There are 3 main options to consider when building a website from scratch, including:

1. Free website builders
2. Bringing in a designer to amend a template
3. Bespoke website design

Discover more about these three options and the advantages and disadvantages of each choice in this article.You might have a website, but either now or in the future it’s going to need a new lick of paint. Or it might be that your business is wanting to rebrand and you need a website to suit its new look. Or the management are in agreement that a new website is important for the continued growth of the company and you are looking to invest. Regardless of your motive, you’ll want to know what your options are when it comes to a new website design.

How to build a website for free

Free website builders

Free website builders are easy to use platforms that have been created so that people who can’t code can create a website fairly painlessly. If you’ve Googled ‘how to build your own website’, names like WordPress, Wix and SquareSpace have probably been presented to you as the answer to your problem.

Free website builder advantages

• Affordable: Out of all the ways you could build a new website, this is your cheapest option. The technology is improving constantly meaning that these platforms do offer the very best solution at a no budget, entry level position. It also means that you don’t need to be able to code in order to build a site.
• Accessible: Before website builders, to get a brand spanking new website you had two options. Become a website developer, or pay for one. Today, website builders provide a viable third option.
• Quick: Website builders are relatively easy to use and you can have a functioning website set up within a day if you so please. All you have to do is pick a pre existing template, then embellish it by dragging and dropping images, content and forms onto a page. Hence the name ‘drag and drop website builders’. These platforms are genuinely fantastic resources for people who want to create a new website with little hassle and on a limited budget.

Free website builder disadvantages

• Lack of customisable website design.
• Templated website could mean a difficulty in differentiating from competitors.
• Can create SEO issues, as coding is not accessible.

How to create a website from scratch by bringing in a designer (to amend a template)

Right. You’ve found a template on a free (or nearly free) website builder which you like. You’ve accepted the fact that you’re likely to muck it up if you try to do it yourself. So the next logical step is to get someone that knows what they’re doing to help you out.

Advantages of amending a template

• Cost: This option is going to cost you more, but not as much as a new, specially designed website. Not even halfway.

This might seem like the ideal middle ground option. You’ve managed to get round the issue of not choosing to study website design yourself without having to fork out a fortune for a website designed from scratch. However, there are some disadvantages to this approach.

Disadvantages of amending a template

• Restrictions: Firstly, these templates and website builders are not the free roaming, liberal platforms that they pretend to be. In order for them to deliver this drag and drop capability, they need to have restrictions. You’ll find that you are confined to specific grids and shapes, as opposed to it being like an online collage that you can design how you like. So you can forget being able to make any meaningful alterations to the template regardless of how good your new designer is. Turns out, free website design isn’t that liberating.
• Experience: Secondly, by choosing this method you may be employing a designer (or developer) that works on templates.  What’s the problem with that, you may ask. Well, the problem is this. Regardless of ability, a template designer is restricted by the template itself whereas a bespoke site is, well, bespoke. People say that a bad workman blames his tools, but it’s rather hard to create something awesome with half your your tools and one hand tied behind your back. You also have to weigh up whether a template designer has the breadth of experience as an agency side designer – again this may well be as a direct result of template restrictions.

The result is an improved website, but one that can remain relatively basic.

How to create a website using a bespoke web design agency

Advantages of using a bespoke web design agency:

Bespoke website design is unsurprisingly the route that is likely to deliver the best result, but we’re biased on that front.

• Genuine results: It is usually the best option for those looking for genuine results, particularly if you are the owner of a business and are wanting a professional presence online.
• Design: By hiring a web designer, you can get an engaging, eye-catching website that goes above and beyond what can be achieved from the free website builders.

Disadvantages of using a bespoke web design agency:

• Cost: Bespoke websites do cost more. But what you’re paying for is the creative power of a website designer and their precious time to build it. You get a specialist that will assess your needs and objectives, analyse any analytics data and create a site that works towards a specific requirement.
• Time: Bespoke websites take substantially more time to create.

How long does it take to build a website?

Building a bespoke website usually takes between 12-16 weeks depending on your requirements. Smaller templated or hybrid sites can take 4-6 weeks.

Finding the right web design team

The good news is there are fantastic agencies out there who will work with you to develop a website that you can be proud of. We might even know of one.A professionally-designed website can be an online home for your business, with a room and furniture for every one of your needs. It can be the point of contact between you and your audience, and a selling point when talking with prospects to convert them into customers.The easiest way to see if an agency is a good bet is to see who their clients are and what their respective websites look like. Check out client reviews on the service they’ve received from an agency.

It all comes down to cost and time

Depending on your budget, your time frame, and how unique and individual you want your website to be, you can have a website that fits all, or at least some of your needs. You pay for what you get with website design. If you opt for the free or cheaper website builders, then your website isn’t going to look that impressive, but it’ll work. It’ll probably fit the bill just about if you have a smaller budget and cannot afford to hire a web designer. If you invest in a professionally designed website, then you’re going to have to be willing to do your research beforehand, pay a lot more than you would for a website builder, and be patient while the design wizards do their magic. It may sound a lot, but the end result will a website that you can call your own, with no compromise on design. The choice is yours.If you’d like to learn more about our bespoke web design services, contact us.Find out more about building a website in our guides to building a website for small businesses, step-by-step guide to creating a website for business in 2025 and web design principles.