It's the first question almost everyone asks, and the honest answer is "it depends". That isn't a dodge. Two websites can look similar on the surface and take very different amounts of work. Here is what actually drives the price, so you can compare quotes properly.
What affects the cost
How many pages you need
A simple site might be a home page, a services page, an about page and a contact page. A tradie covering many services and suburbs might need a separate page for each main service, because that's how people find them on Google. More pages means more design, writing and testing.
Who writes the words and supplies the photos
Content is often the slowest part of any website. If you can provide clear notes about your services and real photos of your work, the job is quicker. If you'd rather hand it over completely, writing the copy becomes part of the project.
Features
A contact form is standard. Quote request forms with file uploads, online bookings, or taking payments all add work, and sometimes an ongoing fee for the service behind them.
Branding
If you already have a logo and colours, great. If not, it's worth sorting those out first so the website has something solid to build on.
Google setup
A website on its own isn't enough to be found locally. Setting up Search Console, a sitemap, and your Google Business Profile is part of doing the job properly. Check whether a quote includes it.
Care after launch
Hosting, security updates, backups and small changes all need doing after the site goes live. Some people prefer to handle it themselves, others want it looked after for a monthly fee.
Why quotes vary so much
On the Sunshine Coast you'll find everything from do it yourself website builders to large agencies. The difference usually comes down to how much is custom, how much thinking goes into the structure and words, and what support you get afterwards. A cheap quote that leaves out the Google setup or locks you into one platform can cost more in the long run.
Questions to ask any web designer
- Is the price fixed? Or is it an estimate that could grow?
- Who owns the website and domain? They should be in your name.
- What happens after launch? Who fixes things if something breaks?
- Are there ongoing fees? Hosting, platform subscriptions, plugins.
- Is Google setup included? Search Console, sitemap, Business Profile.
- Can I see work for businesses like mine?
My starting prices
There are two ways to get a website from me. Start small costs $995 up front, with a monthly plan from $149 that keeps the site hosted, found and looked after (12 month minimum, then month to month). Or own it outright from $4,500, paid once. Plans start from $79 a month for hosting, backups, security and up to 30 minutes of edits. The full breakdown is on the pricing page.
How I quote
After a short chat about your business and what the site needs to do, you get one fixed price in writing, with everything that's included listed out. No hourly billing and no surprises halfway through. Get in touch if you'd like a quote.