An acquaintance told you, "my cousin's friend builds websites really cheaply." The offer looked attractive, so you said yes. The site went live within a few weeks and it even looked decent. Then you wanted to change your phone number, and things started to get complicated.
I am not writing this to say that cheap means bad. For someone who is just starting a business on a tight budget, a simple, small site can be exactly the right start. My point is that you should be able to see what a cheap website quote leaves out. The real cost is often not the number at the top of the page but the jobs that show up afterwards.
What is not inside the price?
You cannot compare two quotes by the total alone. Two sites can look the same from the outside and be very different underneath. Think of a house sold as a bare shell versus one that is ready to move into: the shell is cheaper, but you pay separately later for doors, paint and plumbing.
Here is what cheap quotes most often leave out:
- Writing the text and preparing the photos
- Looking good and loading fast on a phone
- The basic structure Google needs to understand the site
- Small changes after the site goes live
- Who the domain name and hosting are registered to
The limits of a template
Many cheap sites are built on a ready-made template. A template is like off-the-rack clothing: if it fits, there is no problem. If it does not, someone has to shorten the sleeves and take in the shoulders, and that tailoring gets expensive.
The limits I see most often:
- A part that your business needs, such as a booking form or a request-a-quote form, is not in the template and has to be added as separate work.
- The more the template is bent out of shape, the slower the page gets or the worse it looks on a phone.
- Dozens of competitors use the same template.
A template website is not a bad choice in itself. The problem is that nobody asked at the start whether it suits your business. When you get a quote, ask: "In my business, the customer needs to do this one thing. Does the site support it?"
Everything afterwards is billed separately
The logic of a very cheap offer is often this: the main job is done for a low price, and everything else becomes an extra. Adding a page, changing a paragraph, putting in a WhatsApp button, even fixing the phone layout can count as a separate item.
That is not unfair in itself, since work is being done for payment. But if nobody tells you up front, you end up with a total that is larger than the first figure. Before you accept a quote, ask these in writing:
- How many pages are included?
- How many rounds of changes are included?
- Are small fixes after launch charged?
- Are phone layout and speed checks included?
If the answers are vague, the total cost is vague too. I cover what belongs in a written offer in a separate post.
Who owns your site?
This is the part that hurts most. With some cheap offers, the domain name, meaning your site's internet address, and the server where the site lives are registered under the builder's own account. It is usually done for convenience, not bad intent. But years later, when you part ways, you may not be the owner of your own address.
It is like having the deed to your house in someone else's name. For years nothing happens. The trouble comes on the day you want to sell, move or change something.
To find out where you stand:
- Ask the person who built the site, in writing, whose name the domain is registered in.
- Check whether you have been given the login details for the site.
- Find out who receives the renewal reminders.
Not showing up on Google, and having to start over
Another thing many cheap sites share is that "being online" is considered enough. Being online and being findable on Google are not the same thing. If the basics were not done, such as page titles, using the words customers actually type, and loading quickly on a phone, the site sits on your business card and social profile but does not bring in new customers.
Behind "I had the site made and no customers came" there is often this missing piece.
Having it rebuilt
The last link in the chain: the site no longer fits your business, changes are expensive, ownership is unclear and Google does not show it. In the end you have it rebuilt from scratch. Your first payment then sits on top of the new one. And if old addresses, texts and photos are lost in the move, you also have to rebuild the visibility you had.
Rebuilding is sometimes the right decision. Just take that possibility into account at the first choice.
Questions to ask when reading a quote
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Whose name is the domain in? | Your rights over the site depend on it |
| Which pages and rounds of changes are included? | You see extra work before it appears |
| Will phone and speed be checked? | Fewer visitors lost |
| Who prepares the text and photos? | Often the most forgotten item |
| Is there support after launch? | Small problems get fixed before they grow |
Frequently asked questions
Is a cheap website always bad?
No. For a small business, a simple site can be enough. What matters is that you know from the start what the quote covers and what it does not.
Is using a template a problem?
Not if it fits your business. The problem appears when you later want to go beyond it.
If I part ways with the builder, do I lose my site?
Not if the domain and logins are in your name. If they are not, the situation becomes unclear. That is why ownership should be settled in writing at the very beginning.
Should I redesign the existing site or start over?
If your site has a clear structure, a redesign may be enough. If both the look and the structure are problematic, starting over is healthier. I cannot say which without seeing your site.
Conclusion
Price matters, but it should not be the only measure. If you ask about scope, ownership and what happens after launch, you know what you are getting, cheap or not. If you would like to work out together what you need before having a website made, you can write to me through my website design page.