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[ This article was cross-posted to Bristol Creative Industries from my blog. ]

If you’re planning a new website it’s a good idea to be clear on what goes into the overall cost. The design and development are usually the main investment, but there are a few other bits and bobs you should be aware of. They’re not there to trip you up, but they are – if I’m honest – pretty boring and easy to forget when you’re caught up in colours, layouts and other shiny things.

In this post I’ll go over some of the extras you might not have thought about yet: things like your domain name, web hosting, and additional software so that you can work them into your budget from the beginning and avoid any surprises later on. I’ll also de-mystify some of the terminology and help you understand what it is that each thing is actually for.

Domain Name

Your domain is your online address – the bit that looks like yourbusiness.com. It’s often the first thing people see, and the one they’ll hopefully remember.

For simplicity, registering your domain through your web host (more on those in a sec) can make setup and management easier. But if you’re happy to split things up, I often recommend Cloudflare – they offer fair pricing (they sell at-cost), and I usually recommend implementing their free security and performance tools anyway.

How much are we talking?

A standard .com or .co.uk domain name will usually cost you between £10 and £20 per year. The “.com” or “.co.uk” bit at the end is the “top level domain” (TLD) and there are hundreds of them to choose from nowadays. Fancy a .pizza or .beer? Those can range from £20 to £1,000s depending on the TLD you want.

Also consider whether you might need to register multiple domains and have them redirect to a main one. For example, your business may trade under one name but be registered under another and you might want to secure both of those domains.

Web Hosting

Once you’ve got your domain, you’ll need somewhere for your website to live. That’s what hosting is: it’s where all the code, images and content actually sit so visitors can load your site.

Hosting is usually renewed annually, and while there are loads of providers out there, they’re not all created equal.

My go-to recommendation? Krystal – they’re UK-based, powered by renewable energy, and their customer support has been consistently brilliant. I’ve trusted them with my own site and several client projects, and they’ve never let me down.

How much are we talking?

For a typical brochure-style WordPress site or small online shop, you can expect to pay between £60 and £300 per year, depending on the plan and performance you need.

Some hosting providers seem to make their sign-up processes intentionally convoluted, in an apparent attempt to trick people into signing up to add-on services they don’t need. Also avoid providers that offer the first year at a steep discount then ramp the costs up at renewal time.

The dark patterns used by some web hosting providers could be a whole blog post on their own, so I think I’ll leave hosting there. 😊 Talk to me if you want any help navigating hosting or domain registration.

Premium WordPress Plugins

One of the joys of WordPress is that so much of it is free. There are thousands of plugins that let your website do all sorts of clever things without spending a penny. But occasionally, you’ll need the premium version of a plugin – maybe to unlock more features, improve performance, or get access to support and updates.

If you need functionality such as event tickets, room bookings or fancy filtering, a premium plugin is often more cost-effective than having a bespoke solution built from scratch. Some common premium plugins on the sites I work on are Search and Filter Pro, ACF Pro and The Events Calendar. Not every site needs premium plugins, but they’re handy when you want something powerful, quickly.

How much are we talking?

They vary a lot but most premium WordPress plugins cost between £30 and £200. That usually includes updates and support for 12 months. If you don’t renew, the plugin will often still work, you just won’t get the latest features or security updates.

Email Hosting, maybe?

If you’d like a professional-looking email address like [email protected], you’ll need email hosting. Many web hosting plans include basic email hosting but the service is normally very basic and not particularly user-friendly. If it just isn’t cutting the mustard you might want to opt for a service like Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) or Microsoft 365. These also come with things like shared storage (One Drive, Google Drive) and collaborative document editing (Google Docs, Excel).

How much are we talking?

Dedicated email hosting typically comes in at around £50 to £120 per user per year, depending on the provider and the amount of storage you need.

And let’s not forget…

Depending on your needs, there might be one or two other things to budget for:

Web design costs aren’t just about how your site looks – they’re also about the tools and services that keep it running smoothly, securely and professionally. None of these extra expenses are huge on their own, but they’re worth building into your budget so there are no surprises later.

If you’re planning a new site or giving an old one a makeover, I’m always happy to talk through your goals and help you make the most of your budget.

Drop me a message if you’d like to chat.

[ This article was cross-posted to Bristol Creative Industries from my blog. ]

Thinking about having a new website built or redesigned can be intimidating, especially if it’s your first time working with a web designer or developer. You might not know what to expect or how to prepare. But don’t worry—most designers and developers (myself included!) are here to make the process smooth, enjoyable, and as stress-free as possible.

Here’s a handy guide to what you can expect during our first meeting, the kinds of things we’ll likely discuss, and how you can prepare to get the most out of it.

What We’ll Talk About

The first meeting is all about getting to know you, your organisation and your goals. It’s usually takes less than an hour and essentially amounts to a cup of tea and a chat, either in person or online. Here are some things we’ll likely talk about:

Your Business or Project

I’ll want to understand your business, project, or venture. What do you do? Who is your audience? What’s your unique selling point? This helps me ensure your website aligns with your goals and brand.

Your Goals for the Website

Is this a brand-new site or a redesign? What’s the main purpose of the site—selling products, promoting services, building a community? Knowing your goals helps shape everything from design choices to technical features.

Your Likes and Dislikes

Have you seen websites you really love? I can’t over-state how useful it is to have just a handful of screenshots or links to existing websites, even if it’s just a particular feature or tiny design touch. This really gives me a sense of your style and help us find a good jumping off point. If you already have a website, think about what your bugbears are with it, or what you like and want to keep.

Functionality and Features

We’ll talk about what your website needs to do. Do you need e-commerce functionality, an events calendar, a blog, or something more bespoke? It’s okay if you’re not sure, though. There may be features you don’t even know you want yet, simply because you might not know what’s possible—that’s what I’m here for!

Next steps

By the end of the meeting, you should have a good idea of whether you want to work with me on your project and I will be hoping I didn’t make a fool of myself. We’ll come up with a timeline for next steps, the first of which will likely be me writing up a quote for you.

Questions I Might Ask You

To tailor my work to your needs, I’ll likely ask questions like:

Questions You Might Ask Me

Your first meeting is also a chance to ensure I’m the right fit for you. Here are a few questions you might want to ask:

How to Prepare for the Meeting

I know it can feel daunting to put your ideas into someone else’s hands, but rest assured, my job is to make this as smooth and collaborative as possible. By the end of our first meeting, you’ll have a clearer picture of the process and (hopefully!) feel excited about the next steps.

In summary, here are a few things you can do ahead of our chat to help make it as productive as possible:

Think About Your Goals

What do you want the website to achieve? Are there specific challenges you’re hoping it will solve? The clearer your goals, the easier it is for me to deliver what you need.

Gather Inspiration

Take note of websites you like, even if they’re outside your industry. It could be their layout, colours, or how they handle navigation. Visuals help spark ideas and guide the design process.

Know Your Audience

Think about who your website is for. If you have personas, data, website analytics, or insights about your customers, bring them along. If not, even a simple description of your ideal audience can be a great starting point.

Have a Budget and Timeline in Mind

You don’t need to have all the answers, but a rough idea of what you can spend and when you’d like the project completed is helpful.

So there you have it. Doesn’t sound too scary, right? If you’re considering working with a web designer or developer, I’d love to hear from you. Whether you’re ready to dive in or just exploring your options, let’s chat and see where it takes us!

Viney