Table of Contents
- Read this first!
- What kind of website do I need?
- What other costs are there associated with building a website?
Just starting out? Read this first!
- How much will my website cost to build?
- I’ve received three quotes and they are all over the place. Why are they so different?
- Can you give me an exact amount? I don’t like getting a price range.
These are the top three questions we get asked by business owners who are confused by the wide range of estimates provided by web development agencies. The truth is, websites can vary in price anywhere from $5,000 to well over $100,000 depending on what you are looking for in terms of functionality and business goals. There are also a number of technical questions that need to be answered which can make the price grow or shrink. To help make sense of these differences, here’s a brief analogy.
Imagine you are building a house. Before you get started you will no doubt connect with an architect who will ask you a list of questions such as your desired location, the size of home you want, the style, finishings, etc., etc. Depending on what you ask for, the price of the house may vary significantly. Make sense? Web development is (or should be) just the same.
A sign of a good development company is that they won’t propose a price until they fully understand the project you are asking them to undertake. This is also the answer to common question #2, by the way. If the agency you are working with doesn’t have all the information they need, they will either:
- Estimate too low, because they just want to get your business and will most likely cut corners or eat the costs elsewhere; or,
- Estimate too high, as they’ve been burned in the past and want to cover their butts; or, worst-case scenario,
- Have no idea what to estimate, throw a random number your way and have to come back to you mid-process to ask for more money.
That being said, there are some general ranges or cost bands that you can expect to see from a typical web development agency, depending on the size of your company and what you are looking to build. The Loomo team has created and refined this list based on years of developing websites, from small brochure sites to major e-commerce and financial infrastructure builds.
ALL of our estimates below assume the following:
- Estimates are based on our hourly rate.
- Estimates include planning, design, programming, marketing setup, and launch.
- All new websites will be mobile responsive.
- All of our websites are built in a CMS framework to empower non-technical staff to edit most of the site content themselves.
Note: Yes, we know that you can find a developer overseas or a close relative who can do it for cheaper. But understand what you are getting into first. Will you be able to work with them during regular business hours? Can they warranty their work? Do they have business insurance that would cover you should something go wrong? If you are comfortable with these variables, give it a go.
What kind of website do I need?
In order to better help you figure out your options and potential costs, we need to identify who you are and what you need. Click on the description below that best describes your situation and we’ll jump you to the section that offers the most personalized advice.
- I already have a website but need to improve it in order to be more effective or update my branding.
- I don’t have a website yet and I need one to sell a few products or to promote my services.
- I work for a medium-sized business in marketing or online management and we are seeking a web agency to help enhance or rebuild our website.
- I am the digital manager or executive leader of a large business and our team needs help improving our digital and/or e-commerce platform.
As you get started, there are a few terms and concepts you will need to know:
| CMS | Content Management System. A CMS is a user-friendly system that allows average users to add or update content on your website. Examples include WordPress, Shopify, or Joomla. |
| SSL | Secure Sockets Layer, a global standard security technology that enables encrypted communication between a web browser and a web server. This is a must-have if you are running an e-commerce site or are collecting client information in any way. |
| Custom Database | All websites use a database to hold your content so it can be displayed on your webpage. For these estimates, we are assuming you need an out-of-the-box database and don’t require any special customizations. |
| 3rd Party Integrations | A “3rd-party” integration is any outside application, program, or service you need to include within your website. Most commonly, these include customer relationship management (CRM) tools, payment systems like PayPal, or email marketing tools such as MailChimp or Constant Contact. |
| Plugins | A plugin is a self-contained program that extends the functionality of your website. For example, a plugin may add a chat function to let you engage visitors in real-time as they browse your site. |
| SEO | Search Engine Optimization is the process of adjusting site settings and content to grow or optimize website traffic and search engine results pages. |
Small Business Website Redesigns
If you have an existing website and want to update your brand or presence online to stay competitive and up to date, a redesign may be the right option for you. Since you already have a website and some knowledge of its effectiveness, we can leverage that experience and the hard data available from Google Analytics to make your site much more effective at meeting your business goals.
