What this actually costs, and why.
A one time build to own outright, then an optional retainer built service by service, not a marketing range, real numbers, with every discount rule shown up front.
- The build
- One time, from $650, paid in two parts: a deposit to start and the balance on completion.
- The retainer
- Optional, built service by service, from $500 a month.
- Discounts
- Two services take 10 percent off, three take 20 percent, and all four are a flat $2,500 a month.
- Lock in
- None. Change or stop any month, and the site is yours either way.
Website build, from $650
The place a customer lands, decides you are the one, and gets in touch. Yours outright from day one, paid in two parts: deposit to start, balance on completion.
Bespoke, custom coded, yours outright. No stock template, no ongoing subscription required to keep it live. Designed and written around how your customers actually find you, judge you and get in touch, and fast on the phones most of them use.
What's actually included
- Bespoke design architecture, not a stock template
- Fast on phones, where most of your customers will see it
- Every page built to lead a visitor to call, book or buy, the way your business actually works
- Full ownership of the finished site, no ongoing subscription required to keep it live
What's not included at this price
- Ongoing SEO, social media, ad management and content updates. That's the retainer below, and it's optional.
- A larger scope, such as e-commerce, bookings with payment processing or multi location setups. These are quoted individually on the call, since "from $650" is the honest starting point for a standard single location build.
The reasoning behind the number is in what a small business website should actually cost.
Build your retainer, service by service.
No fixed tiers to squeeze into, pick exactly what your business needs. Run more together and the rate drops, because more of it compounds.
2 services: 10% off. 3 services: 20% off. All four: a flat $2,500/mo bundle.
20% off your first six months.
I am building my client base, and the most useful thing an early client can give me is proof. Take any monthly plan and the first six months are 20% off. Six months is about how long SEO takes to start showing, so you pay the lower rate while it builds. In return, I ask for a short testimonial, a Google review and permission to share your results once there is something real to show.
It replaces the multi-service discount for those six months, so you always get whichever saves you more. Still no lock in. Ask about it when you enquire.
Ask About It →Website Build = the revenue vehicle. Growth Retainer = the fuel and the co-pilot ensuring every mile yields a return.
What the retainer actually looks like over a year.
Not a subscription fee, an appreciating asset. Here's the illustrative shape of how it compounds, not a guarantee, a realistic pattern.
- Months 1 to 3
Getting found
The basics get fixed so Google can properly see you, the first ads go live, and your first pages start showing up when people nearby search for what you do.
- SEO: anything stopping Google listing you fixed, the site made fast on phones, your local business details added
- Ads: first messages and audiences tested
- Content: first pages published for what local customers actually search
- Months 4 to 8
Gaining ground
Your pages start climbing in search, the ads get sharper as we learn what makes people get in touch, and new reviews keep building trust.
- SEO: earlier pages start ranking, newer pages build on them
- Ads: what does not work is cut, budget moves to what brings enquiries
- Content: recent work and fresh reviews keep the site looking busy and current
- Months 9 to 12
The local name
You become a name people in your area find, trust and recommend, with enquiries coming in steadily while you get on with the work.
- SEO: holding your position against competitors, while the gap over a site left alone keeps growing
- Ads: mostly fine tuning and keeping what works running
- Content: a steady flow of fresh proof keeps trust and rankings up
Illustrative picture of how it builds over time, actual velocity depends on your market and starting position, mapped out on the strategy call.
Straight answers.
Not seeing yours? Ask me directly, I reply myself.
hello@alastairbanwell.comSee exactly how the work happens →Do I have to sign up for the monthly retainer?
No. The website build stands entirely on its own as a high converting asset you own outright. The retainer is an optional lever for businesses that want ongoing marketing execution to compound their returns after launch.
Can I change which services I'm running month to month?
Yes. There's no long lock in contract forcing you into a fixed combination, if your priorities shift, the services and the price adjust with them, discussed directly, not buried in fine print.
How do I know this investment will pay for itself?
I don't use fabricated ROI calculators or fake guarantees. On the strategy call, I look at your current customer value, local search volume, and margins to determine realistically what it will take for your site and marketing to cover their own costs and generate a clear return.
What happens after the site launches if I don't take the retainer?
You own it outright. If you want to keep growing from there, that's what the retainer covers, otherwise the site is yours to run as is, no strings attached.
"I build the foundation. I run the engine. You own the returns."
Let's talk about what your business actually needs.
No pressure, no corporate pitch. Book a short call, or email me directly if that's easier.
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