New

FlowConsent, our own cookie banner, is live.

BeBranded
Book a call

Creating or redesigning a website: the complete guide.

Twelve chapters to run a website project from the first brief to the redesign: scope, budget, platform, provider, launch and maintenance.

The essentials · 30-second read

A good website project is a series of decisions taken in the right order. This guide gives them in twelve chapters.

  • Write the brief before asking for quotes: goals, audiences, pages, features and constraints (chapters 1 and 2).
  • Set the budget from the scope, and compare quotes on what they include, not on the page count (chapters 3 and 5).
  • Choose the platform for the team that will run the site: Webflow, Framer, WordPress, Shopify or a custom stack each fit different needs (chapters 4, 7 and 8).
  • Launch with a checklist and plan maintenance from day one (chapters 9 and 10).
  • A redesign starts with an audit and a redirect plan, so you keep the traffic you already have (chapters 11 and 12).

Summarize this guide with AI

ChatGPTPerplexityClaudeGeminiGrok

A website project rarely fails on design. It fails earlier, on a vague brief, a budget set before the scope or a platform chosen out of habit, or later, on a launch without checks and a site nobody maintains.

This guide follows a project in the order decisions come up: clarify the need and write the brief, set a budget, choose the platform and the provider, build, launch, maintain and, a few years on, redesign. Each chapter links to the article that covers the step in detail.

01

The 12 chapters

Chapter 1

I need a website: the right first step

How to clarify the need, the scope and the first decision before you talk to anyone.

Read

Chapter 2

Write a website requirements document

Goals, features, design, SEO, budget and legal constraints in one brief that providers can quote on.

Read

Chapter 3

How much does a website cost in 2026?

Price ranges by type of site, what drives a quote and how to compare offers.

Read

Chapter 4

The best CMS for your website

Webflow, WordPress, headless and other options compared by features, cost and use case.

Read

Chapter 5

Compare web development services

A framework to judge scope, pricing, SEO, timelines and fit before you commit budget.

Read

Chapter 6

Brochure website: the complete guide

Essential pages, budget, platform choice and mistakes to avoid for a showcase site.

Read

Chapter 7

E-commerce: Webflow, Shopify or WooCommerce

What Webflow E-commerce does well, where it stops and when Shopify or a hybrid setup fits better.

Read

Chapter 8

Framer sites for startups

When Framer is the right platform for a fast marketing site, and when to choose another one.

Read

Chapter 9

The checklist before you launch

Strategy, content, SEO, tracking, QA and maintenance to verify before going live.

Read

Chapter 10

Website maintenance: the complete guide

Types of maintenance, how often to do it and a checklist to keep the site performing.

Read

Chapter 11

Website redesign: the complete guide

The steps, the budget and the mistakes to avoid when you rebuild an existing site.

Read

Chapter 12

Website redesign cost in 2026

Price ranges, real scenarios and a method to compare redesign quotes.

Read

02

Where to start

If you are starting from zero, read chapters 1 and 2 before anything else: a clear brief makes every later decision faster, from the quote to the launch. If your site already exists and no longer does the job, go to chapter 11.

If you want a partner for the whole project, we start with a scoping phase, then design and build the site on the platform that fits: a custom stack, Webflow or Framer.

Sources

  1. 1. Google Search Central: SEO starter guide · developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide
  2. 2. Google Search Central: creating helpful, reliable, people-first content · developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/creating-helpful-content
  3. 3. Google Search Central: site moves with URL changes · developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/site-move-with-url-changes
  4. 4. web.dev: Learn Responsive Design · web.dev/learn/design
  5. 5. W3C: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) overview · w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/

FAQ

Questions about Website.

Another question?

Write to us
How long does it take to create a website?
It depends on the scope more than on the platform: the number of page templates, the content to write, the integrations and the number of people who approve. Delays often come from late content and slow approvals rather than from development. A written brief, a content plan and one decision-maker per topic save more time than any tool.
How much should I budget for a website?
No serious figure can be given without a scope: a five-page brochure site and a multilingual site with a CMS, integrations and a member area are different projects. Chapter 3 gives price ranges by type of site and explains what drives a quote. Set your budget after the brief, and keep a share for content, maintenance and improvements after launch.
Which platform should I choose?
The one your team can run without calling a developer for every change, and that covers the features you need. Webflow suits marketing sites with a CMS, Framer fast startup sites, Shopify serious e-commerce, and a custom stack (for example Next.js with a headless CMS) projects with app features or specific integrations. Chapter 4 compares the options.
Should I hire a freelancer or an agency?
A freelancer can be the right choice for a well-defined site that needs one main skill. An agency makes sense when the project needs several skills at once, such as strategy, design, development, SEO and integrations, or ongoing support. In both cases, judge the proposal on its scope, its deliverables and who owns the site at the end, not on the page count.
What should be checked before launch?
At least: redirects from the old URLs, metadata and indexing settings, a sitemap, analytics and conversion tracking, forms tested end to end, a mobile and accessibility check, and access handed over to your team. Chapter 9 gives the full checklist. Plan time for the first weeks after launch too: that is when small issues surface.
When is a redesign better than gradual improvements?
When the problem is the foundation: a platform your team cannot update, a structure that no longer matches your offer, or a design that breaks with each new page. If the issues are content, speed or conversion on a few pages, targeted improvements cost less. Chapter 11 helps you decide, and chapter 12 covers the budget.

Let’s talk

Tell us what you want to build.

Thirty minutes with the people who will work on your project. You leave with a clear view of the scope, the timeline and the next steps.
Book a callSee our work

What happens next

  1. 1A 30-minute callWe listen to your goals, your constraints and your context.
  2. 2A clear scopeWe map what is worth doing first, and what it takes.
  3. 3A costed proposalYou decide, with no commitment and no sales pitch.