How Much Does a New Website Cost? (Ask Before You Fundraise!)

Ever wondered how much a new website costs? It’s a question we hear often, and honestly, it’s not as straightforward as you might think. We’ve decided to write this blog to provide a useful resource that gives a flavor of design and development pricing. The truth is, costs can vary widely due to a variety of factors.

We often work with individuals, such as creatives and academics, who need a website as a small part of their project, which they’ve already sought funding for a budget. By the time they come to us to scope out a key part of their project, such as a website or branding or packaging, they’re way off what it would cost and they have to go back to the drawing board.

That’s why we’re here to say: feel free to ask us for a quote at any point! There’s no obligation, and we won’t pressure you into completing the job with us. Our quotes are flexible, and we make it easy to identify areas where you can economise, ensuring you get the most value for your investment.

We’d much rather you ask us for a quote you might not use than guess your way through budgeting or fundraising, only to find you’ve underestimated the cost and can’t get the support you need.

Creating a good website or graphic involves a mix of creative and technical skills. From designing a logo and sourcing the right fonts to coding and project coordination, it’s a team effort to bring your vision to life. It’s a core principle at Studio Lutalica to pay all of our team fairly and resist falling into the trap a lot of creative companies fall into, where designers are working till 2am to meet multiple deadlines, in exchange for a deliveroo and an Uber home.

That’s to say we balance our commitment to serving underrepresented founders and mission-aligned projects at an affordable rate with our obligation to fairly compensate our team. When we provide a cost, it reflects the true value of our work.

Reviewing Needs and Scope

First up, we take a good look at what you need and the scope of your project. For websites, this might mean deciding on the CMS platform, the number of layouts needed, and the features/integrations you want or need. Each project is its own beast, and we tailor our services to fit.

Service Breakdown and Time Estimation

We break it all down, service by service, and estimate how long each step will take, then we charge by the hour and add on a percentage of the total project, which varies depending on the number of services involved for project management. Project management is a huge factor in allowing us to deliver quality work. It covers the coordination and attention needed from our team to keep everything on track and delivered on time, as well as communicating with you.

If your organisation or project is led by a woman or LGBTQ+ person, or primarily serves these communities, we offer a 10% discount. It’s one of the ways we directly support the community by covering some of the hours pro-bono.

We are proud to offer 10% of this work pro bono because you meet our criteria of being founded by a woman or LGBTQ+ person and/or directly impacting these communities. Alternatively, you can opt out, and we will redirect these funds to support a high-impact client who can’t fund the design work they need. Paying it forward is a fantastic way of extending the positive impact to another deserving organisation. When responding to the quote, please let us know how you’d like to proceed.

Pro-Bono Work and Fair Pay

We’re committed to offering pro-bono hours while ensuring our creatives are paid fairly. It’s all part of our mission to uplift women and Queer folks, and it helps us build strong, value-aligned partnerships with our clients. Read more about our commitment to fair pay here.

We believe in transparency and flexibility in all aspects of our work, which includes pricing. We charge on an hourly basis, allowing us to tailor our services to your specific needs. For instance, research and development (R&D) for a website typically takes around 10 hours, starting at approximately £1,000. We provide a detailed breakdown of the quote by phase and service, enabling you to make informed decisions about what to include or cut if your budget is tight. Our hourly rate is consistent, and we can produce quotes in any currency you require. Additionally, we include VAT in our quotes, ensuring there are no surprise add-ons.

Important Considerations:

• • Branding and Project Management: These costs are not included in the initial web design quotes. Branding work and project management can significantly increase the overall cost, often doubling the initial estimate.
  • Taxes: If your registered address is in the UK, we add VAT on top of the final quote, which is 20%.

Several factors can influence the cost of a website, including:

• Pages: The number of pages required can significantly impact the overall cost. More pages often mean more design and development time.
• Platform: The choice of platform can affect both the complexity and cost. For more details, visit our Web services page.
• Brand Guidelines: Having complete brand guidelines can streamline the process and potentially reduce costs. If you need help with branding, check out our Branding Services.
• Design Scope: Whether we’re undertaking a complete redesign or simply adding pages to an existing design can also influence pricing.
• Functionality: Additional features like e-commerce capabilities, membership areas, or custom integrations can increase costs.
• Content Creation: The need for content creation or copywriting services can add to the overall cost. Explore our Content Creation Services for more information.
• Audience Interviews and Research: Conducting interviews and research to understand your audience better can add depth to the project but may also increase costs. This process helps tailor the website to meet user needs effectively.

Client Brief: A solo entrepreneur based in Edinburgh, UK, specialises in LGBTQ+ family law. With over 10 years of experience, she is passionate about advocating for queer families and providing tailored legal solutions. As a solicitor, she is looking to establish a strong personal brand and expand her client base. She needs a simple but effective website that gives some information about her expertise and her services, as well as a contact page.

Project Details / Deliverables:

• Pages: 2-4
  • About Me page
  • Services I Offer page
  • Contact form
• UX/UI Process:
  • Sitemap creation
  • Basic UX/UI design
• Basic SEO setup
• Mobile-responsive design

Estimated Cost Range:

• £1,500-£2,500 (excluding branding and project management)

Client Brief: An academic researcher is committed to advancing social justice through impactful research and advocacy. They are leading a project focused on queer intimacy and sexual health, seeking a website to host blogs and resources, complete with branding elements like a logo, colour palette, typography, and graphic elements. The site will serve as a platform to disseminate research findings and engage with diverse audiences, integrating academic databases and social media sharing features to amplify their message.

Project Details / Deliverables:

• Pages: 5-10
  • Blog and resource pages
• UX/UI Process:
  • Sitemap creation
  • UX/UI desk research
  • Prototype development
• Integration with academic databases or resources
• Branding elements

Estimated Cost Range:

• £4,000 to £10,000 (excluding project management)

Client Brief: An international environmental justice organisation based in Boston, Massachusetts, is dedicated to advocating for environmental policies that support marginalised communities. They need a new website to streamline their extensive educational content and grant application process. With numerous pages from past redesigns, they seek a full overhaul to enhance accessibility, improve donation processes, and expand their reach. The project will focus on simplifying navigation, upgrading UX/UI design, and integrating analytics to better engage supporters.

Project Details / Deliverables:

• Pages: 85+
  • Numerous pages with detailed content
  • Range of blocks and templates
• UX/UI Process:
  • Sitemap creation
  • Extensive UX/UI desk research
  • UX/UI interviews and surveys
  • Prototype and user testing
• Re-brand and brand kit
• Multilingual support
• Donation pages and payment integrations
• Form and data management system
• Enhanced security measures
• Accessibility features
• Social media integration
• Analytics and reporting tools
• Hosting and ongoing maintenance

Estimated Cost Range:

• £12,100 to £30,000 (excluding project management)

We hope this gives you a clearer idea of what to expect when budgeting for a new website. Whether you’re an academic, a charity, or any organisation planning your budget, don’t hesitate to reach out for a personalised quote. We love collaborating with people who share our values, and we’re excited to help bring your project to life.

Let’s create something amazing together! Contact us to get started.