Choosing a web designer in the UK should be straightforward. But somehow it has become a minefield.

Templated agencies charging five grand for a Squarespace site. Freelancers who vanish after taking your deposit. WordPress shops who build something that looks decent but loads like a dial-up modem.

This guide is the one we wish existed when we started. No agenda, just the practical stuff.

First: What Kind of Web Designer Do You Actually Need?

Not all web designers are the same. Understanding what you are paying for saves you from the wrong conversation entirely.

  • Template-based designers — they use Wix, Squarespace, or WordPress themes. Quick, cheap, looks fine. Limited customisation. Your site looks like 10,000 other sites.
  • WordPress developers — they build custom WordPress themes or use page builders like Elementor. More flexible. Needs ongoing maintenance, plugin updates, and hidden costs.
  • Custom-code developers — they write actual HTML, CSS, and JavaScript from scratch. Fastest sites, most control, no bloat. Higher upfront cost, lower ongoing costs. Here is why hand-built beats templates.
  • Agencies — teams of designers and developers. Professional process, account managers, higher prices. Great for larger projects, overkill for a five-page business site.

For most small businesses in the UK, a decent freelancer or small studio is the sweet spot. You get personal attention, fair pricing, and someone who actually cares about your project.

15 Things to Check Before You Hire

1. Look at Their Own Website

If their website is slow, ugly, or broken — what do you think yours will be like? Run their site through Google PageSpeed Insights. If it scores below 80 on mobile, walk away.

2. Check Their Portfolio Is Real

Click the links. Are those sites actually live? Do they still look good? Some designers show mockups or sites they built five years ago that the client has since rebuilt.

3. Ask Who Owns the Website

This is the big one. Some designers build on their own hosting and charge you monthly. If you stop paying, your site disappears. You should own your domain, your hosting, and all your files. Full stop.

4. Ask What Happens If They Disappear

Freelancers get ill, move country, quit the industry. If your designer disappears tomorrow, can another developer pick up where they left off? If the answer is no, that is a problem.

5. Get a Quote in Writing

Not a ballpark. Not a "roughly." A written quote with a breakdown of what is included and what is not. If they cannot give you a clear price, they do not know what they are building.

6. Ask About Ongoing Costs

Hosting, domain renewal, SSL certificate, email, maintenance, updates. Get the full picture. Some designers quote 500 quid for the build then charge 100 a month ongoing for hosting that costs them a fiver.

7. Check Their Google Reviews

Or Trustpilot, or Facebook reviews. If they have zero reviews anywhere, that is a red flag. Everyone should have at least a few by now.

8. Ask What CMS or Platform They Use

WordPress, Webflow, custom code, Wix — each has trade-offs. The key question is: can you make basic text changes yourself, or do you need to pay them every time?

9. Check Mobile Performance

Pull up their portfolio sites on your phone. If they are slow, hard to navigate, or clearly designed for desktop first — that is a problem. Over 60 percent of web traffic in the UK is mobile.

10. Ask About SEO

Not "do you do SEO" (everyone says yes). Ask specifically: will the site have proper page titles, meta descriptions, heading structure, schema markup, a sitemap, and fast loading times? If they look confused, they do not do SEO. We have a dedicated SEO service if you want to see what proper SEO looks like.

11. Ask for a Timeline

A five-page business website should take two to four weeks. If someone quotes you three months for a brochure site, they are either overloaded or overcomplicating it.

12. Ask About Revisions

How many rounds of changes are included? What counts as a revision? This avoids arguments later. Two to three rounds is standard.

13. Check They Are a Real Person or Business

Google their name. Check Companies House if they claim to be a Ltd company. Look them up on LinkedIn. A surprising number of "agencies" are one person working from their bedroom pretending to be a team. Nothing wrong with freelancers — but be honest about it.

14. Ask What Happens After Launch

Will they help you with Google Search Console setup? Will they submit your site to Google? Will they do a post-launch check? The best designers do not just build and disappear.

15. Trust Your Gut

If they are hard to get hold of before you have paid them, imagine what they will be like after. Communication matters more than almost anything else.

Red Flags to Watch For

  • "We just need your logo and we will handle everything" — means they are using a template and plugging in your brand. Fine if that is what you want. Not fine if you are paying custom prices.
  • No contract — always get a contract. Even a simple one. If they do not offer one, they are not professional.
  • "The website will be done in a week" — unless it is a one-page landing page, this is a template job. Quality work takes time.
  • They cannot explain their pricing — if they cannot tell you why it costs what it costs, they do not know what they are doing.
  • They only show Behance/Dribbble mockups — mockups are not websites. Ask for live URLs.
  • They push a 12-month contract — you should be able to leave whenever you want. Long contracts are a sign they know you will want to leave.

What a Good Web Design Quote Looks Like

A proper quote should include:

  • Number of pages
  • Whether content writing is included or you provide it
  • Mobile responsiveness (should be standard, but confirm)
  • SEO basics (titles, descriptions, sitemap)
  • Contact form setup
  • Google Analytics and Search Console setup
  • Number of revision rounds
  • Timeline from start to launch
  • Ongoing costs (hosting, maintenance, domain)
  • Who owns what at the end

If the quote does not cover most of these, ask. A good designer will not mind.

How Much Should You Pay?

For a standard five-page business website in the UK in 2026 (we have written a detailed UK pricing guide if you want the full breakdown):

  • Budget: 500 to 1,000 quid (template-based, limited customisation)
  • Mid-range: 1,000 to 3,000 quid (custom design, proper SEO, mobile-first)
  • Premium: 3,000 to 10,000 quid (agency, bespoke design, copywriting, branding)

Anything below 500 for a business site is either a template with your logo slapped on, or someone working for below minimum wage. Neither is great for you long term.

Anything above 10,000 for a brochure site means you are paying for an office in London, not a better website.

The Bottom Line

Choosing a web designer is not about finding the cheapest option or the fanciest portfolio. It is about finding someone who communicates clearly, delivers on time, and builds something you actually own.

Ask the right questions, check the red flags, get it in writing. Do that and you will be fine. If you want to see how we work, check out our portfolio or get in touch for a free quote.