Like most things in life, you get what you pay for. 

A larger website with multiple pages and more features than you can shake a stick at is going to cost more than a smaller, more basic site with just a couple of pages to build. 

Always be sure to check how you're going to pay. Some web designers may charge you a one-off fee and bill per project, whilst others may be a monthly subscription like a phone contract. 

You may get free technical support with one, while others may charge for this service. 

You might have your eye on a particular web designer, you've even had a great first chat with them, and everything seems spot on. 

Have you taken these into account though? 

Have they built websites for your industry before? 
It's all well and good for them to show you a bunch of eCommerce sites they've built before that are super successful, but if you're a local plumber, what good is that to you? 

If they have experience in your field and understand your needs and pain points, then you're onto a winner. 

What do their reviews say? 
Don't just check what people are saying about how their sites are performing; always remember to check if anyone is mentioning how difficult it is to get hold of them when things go wrong. 

If this in particular keeps popping up, then maybe look elsewhere. You don't want your site to go down, and then have to spend ages trying to get hold of someone to fix it. 

Are there additional costs? 
Your initial quote might seem like a bargain, but are there any hidden costs or additional fees you might need to pay? 

There may be a monthly fee for services like technical support and domain hosting that are not included in the upfront costs. 

A content management system is essentially the key to your website. It allows you to create, edit, and publish content on your site. 

If you do not have access to your CMS as part of your web design package, then you might want to look for another provider as you will be relying on other people to make changes to your site.