Sell WebsiteAbout UsSell Your WebsitesBuy AdvertsiingContact


Should You Build Your Own Website or Hire a Designer?

As we move further into a global economy, more and more people are realizing that they’ve got to have a web presence. Whether they want to build a business, share personal interests, or take part in global activism, web design newbies face the common question of whether to build the site on their own or seek out professional help. As you might expect, there are several factors to consider before making this decision.

Cost of hiring a web designer

Depending on the size and complexity of the site you want to create, hiring a web designer or team can cost anywhere from $30 to thousands of dollars. More reputable companies will command higher prices in exchange for the guarantee that the work they do will meet your needs. On the other hand, when you create your own website, your only expense may be the actual cost of purchasing web hosting that will give you access to the web design tools you’ll need.

Timing considerations

If you don’t know HTML – and don’t learn new computer programs easily – it can take you days and even weeks to learn to create the perfect website. If you’re a busy business person – the time it’ll take you to build the site may be better spent on activities directly related to your business. However, if you hire someone to build your site, you’ll likely cut this time in half. If the site you want is fairly simple, a professional designer may even be able to have your site up and running within 24 hours.

Uploading and installation

Once the website is completed, you’ll face a whole other set of hurdles in actually getting the site to run properly online. Typically, issues can range from broken links to scripts that are not compatible with your web host’s operating system. If you build your own website, you’ll have to try and sort out these problems out on your own. If you hire someone to build the site, ask if they’ll also include installation and a final check to make sure that each aspect of the site works properly.

Future changes to the site

If you can create your own site, you’ll be able to modify it whenever you want – which is important, since you’ll want to update your site with new information frequently. Unfortunately, if you hire someone to build and install the site, you’ll have to depend on them to make even the most minor changes for you. If your web designer becomes unavailable, or decides to raise their prices, you may have some difficulty getting these changes made.

As you consider whether or not to hire someone to build your website, it’s important to think about future needs as well as current ones. In addition to cost, you’ll need to take into account your ability to learn how to create a website and the skills to maintain it. If you’re anxious to get up and running, you may find that hiring out the project makes more sense for you. On the other hand, if you’re looking to put up a personal page about your life, you may find that you enjoy the process of learning to build your own website.