Additionally, brands that already have existing websites can often make use of existing brand assets, such as photos, website copy, videos, etc. Our team will work with you to revise your existing assets to match the new site design and layout, but because you’re already part way there you get the benefit of additional savings.
It’s important to note, however, that 90% of our redesign projects require a completely new development build and CMS. Web standards change regularly and websites that are two-three years old or more will likely need a newer framework that supports the latest functionality and design specs such as wider pages, mobile-responsive design (tablet & phone), and the latest plug-ins and security patches.
So how much will my website cost? Here’s our breakdown of a simple website redesign with no custom database or 3rd-party integrations:
| TASK | LOW-HIGH TIME REQUIREMENTS |
| Research & Planning | 4-8 Hours |
| UX/UI (sitemap & wireframes) | 8-16 Hours |
| Visual Design (flats) | 8-16 Hours |
| Content Development & Support | 4-8 Hours |
| Programming (coding) | 16-24 Hours |
| Client Training & Documentation | 1-2 Hours |
| Testing & Launch | 4-8 Hours |
| Total Cost (and up, depending on Requirements) | $6,750 – $12,300 |
If you have further questions about building a custom website for your brand – or to get started – please contact us for a free consultation or call us at 604-210-5592.
Small Business (Brochure Site)
If you don’t have an online presence yet and you want to make sure your site is built from the start with sales and SEO in mind, this is the option for you. Small business sites generally house 5-10 pages in total and are often referred to as a ‘brochure’ site, containing only the most relevant information about you and your company. Generally, this includes who you are, what you do, your contact information, and your team. This size of a website is popular with small businesses because of its simplicity and cost-effectiveness. For a Brochure Website, there is typically no need for custom plug-ins or databases.
So how much will your website cost? Here’s our breakdown for the website described above:
| TASK | LOW-HIGH TIME REQUIREMENTS |
| Research & Planning | 8-16 Hours |
| UX/UI (sitemap & wireframes) | 16-24 Hours |
| Visual Design (flats) | 16-24 Hours |
| Content Development & Support | 8-16 Hours |
| Programming (coding) | 25-40 Hours |
| Client Training & Documentation | 2-4 Hours |
| Testing & Launch | 8-10 Hours |
| Total Cost (and up, depending on Requirements) | $12,450 – $20,100 |
If you have further questions about building a custom website for your brand – or to get started – please contact us for a free consultation or call us at 604-210-5592.
Medium-Sized Business Website
Medium-sized sites house 5-7 main sections, or branches, in your site map with approximately 20-30 pages in total. At this point, your business is likely making good use of a blog so ease of publishing, easy SEO setup and design are important. This type of site doesn’t usually require custom plugins or database modifications, but may under certain circumstances. This size is popular with medium-sized businesses because it allows you to feature more information than you could on a small site while still being budget-friendly.
Medium-sized businesses will often have a procurement process and marketing or website managers that are guiding the project internally. If you’ve been tasked with finding a web developer for your new site build we know that you need someone you can trust. An agency that is reliable, has done this before and can achieve your business goals. Whether you are building from the ground up, or have an existing framework that we need to live within, we’ll take a look at your system requirements and available tools to come up with a web strategy that will be sure to wow your boss’s boss’s boss.
We’re not afraid to say it, either. We often work with mid-sized businesses when they have lost their previous website support, their last agency is no longer in business, or they just aren’t feeling the love from their current web/brand managers. We’ve also been called in to support several companies who were mid-stream with another web developer but discovered that they were out of their depth or couldn’t otherwise complete the project. If this is you, don’t lose heart. We’re happy to swoop in and wow you with our incredible customer service and slick coding skillz (yes, with a “z”. We’re just that slick).
