Two quotes for a five-page website can cover very different amounts of work. One may include help organising the content and setting up an enquiry form. Another may depend on you supplying finished text, images and every detail of the page structure.
If you are comparing web design companies in Falkirk, ask each one to price the same brief. That makes differences in scope easier to spot before you commit. I’m Owen, the designer and developer behind Vertygo in Falkirk. Here is how I would compare the proposals.
Start with the job the website needs to do
Write down the action you want a customer to take and the information they need first. For a local service business, that might be checking whether you cover their area, looking at relevant work and requesting a quote. An online shop has a different job: helping someone choose a product, pay and understand what happens next.
A useful example brief might read: “I need customers to understand my two main services, see recent work and send a quote request with photos. I cover Falkirk and the nearby areas listed in my brief. I need to update the gallery myself.”
That is an illustrative brief, not a description of a particular client. It gives a designer concrete work to estimate. My web design service for Falkirk businesses starts with this kind of discussion.
Check what the page count actually covers
Ask for the proposed page list, along with the features on each page. “Five pages” does not explain whether the quote includes a gallery, separate service information, a blog or an enquiry form that accepts uploads.
For each important feature, agree what happens after the visitor uses it. An enquiry form needs a destination for the message and a clear confirmation. A booking request should make it clear whether the appointment is confirmed or still needs approval.
If the project involves payments, stock or order management, compare the scope against an ecommerce website. Those requirements need more detail than a standard contact form.
Find out who prepares the content
Check who writes the first draft, who supplies photographs and how many review rounds are included. Ask whether existing text will be moved unchanged or reviewed as part of the work.
Before sending your brief, gather:
- Your services and actual coverage area.
- The questions customers ask before buying.
- Photographs you have permission to use.
- Existing pages that must stay available.
- The person who will approve the content.
The website content checklist gives you a starting point. If content preparation is your responsibility, allow time for it in the project schedule.
Compare live work as well as screenshots
Open relevant examples on your phone. Can you find the service details, read the text and reach the contact route? Ask the designer which parts they built and whether the example is a client project, a demo or their own business.
For example, my BM Man & Van case study documents service pages, an enquiry form, gallery management and a custom administration area. Those details help you compare the work with your own requirements. A similar-looking homepage alone cannot tell you what happens behind the scenes.
Separate the build price from running costs
Ask for the one-off price and the recurring costs in writing. Check domain renewal, hosting, SSL, business email, software subscriptions and optional support. Confirm which costs are included, which are separate and whether VAT is included where applicable.
At the time of writing, Vertygo’s Falkirk page lists a one-page website from £299, Business with up to five main pages at £750, and Professional with up to ten at £1,500. Domain registration, hosting, SSL and business email are separate. These are Vertygo’s advertised package prices, not an average for Falkirk. Check the current website pricing and agree your exact scope.
For any monthly proposal, ask about the minimum term, cancellation, ownership and what remains payable after the initial build. “Pay as you go web design” is a label; the written arrangement needs to explain what you receive.
Agree the handover and support arrangements
Confirm who controls the domain, what access you receive, what you can edit and how the site could be moved later. Ask the designer to demonstrate a routine update, such as changing a service description or adding a photograph.
Also separate corrections to the agreed work from future additions. Vertygo offers hosting and website care as options with an agreed scope.
When you have the same answers from each supplier, compare the whole project: useful pages, working features, content responsibilities, access and ongoing costs. Send me your existing website or a short brief if you would like to discuss what your business needs.