,000 + VAT and includes bespoke design, a custom WordPress theme, written content, stock images, SEO setup, on-page optimisation and free CMS training. The standard pages are Home, About, Services, Contact and FAQ, with up to three policy pages included at no extra charge.
Our portfolio includes projects such as SmallSpark, Pertemps Group and Chapman Property. Each has different requirements, from presenting specialist technology to supporting recruitment services and providing interactive property tools.
If you’re looking for a team to help plan and build your next website, explore our web design services in Cardiff. If improving search visibility is also a priority, you can read more about our SEO services in Cardiff.
Just as importantly, we want to be easy to work with. We know that not every business owner has the time or technical knowledge to manage a website project alone. Our role is to listen, explain the options, be flexible where we can and help you end up with a website that works for your business.
Thinking about a new website for your business? Get in touch with The Web Designer Cardiff to talk through what you need, ask questions and find out whether our approach is right for you.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a small business website cost in Cardiff?
The cost depends on the design, content, functionality and support required. The Web Designer Cardiff offers a fixed-price package of £2,000 + VAT for a five-page responsive website. It includes bespoke design, a custom WordPress theme, written content, stock images, SEO setup, on-page optimisation and free CMS training. Up to three policy pages are also included at no extra charge.
Which pages are included in the £2,000 website package?
The five standard pages are Home, About, Services, Contact and FAQ. The package also includes up to three policy pages free of charge. Additional pages or more complex functionality can be discussed separately.
Does the website package include SEO?
Yes. SEO input is provided before and after the build, relevant content and keywords are considered as the site is planned, and on-page optimisation is completed after development. Ongoing SEO is a separate consideration and should be discussed according to your business goals. You can read more about our SEO services in Cardiff.
How long does it take to build a business website?
A typical small business website might take around four to eight weeks, although the timescale depends on the scope of the project, content preparation and feedback. More complex websites may take longer.
What should I look for in a web design agency?
Look at its previous work, check what is included in the quote and find out how design, development and SEO are handled. It’s also important to choose a team that communicates clearly, listens to your needs and makes you comfortable asking questions.
Does a new website automatically improve Google rankings?
No. A well-built website with relevant content and sound on-page SEO can provide a better foundation for search visibility, but rankings depend on several factors and results are not guaranteed.
Is bespoke WordPress development better than a template?
Not in every situation. A template may suit a business with straightforward requirements and a limited budget. A bespoke WordPress theme is useful when the design, page structure and content management setup need to be tailored to the business. You can explore our web design services to learn more about our approach.
Do I need ongoing website maintenance?
Websites need attention over time, including software updates, backups and checks that important features continue to work. You can manage some tasks yourself or arrange an ongoing maintenance service, depending on your requirements.
Can I update my website myself after launch?
Yes. With a suitable WordPress content management setup and some guidance, you can manage routine content updates yourself. The Web Designer Cardiff includes free CMS training with its five-page website package to help clients learn how to use their websites.
Does The Web Designer Cardiff build websites for different industries?
Yes. The portfolio includes projects across different sectors, including technology, recruitment and property. The approach and functionality depend on the individual client’s needs. You can explore the website portfolio to see examples of the work.
Planning a new website for your business?
Our five-page bespoke website package costs £2,000 + VAT and includes written content, stock images, on-page SEO and CMS training. Get in touch with The Web Designer Cardiff to discuss your requirements and whether the package is right for you.