So how much will my website cost? Here’s our breakdown of a mid-sized business website with few to moderate customizations and enhancements.
| TASK | LOW-HIGH TIME REQUIREMENTS |
| Research & Planning | 16-24 Hours |
| UX/UI (sitemap & wireframes) | 24-40 Hours |
| Visual Design (flats) | 24-40 Hours |
| Content Development & Support | 16-24 Hours |
| Programming (coding) | 60-80 Hours |
| Client Training & Documentation | 2-4 Hours |
| Testing & Launch | 8-16 Hours |
| Total Cost (and up, depending on Requirements) | $22,500 – $34,200 |
If you have further questions about building a custom website for your brand – or to get started – please contact us for a free consultation or call us at 604-210-5592.
Large Business, Institutional, or e-Commerce Websites
Websites for large scale organizations or e-commerce sites tend to house approximately 8-15 main sections, or branches, of the site map and can include 50-150+ pages (we’ve built sites with upwards of 3,000 pages and hundreds of unique page layouts). E-Commerce sites may contain more and there is generally a need for custom plugins and database modifications. This size of a website is popular with large organizations such as financial institutions and online stores that need to house large amounts of information online.
Larger companies with multiple branches, lines of business, or divisions typically require more complex websites with multiple sections and sub-sections of content. This means that database management and page/brand templates require more effort and attention to detail to build. Additionally, it means more stakeholders to engage with and get approvals from. Our team is comfortable working as a partner to such organizations and is familiar with organizational approvals, feedback, and technical review processes. Our methods are also very flexible and we are happy to work with any preferred designer(s), marketing agencies, and internal tech teams if desired.
So how much will my website cost? Here’s our breakdown of a large website and/or e-commerce build.
| TASK | LOW-HIGH TIME REQUIREMENTS |
| Research & Planning | 40-80 Hours |
| UX/UI (sitemap & wireframes) | 40-80 Hours |
| Visual Design (flats) | 60-120 Hours |
| Content Development & Support | 40-60 Hours |
| Programming (coding) | 120-200 Hours |
| Client Training & Documentation | 8-12 Hours |
| Testing & Launch | 24-40 Hours |
| Total Cost (and up, depending on Requirements) | $49,800 – $88,800+ |
If you have further questions about building a custom website for your brand – or to get started – please contact us for a free consultation or call us at 604-210-5592.
Other Website Components and Costs
In addition to the costs described above, there are other costs that may impact your budget during development and after launch in some cases.
Domain name – $14/year (or less)
Hosting – $50+ a month depending on traffic and hosting services. For example, you may want to pay extra for regular website backups or extra security features.
Stock art – Royalty-free stock art photos and graphics can range from $2 – $200+ each depending on license fees and usage.
Original photography – Loomo partners with several local professional commercial photographers. Average price is set on a daily rate and billed directly from the photographers without markup. ~$1,000
Maintenance Packages
Loomo’s maintenance packages offer peace of mind, optimization, and expertise so you can be confident that your site is secure and running smoothly 24/7. The internet can be difficult and dangerous to navigate. Let us help you ensure your site offers a secure and reliable customer experience, every time.
$50/month (websites only)
Our basic package is where it all begins. This package includes hosting and domain registration, security updates and regular backups. Once per month, our developers will look through your site from top to bottom and make sure everything looks the way it should. If we notice anything out of place or vulnerable, we’ll fix it right away.
$150/month (advanced website/light application)
Want to know exactly how your business is performing? We’ll provide monthly reports on the services you’ve given us access to and help you understand exactly where you need to improve. This boils down to one dashboard with all of the analytics laid out as you like it, so you can gain a better understanding of where to spend your online advertising budget. The best part? If Loomo manages your digital advertising, you’ll get those statistics too (for even more data!).
$300+/month (heavy websites/applications)
Running your business can be tough. We want you to succeed, and we have just the help you need. We’ll reassess your SEO on a monthly basis and make adjustments and recommendations based on the main keywords people are using to find your site.
If you’ve read this far, you must be serious about your web business. Good for you! Take the next step by contacting us to book a discovery call. Want to talk now? You can also call us at 604-210-5592 – we’d love to chat!
Now, how LONG does it take to build a website? Here is a good primer on what to expect with project timing.
