By 
This all depends on your needs and expectations. You need to ask yourself a few questions before diving in:
- How important is the website to your company
- What do you want the website to do – showcase projects, capture leads, educate clients
- How much functionality do you need
- Who is going to write the content
- Where are you going to get good images from
- Have you seen any websites you like
Also and very importantly ask yourself how much work you’re prepared to put into the project. Many times a project can get delayed because a client has started all enthusiastic and then gets busy and the website is not a priority anymore. Sometimes it’s best to leave the content side of the site to the agency you’re working with. They are used to creating web friendly content.
There are a few ways to get a website:
- Work with a professional agency like Carawebs
- Build it yourself using Wix or Squarespace
- Outsource to a freelance on Fiverr or Upwork
Working with an Agency
This may be the more expensive option depending on what type of website you need.
However if you work with an agency you expect to be dealing with professionals. They will be able to build a custom website that is suited for your business.
They will be able to provide training and support. You won’t be left with a website that you can’t update.
Typically an agency will want to build a relationship with you and help your business succeed.
You can expect to reach them during office hours. An agency will help with SEO because they have the experience and expertise.
Build it Yourself
This is fine if you have the time and the patience. I know of someone who spent a year building a website for their business using WordPress.org.
You have to ask yourself is this the best use of your time. Would your time be better spent working on your business.
How much is your time worth in actual money. If you earn €800 per week and it takes you 3 weeks to build your website that’s €2400 you’ve not earned.
Also you’re not going to get it all right. There may be mistakes and the design and functionality may be limited.
Outsource to a Freelancer
Finding a freelancer takes time. Also you have to ask yourself how many other jobs does the freelancer have on. Are they going to prioritise your website or are they going to either rush it or delay it.
I know of a client who outsourced his website and ended up with a design not a website. This was due to a complete breakdown in communication. He was out of pocket, frustrated and still didn’t have a website.
Think of time differences – if you’re outsourcing abroad will you be able to contact your freelancer during normal hours.? Language and cultural barriers are also a consideration. Are they going to help you use your website or will you be left hanging?.
Alternatively if you know someone who is techy they could build you a website. However like using a freelancer this has problems.
What happens if they are working and your website is not a priority?. What happens if they move and you lose contact?.
I know from experience this happens. Your cousins best friend builds you a website and then moves to Australia.
How Much does a Website Cost
This is a hard question to answer without actually evaluating an individual project carefully .
However if you want to work with a professional agency expect to pay in the region of:
- Basic brochure site no content management system limited pages starting at €1200
- Basic site with Content management system limited functionality starting at €2500
- More complex site with extra functionality starting at €4000
- E commerce site starting at €5000 upwards depending on number of products, pages, categories
These prices don’t factor in sourcing images or content writing they are merely ballpark figures.
You also need to factor in hosting and maintenance costs. Cheap hosting is available but I wouldn’t recommend it. Your website could be on a server with 999 other websites.
This will make your site run slowly and will annoy your site visitors. Also you may be sharing a site with hacked websites.
If you chose to take on a support and maintenance package that will cost extra too depending on the amount of support you feel you need. You can get monthly support packages or you can pay for support as and when you need it.
Lastly
If you’re getting a quotation from an agency for a website with a CMS it’s worth noting that the price doesn’t always depend on the number of pages. If you’re getting a quote for a site with a lot of customisation or functionality the majority of the price will be due to the complexity of the work involved.
Think of the phrase “Buy Cheap Buy Twice”. If you do end up with an inferior website you may end up having to redo it all over again!