Start with the job the site has to do.
A few service pages and an enquiry form are a different job from a shop, a booking platform or a customer portal. Write down the essential pages, actions and integrations. Ask each supplier to quote against that same list.
Compare the scope, not just the headline.
Check who supplies the copy and photography, how much existing content moves, what you can edit and how revisions work. Ask how extra work is agreed. A low initial price can look different once those pieces are added.
Put running costs beside the build price.
List domain renewal, hosting, maintenance, email, paid plugins and any booking or payment-provider fees that apply. Some may be bundled. Others will be separate. Ask who holds each account and what happens if you move providers.
Understand a monthly payment plan.
At Flying Penguin, the small-business plan is £44.95 a month for 12 months, including hosting, with nothing upfront. That is £539.40 over the plan. Eligibility applies. The site transfers to you after 12 months; hosting can then continue at £9.95 a month or you can move it. Early-exit arrangements are agreed in writing.
Compare a one-off build over the same period.
The £395 offer is for sole traders and registered businesses with up to 5 employees, subject to availability and eligibility. With optional hosting at £9.95 a month for 12 months, the first-year total is £514.40. Domain, email and any separately agreed extras need their own allowance. Standard bespoke builds start at £995. No VAT is currently charged.
Ask when you commit.
I start with a free call, a written quote and a working prototype. You can try it before deciding whether to go ahead. We agree the scope, payment stages and ownership terms before paid work starts.
If you send me the rough version of what you need, I can help separate the essentials from the things that can wait.
Book a free call