A website is not just a digital leaflet. For a local trade, it has one job: give a person enough confidence to call, message or ask for a quote. The cheapest route is not automatically poor value, and the most expensive one is not automatically necessary.
The four usual ways to get online
These are broad UK market ranges, not fixed quotes. Scope, design quality, content, SEO and support make the biggest difference.
Usually a monthly subscription. You create the site, write the copy, add photos and keep it updated.
A one-off project is common. Hosting, updates and future changes may be separate.
Often more process and more scope. It can be right for a larger operation, but not every sole trader needs it.
A bespoke build, then simple rolling care so the site stays live, secure and current.
DIY makes sense if you enjoy building things online and have the time to maintain them. A freelancer or small studio makes sense when you need a proper site but do not need a big agency process. An agency can be appropriate when the business has multiple locations, a complex service offering or a larger marketing operation.
What Sitework costs, line by line
We keep the price intentionally simple. You see free mockups of your own business first. If you want to proceed, the build is £600. The care plan only begins once the site is live.
Real design directions based on your trade and patch. No payment details and no obligation to proceed.
£300 to start, then £300 once you approve the final design before launch.
Rolling monthly care from launch. Hosting, domain renewal, SSL, security, backups and unlimited small edits.
The £20 monthly fee is not a lead charge. It stays the same whether the site brings one enquiry or fifty. The payment covers the practical work that stops a site becoming slow, insecure or quietly out of date.
What a good trade site needs
You do not need ten pages of vague agency copy. You need a site that answers the questions a customer has in the first minute:
- What do you do and where do you work? Clear services and locations, written for real customers.
- Can I trust you? Reviews, real job photos, qualifications and the right contact details.
- How do I get in touch? Phone, WhatsApp or an enquiry form that works properly on a mobile.
- Will Google understand the page? Fast, well-structured pages with sound local SEO foundations.
- Can it stay current? A straightforward way to add new photos, reviews, services and number changes.
A tightly focused site that nails these is usually better value than a bigger site full of pages no customer will read.
The ongoing costs people forget
A live website has recurring basics: a domain name, hosting, security updates, backups and the occasional content change. Some providers roll these into a support plan. Others charge separately, or leave you to do them. Neither approach is automatically wrong, but it should be clear before you start.
With Sitework, the £20/month plan includes domain renewal, hosting, SSL, routine security, backups and unlimited small text and photo edits. Bigger changes, such as a new set of service pages or a redesign, are quoted before work starts. You can read the exact service terms on our terms page.
Do you still need Checkatrade or another directory?
They can be useful, especially when you are building early proof. But a directory is not the same thing as owning your own website. Your site gives customers one place to check your work, reviews, service area and contact details without showing them a row of competing profiles next to yours.
For many trades, the sensible approach is both: use the channels that bring work today, but make your website the place you control and can build on. It should rank for your business name, support your Google Business Profile and give every referral somewhere credible to land.
So what should you pay?
If you are happy to build and maintain your own site, a DIY builder can be the cheapest route. If you want someone to handle the work without paying agency-level prices, a clear one-off build price plus a modest rolling care plan is easier to judge.
Sitework is £600 to build, split £300 to start and £300 on final approval, then £20/month for the ongoing care. Start with free mockups, and decide after you have seen the direction.
Tradesman website cost, answered
Is £600 a one-off payment?
Yes. The build is £600, normally split into £300 to start and £300 after you approve the final design before launch. The £20 monthly care plan starts only when the site goes live.
What is included in the £20 monthly fee?
Hosting, domain renewal, SSL, routine security, backups and unlimited small text and photo edits. It is rolling, so there is no long monthly contract.
Can I cancel the monthly website fee?
Yes. Tell us in writing and it ends at the close of the paid monthly period. If you want to move your site, ask for a handover before that period ends and we will work through the sensible next step with you.
Are the mockups genuinely free?
Yes. They are there to show you what your own business could look like. You do not enter a build agreement unless you choose to go ahead after seeing the direction.
Get free mockups of your trade business.
Tell us the basics. We will create a direction around your trade and area, then you can decide whether it is right for you.