What Should You Pay for a Website Redesign?

You’re really going to do it. It’s time to sweep out the cobwebs and redesign your website. Has it really been 7 years? Did you really have so few wrinkles back then? Well, you can’t win ‘em all. But you can make some smart decisions about keeping your website redesign effort affordable while bringing your site up to the latest design and usability standards.

The Inevitable Car Comparison

Because websites can be a pretty big investment, some people like to compare them to automobiles. Are you looking for a $13,000 Nissan Versa or a $130,000 Mercedes G-Wagen? We’re guessing probably something in between.

But let’s dig into this car analogy a bit more. Both cars mentioned above can safely transport you and several passengers from point A to point B. Similarly, any website you have built in 2018 should do the same core things: inform people about what you do, allow them to get in touch, etc. So what separates a cheaper site from a more expensive one? Let’s look at some variables that apply to both websites and vehicles:

• Size: Unsurprisingly, a site with only a dozen pages will cost less to build than a site with 300 pages. So if you want a big honkin’ SUV of a site, it’s going to be more expensive.
• Features: Just like advanced technology and premium add-ons in cars, adding interactive elements and other features that require custom coding can quickly escalate the pricetag.
• Prestige: Here’s one that shouldn’t map to the website world. Sure, you’re going to pay a premium for the Mercedes or Maserati name. But there isn’t really a corollary in terms of website developers. Some may have better reputations than others, but it doesn’t usually make much sense to pay extra just for a name.
• Maintenance: This one can cut both ways. A very large, complex site is going to require more ongoing maintenance than a simple one. But even a simple site, if it’s not built well (think of a crummy hatchback from the 80’s) is going to require much more maintenance than it should. In short, it doesn’t pay to cheap out on a website build.

So Really, What’s It Cost?

The answer you’ll most often get to “how much should a website redesign cost?” is “it depends.” Which we know, is super helpful. It does depend, but according to some of the latest estimates, in 2018 web design companies are charging anywhere from $4,000 to $45,000 for custom design and build work.

More specifically, in the aesthetic medicine space, we typically see ranges from about $6,000 to $20,000. Certainly nowhere near the spread between economy cars and luxury cars. And there are two main reasons for that: prestige pricing largely does not exist (as discussed above) and the technologies and raw materials web developers use are largely the same across the board.

In any redesign, just like in any car purchase, it’s important not just to look at the initial price but also what you will need to pay ongoing. There are of course the routine site maintenance and hosting charges, and you’ll want to continue to add content and features to the site to prove your value to Google. In most cases, the firm that redesigns your site can help with your ongoing maintenance and marketing too.