Should I Hire Someone to Build My Website?

Should I Hire Someone to Build My Website?

If you’ve spent more than a weekend trying to get your website looking right, you’re probably wondering whether it’s time to hand it over. This article explains when it makes sense to hand your website over to someone else, and what that usually costs for a small UK business. Duport has been helping UK businesses get online for 28 years. Here’s what that experience has taught us.

What’s the real cost of building your own website?

The real cost of a DIY website isn’t the monthly subscription. It’s the hours you’re spending on it instead of running your business. Wix, Squarespace, and similar platforms charge between £13 and £30 a month. That’s £156 to £360 a year before you add a custom domain, a professional email address, or any paid apps you actually need.

Most business owners can live with that. What’s harder to live with is the 20 to 40 hours they typically spend wrestling with it and often still aren’t happy with the result. If your time is worth £200 a day, those hours quickly become more expensive than hiring someone. The website was supposed to make your business look more professional. Spending weeks fighting it is probably making you less productive.

How do you know when it’s time to stop?

It’s time to stop when your website is costing you more in lost time and lost credibility than it would cost to have someone else build it properly.

The clearest signs:

• You’ve been “nearly done” for more than two weeks.
• You’re embarrassed to share the URL with a customer.
• Someone has asked for your website and you’ve made excuses.
• You’ve spent an entire weekend on a layout problem and still can’t fix it.
• The site looks fine on a laptop but breaks on mobile.

If any of those are familiar, you already know the answer.

How much does it cost to hire someone to build a website in the UK?

Hiring a freelance web designer in the UK typically costs between £500 and £3,000 for a basic business site, though it varies significantly based on scope and experience. A full web agency will often quote between £2,000 and £8,000 for a small business site.

A freelancer is usually more affordable, but you’re managing the relationship, providing detailed briefs, and chasing revisions yourself. One important thing to know: cheap doesn’t mean cost-effective. A website that cost £300 but doesn’t reflect your brand, loads slowly, or isn’t set up correctly for search engines can actively cost you customers. In the long run than a better option done right.

There’s also a third option that most people don’t know exists: done-for-you website services that handle the entire build for a flat fee.

Is there a middle ground between DIY and a full web agency?

Yes. A done-for-you website services handle the entire build for a fixed price, without the cost of a full agency or the hassle of managing a freelancer.

Done-for-you means you answer a few questions about your business, hand over the information needed, and the site gets built. No templates to wrestle with. No DNS settings to decipher. No chasing anyone for a fifth revision. No calling support because your domain isn’t connecting.

For most small businesses that just need a clean, professional website, this is usually the simplest option. It costs a fraction of agency pricing, goes live in days rather than weeks, and takes almost none of your time.

What do you get if Duport builds your website (60% off if you mention this article)?

Duport’s website service takes 30 minutes of your time and your site is live within 72 hours. We build a professional,  compliant, mobile-friendly website. We’ve been doing this for 28 years and we know exactly what a UK small business needs online: a clear, fast site that tells people who you are, what you do, and how to reach you. Mention this article and get 60% off!

If you’re also setting up your company at the same time, our full bundle is £244 and £197 a year after that. That covers company formation, a domain, a professional email address, your website, and seven compliance bots that handle ongoing admin in the background.

Further reading:

If you’re also weighing up whether you need a website at all, we’ve covered that question honestly in → Do You Actually Need a Website for Your Small Business? [LINK — PLANNED]. And for a detailed breakdown of what different website options cost over three years, see → How Much Does a Small Business Website Cost in the UK? [LINK — PLANNED].

FAQs

• How long does it take to get a website built professionally?

A done-for-you service like Duport’s takes 72 hours from the point you hand over your business information.

• Can I make changes to my website myself once it’s live?

Yes. The cost includes us making small updates for you each month as part of the service, so you don’t need to manage the website yourself.

• What information do I need to provide to get a website built?

Typically your business name, what you do, your contact details, and any existing content e.g photos, a list of services, and any text you’d like to use.

• Do I need to buy a domain separately?

If you use Duport’s bundle, domain registration is included and you don’t need to set it up elsewhere.

• What if I already have a Wix site but want something more professional?

You can start fresh with a done-for-you build and your existing content can be carried across and your current domain can usually be transferred too.

Rebecca