How much does a small business website cost in Vancouver?

There is no single price for a small business website in Vancouver or Surrey. The cost depends on how many pages you need, who writes the words, and whether the site has to take bookings, payments or orders. At Hexio Labs, projects start from $500 CAD, and every website gets a fixed price in writing after a free call, so the number you agree to is the number you pay.

What should a small business website include?

A proper small business website is more than a template with your logo dropped in. It is meant for a business that needs a clear, professional home online that customers can find on Google and use on their phones.

For most local businesses, that means:

• A home page that says what you do, where you do it and how to get in touch.
• Pages for your main services, so each one can be found on Google on its own.
• An about page and a contact page with your phone number, email and a simple form.
• A design that works on phones first, since that is where most local customers will find you.
• The basics for Google built in: page titles, descriptions, fast loading and a sitemap.
• Your enquiry form connected, so messages reach you instead of disappearing.

You can see the kind of sites we build in our work, and how we approach them on the websites page.

What makes a website cost more?

Most of the price comes from the amount of work, not the technology. These are the things that usually move the number.

If you are not sure which of these you need, that is what the free first call is for. We will tell you honestly what is worth paying for now and what can wait.

What are the yearly running costs?

The build is a one-time cost, but every website has a few small costs that repeat. Ask about these before you sign, because some quotes leave them out.

• Your domain name. The yearly fee for your web address, such as yourbusiness.ca. It should be registered in your name.
• Hosting. Where the site lives online. For a small business site this is usually a modest monthly or yearly amount.
• Business email. An address at your own domain looks more trustworthy than a free email account.
• Tools you add. Booking systems, online stores and payment providers often have their own monthly fees or a small charge per payment.
• Changes and support. Some owners make small edits themselves. Others prefer a monthly plan or pay for changes as they come up.

A good studio will list all of these in writing, so you know the real cost of owning the site for a year, not just the cost of launching it.

Is a cheap website worth it?

Sometimes. If you only need a page with your phone number and hours, a simple do-it-yourself builder can be enough to start. The risk with very cheap websites is usually not how they look. It is what is missing underneath.

The common problems we see with sites that cost too little:

• They are slow on phones, so visitors leave before the page loads.
• Every page has the same title, so Google cannot tell what each one is about.
• The contact form sends messages to an inbox nobody checks.
• The owner does not control the domain or the site, so moving later is hard.

A website is worth paying for when it brings in more work than it costs. For many local businesses, a handful of extra customers covers the price of a well-built site. If yours will not do that, a cheaper option may be the right call, and we will say so.

How do you compare website quotes fairly?

Two quotes for the same project can look very different. To compare them properly, ask every designer or studio the same questions.

1. Is the price fixed? Hourly billing can grow without warning. A fixed price with a written scope protects you.
2. What exactly is included? Ask for the number of pages, whether writing is included and how many rounds of changes you get.
3. Who owns the site and the domain? You should own both, with logins in your name.
4. What will it cost each year? Hosting, email, tools and support should all be listed.
5. How will it help me get found? Ask how they handle page titles, local pages and site speed.
6. Where do enquiries go? Make sure every message reaches your phone or inbox.
7. Can I see past work on my phone? Open their recent sites on your own phone and try to contact the business.

We cover these checks in more detail in hiring a web designer in Vancouver or Surrey.

How long does it take, and when do you pay?

Most of the small business websites we build are live in under a week, as long as your words, photos and feedback arrive on time. When they are slow to come together, the project waits, which we explain in how long a small business website takes.

You will know the full price before anything starts. We agree the scope in writing first, and if you later want to add something, we agree the new price before doing the work.

How to get a price for your website

The quickest way to get a real number is a free 30-minute call. You tell us about your business, your customers and what the site needs to do. We tell you what we would build, what we would leave out and what it would cost. Afterwards you get a written plan with a fixed price, and it is yours to keep whether you go ahead or not.

Book a free call and you will hear back within one working day.