How much does a web site cost?

We often get asked “How much does a web site cost?” or “How long do you need to build a web site?”.

The first reaction to any web developer is to ask what type of web site do they mean. We like to compare web site development with a house construction. Everything depends on the customer. If you want a big house with unique design and lots of functionalities – it will cost more than a small two-room house. A precise price is difficult to calculate before the customer describes what he/she wants. This is the case, because price is formed by a few factors.

1.Who will create it – a freelancer or a company?

Freelancer charge less than companies, because they have less expenses than companies. Web development companies need to pay salaries, rent, bills, taxes, equipment etc. But you should be careful with freelancers, because their customers sometimes suffer from lack of attention, timeline delay and lack of proper documentation and organisation of the project.

2.How many hours will go into the development?

This is a very decisive factor when calculating the price. When developing a web site the biggest expense is the hours of work. So the less time it takes, the cheaper it will be. Exception to this case makes the need for specialised skills or preparation. 

3.How hard it is to make and what technologies will be used?

Despite the fact that time is a great factor, the difficulty and required knowledge to do the job also play a big role. You need to implement new technologies or you have a very unpopular idea that needs specific knowledge to realise. This could be accomplished by just a few people, who have invested a lot of time to educate themselves on the matter. This means that you need to be prepared to pay a lot to develop your project.

4.Is there already a developed software solution for your project or you will start from scratch?

If there is a developed software solution which could be used for your idea it would shorten the time for development and implementation and would cost less. But if you want a personalised system for an idea that only you have, be prepared to spend some money on it. 

5.What country are the programmers from?

It is widely known that China and India are taking all the markets even in the IT industry. Many companies outsource their work there and that way they ensure lower prices. Despite being cheaper to outsource to India, many of the companies do not want to work with them. The reason is their low quality work. Their code is filled with bugs and errors and they do not meet their deadlines. Not all programmers and companies form India fall in that category. But some people do not want to risk it, because they do not know how to make the difference between high and low quality companies. 

The opposite option also exists. Programmers from more developed countries work very well, but their prices are much higher. This is the time to talk about web developers from Bulgaria. Prices here are much lower than for example Western Europe, but the quality of work is at the same level.

When you know this information and a time comes when you need a new web site ask yourself: Who? What budget? What type of website? Write everything in a functional specification and then seek for offers.

If you have a specific idea, you can contact us and we will help you with its development.