I’ve seen it time and again—a stunning website brings in leads like magic, while a clunky one sends potential customers running for the hills.
After 14 years building websites for businesses across London and United Kingdom, I’ve watched companies throw good money after bad on development partners who promised the world but delivered headaches.
Your website isn’t just digital window dressing. It’s often the first handshake between you and potential customers.
Get it right, and you’re laughing all the way to the bank. Get it wrong… well, let’s just say I’ve had clients come to us after spending £20K+ with agencies that left them with unusable digital messes.
So let’s cut through the waffle and talk about finding a web development partner who won’t waste your time or money.
Evaluate Your Current Strategy in 10 Minutes
In just 10 minutes, you’ll have a clear understanding of your
current marketing strategy’s strengths and areas for
improvement.
Know What You Actually Need (Not What You Think You Need)
Here’s the thing—most business owners come to us thinking they need a prettier website.
But digging deeper, we usually discover what they really need is something that generates leads or streamlines operations.
Last month, a solicitor from Manchester called me convinced she needed a complete rebuild. After a 20-minute chat, we figured out her existing site just needed conversion-focused landing pages and some backend tweaks. Saved her about £7K and weeks of hassle.
Before you ring a single developer, get Krystal clear on:
What business problem are you actually solving? More leads? Better qualified prospects? Fewer support calls? Online sales?
What’s your actual budget? And don’t give me that “it depends” nonsense. You know roughly what you can spend. Be honest with yourself.
How soon do you genuinely need this done? Not “yesterday” or “ASAP”—give me real dates that account for your approval time too.
I once had a client who insisted they needed their site “by the end of the month” for a trade show. After some pressing, turns out the show was 9 months away! Rushing costs money, so be straight about timelines.
Portfolio Checking: Go Beyond the Pretty Pictures
Any half-decent web agency will have a gorgeous portfolio. That tells you precisely nothing about whether they can deliver results.
When reviewing portfolios, dig deeper:
“Can I speak directly with this client about their experience working with you?”
“What specific business problems did this project solve, and how did you measure success?”
“How did this project change after the initial brief, and how did you handle those changes?”
The answers reveal far more than beautiful screenshots ever will.
I remember when a clothing retailer came to us after being burned by a previous developer. “Their portfolio was stunning,” she told me. “But they couldn’t handle our inventory system, and we lost a month of sales during the transition.”
Look for partners who show measurable results like “increased conversion rates by 32%” rather than vague claims about “improved user experience.”
The Communication Test (Most Fail This)
Poor communication kills projects dead. Full stop.
Pay close attention to how potential partners communicate before you’ve even signed a contract:
- How quickly do they respond to emails? (During business hours, anything over 24 hours is a red flag)
- Do they explain technical concepts without making you feel thick?
- Are they asking questions about your business goals or just talking about design trends?
One trick I use when evaluating suppliers for my own business: I deliberately ask a slightly confusing question in an email.
The good ones will pick up the phone to clarify rather than making assumptions. The mediocre ones will give a vague answer. The terrible ones will ignore the confusion entirely.
A client once told me about her previous developer: “He’d disappear for weeks, then send updates at 2am demanding immediate feedback. Drove me absolutely bonkers.”
Don’t ignore these early warning signs. They only get worse once you’re paying them.
Support After Launch (This Bit Gets Overlooked)
Your website is never “done.” Technology changes, browsers update, plugins need security patches, and business requirements evolve.
Before signing any contract, nail down:
Who handles technical maintenance? Don’t assume it’s included—many agencies consider this a separate service.
What’s the process when something breaks? Is there an emergency contact? Response time guarantees?
How are updates and changes billed? Hourly rates? Monthly retainer? Pre-purchased time blocks?
We took over a site for a coaching website that had been paying their previous developer £150/hour for “maintenance” with no clear deliverables. Turned out they were being charged this rate even for 5-minute text updates. Proper robbery!
Good partners will offer structured maintenance packages with clear scope and costs. Great ones will train your team to handle simple content updates yourselves.
The Money Bit (Be Suspicious of Bargains)
Web development pricing is all over the shop. You can get a site for £500 or £50,000.
When comparing quotes, remember:
- The cheapest option almost always costs more in the long run
- The most expensive doesn’t guarantee the best results
One telltale sign of trouble: vague proposals with single-line items like “Website Development: £10,000.”
Proper quotes break down specific deliverables: wireframing, design concepts, development, content migration, testing, training, etc.
We recently had a client come to us after putting a £2,000 deposit down with another agency. Their quote was half our price, but six months later, they had nothing to show for it. The bargain wasn’t such a bargain after all.
Ask potential partners these uncomfortable questions:
- “What happens if we go over budget?”
- “What’s not included in this price that I might need later?”
- “What additional costs should I expect in the first year?”
Trust Your Gut (It's Usually Right)
After all the portfolio reviews and reference checks, don’t ignore your instincts.
If something feels off during initial meetings—dismissive attitudes, missed appointments, unanswered questions—it rarely improves once work begins.
I’ve kicked off projects with partners who looked perfect on paper but gave me a nagging feeling something wasn’t right. Sure enough, those projects always went pear-shaped.
As one client brilliantly put it: “I ignored the red flags because their proposal was so impressive. Biggest mistake I made all year.”
How We Can Help
At Krystal Designs, we’ve spent 14 years helping businesses create websites that actually work for them—not just look pretty in a portfolio.
We’re straight-talking (sometimes too much so) and focused on measurable results. Our clients stick with us for years because we’re transparent about costs, realistic about timelines, and obsessive about communication.
Whether you need a complete website overhaul or strategic improvements to your existing site or even looking for a web developers in London , we start by understanding your business challenges rather than pushing the latest design trends.
Give us a ring on 0115 647 4221 for a no-nonsense chat about your website needs—we promise not to blind you with techno-babble or sales pitches.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
For a professional small business website with custom design and basic functionality, budget £5,000-£10,000. E-commerce sites typically start around £10,000 and can reach £30,000+ depending on complexity. Beware of quotes under £3,000 for custom work—these often lead to disappointment or hidden costs.
From signing contracts to launch, expect 8-12 weeks for most projects. Anyone promising a custom site in under 4 weeks is likely cutting corners or doesn’t understand the proper process. Complex e-commerce sites can take 4-6 months to get right.
Not necessarily, but it has advantages. We’ve found that local clients benefit from face-to-face meetings at critical project stages. That said, we successfully work with clients across the UK using video calls and collaborative tools. The most important factor is communication style, not physical location.
Designers focus on how sites look and feel, while developers build the technical functionality. Most businesses need both skills. Small agencies may have individuals who do both, while larger agencies have specialists. What matters is that both design and technical aspects receive proper attention.
We offer managed hosting with daily backups and security monitoring from £35/month. Our maintenance packages start at £150/month and include regular updates, technical support, and monthly performance reports. Unlike many agencies, we also offer training so your team can handle basic content updates independently.
We primarily build on WordPress (powering about 40% of all websites globally) because it balances flexibility with ease of use. For e-commerce, we typically recommend WooCommerce or Shopify depending on specific needs. We avoid proprietary platforms that lock you into a single provider.
Book you ‘More Clients Through Your Website’ call where we evaluate your site’s technical performance, user experience, and conversion optimisation.
We’ll provide an honest assessment of whether targeted improvements or a rebuild would be more cost-effective.
