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Creating a showcase site: typical planning and actual budget
How long does it take to create a professional showcase site, and what's the real budget? This guide details phase-by-phase planning, rates according to service provider profile, and the factors that cause a project to slip over schedule or over budget.
What determines the price of a showcase site
The budget for a showcase site varies by a factor of 1 to 10, depending on the perimeter. Three variables account for almost all of this variation.
| Variable | Impact on the budget | What this means in concrete terms |
|---|---|---|
| Number of pages | High | Each additional page represents design and integration. A 3-page site has nothing to do with a 12-page site. |
| Customized design | High | A custom design built in Figma from scratch takes 2 to 3 times longer than an adapted theme. The difference is immediately obvious. |
| Supplied content | Medium to high | If text and images are supplied at the brief stage, the project moves ahead without delay. If everything has to be produced, allow 30 to 50 % of extra time. |
| Special features | Variable | Advanced forms, multilingual, customer area, CRM connection. Every non-standard feature adds days of development. |
| Number of validation cycles | Underestimated | A decisive customer reduces the project by 30 %. A customer who involves 5 people after delivery of the models extends the project by the same amount. |
Typical schedule: from briefing to online launch
A project for a 5 to 8-page showcase site takes 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the responsiveness of the exchanges. Here's the standard sequence.
| Phase | Indicative duration | What's happening | Your role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Briefing and audit | 2 - 4 days | Analysis of existing site, definition of tree structure, list of pages, validated specifications. | Answer the brief questionnaire, provide references and constraints. |
| Figma models | 4 - 8 days | Complete design of all desktop and mobile pages. Validation before integration. | Validate the design within a defined timeframe. Maximum 2 return cycles included. |
| WordPress integration | 4 - 6 days | Site development, integration of supplied content, SEO configuration (Rank Math), mobile responsive. | Provide final texts and images before the start of this phase. |
| Tests and corrections | 1 - 2 days | Verification on real browsers and devices, correction of anomalies, image optimization. | Customer acceptance: report anomalies via a structured document. |
| On line | 1 day | Migration to production hosting, DNS configuration, SSL, sitemap submission to Google. | FTP or cPanel access provided. Final validation before opening to the public. |
EthiFinance website - Figma design and WordPress integration - © Altay Dagistan
What delays a web project
Most schedule overruns don't come from development. They come from the interfaces between the customer and the service provider.
| Cause | Medium impact | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Late delivery of content | +1 to 3 weeks | Prepare texts and images before launching the project. Content must be ready before the integration phase. |
| Multiple non-aligned stakeholders | +1 to 2 weeks | Designate a single customer contact with decision-making authority. Consolidated feedback avoids contradictory exchanges. |
| Change of scope in progress | +1 to 4 weeks | Validate the tree structure and functionalities in the brief. Any new page or functionality added subsequently is subject to an amendment. |
| Validation of models without deadline | +1 week | Set a deadline for feedback on mock-ups right from the start of the project. Without a deadline, the design phase can drag on indefinitely. |
| Late check-in | +2 to 5 days | Prepare FTP, cPanel or webhosting access right from the start of the project. You can't go online without them. |
Estimate your site's budget
Check the items that correspond to your project to obtain an indicative estimate.
Indicative prices excl. Excluding hosting, domain name and printing.
ACG CyberAcademy website - Custom WordPress redesign - © Altay Dagistan
What's included in a standard project
A turnkey website always includes the following elements, at no extra charge.
| Deliverable | Detail |
|---|---|
| Complete Figma model | Source file transmitted on delivery. Desktop and mobile, all pages. |
| Responsive mobile and tablet | Conceived at the design stage, not adapted after the fact. Every breakpoint is addressed. |
| On-page SEO configured | Rank Math installed, H1/H2 structured, meta descriptions written, sitemap submitted to Google Search Console. |
| Contact form | Functional form with e-mail notification. Anti-spam protection. |
| Legal notice and privacy policy | Pages created with the mandatory information required by French regulations. |
| Upload to your hosting | Deployment, SSL configuration, verification of correct loading on the main browsers. |
| Getting started | Introducing the WordPress interface so you can edit text and images on your own. |
What's not included by default
To avoid surprises during the course of a project, here's what's not included in the standard scope of work and can be invoiced as an option or on a contract basis.
| Out of scope | Option or Régie? | Order of magnitude |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting and domain name | Your direct costs | 5 to 20 € / month depending on provider |
| Copywriting | Billed option | 600 per page written |
| Professional photography | External service provider | 500 to €1,500 depending on photographer |
| Maintenance and updates | Monthly flat-rate or agency fee | 80 to 200 € / month |
| E-commerce (WooCommerce) | Separate project | On quotation, different scope |
| Additional round trips | Stage management after 2nd cycle | 400 € / day |
Website for professional event organizers - © Altay Dagistan
Frequently asked questions about budget and planning
With a generic, non-customized theme and fully supplied content, yes. The reality of professional sites that convert is different: tailor-made design, configured SEO, meticulous responsive. Below €1,500 ex VAT with a freelancer, the scope is very limited. A lower budget generally leads to a site that looks like thousands of others.
No overheads, no sales force, no intermediate project manager. You work directly with the person who designs and integrates your site. The average daily rate is often the same, but the number of days billed is lower because there's no internal coordination to absorb.
Content modifications (text, images) are your responsibility via WordPress. Changes to design or structure after delivery are subject to an additional quote. That's why the mock-up validation phase is critical: it's the time to decide.
Yes, the typical schedule includes 3 to 5 working days of validation time for each phase. The faster your feedback arrives, the faster the project moves forward. The actual lead time depends almost entirely on the responsiveness of the exchanges.
No. A brief questionnaire is all you need to get started. It covers the business, targets, visual references, desired tree structure and technical constraints. The brief is produced with you during the first phase of the project.
Yes, the portfolio is available on this site with detailed projects: EthiFinance, ACG CyberAcademy, Gamer Deer, Kalikado. Each project indicates the context, scope and deliverables produced.
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