Free Website Build vs Hiring a Web Designer
Should you use a free builder, hire a designer, or use a done for you service? Here is an honest look at the trade offs for contractors.
When a contractor decides to get serious about a website, there are really three paths. Build it yourself with a website builder, hire a designer or agency, or use a done for you service. None is wrong. They just fit different situations. Here is an honest look at each.
Building it yourself
Drag and drop builders are cheap and put you in control. The catch is time and skill. The blank page is harder than it looks, and the result often reads as generic because you are starting from the same template everyone else uses. If your time is worth more on the job than at a keyboard, the savings can be a mirage.
Hiring a designer or agency
A good designer delivers a strong, custom site. The trade offs are cost and what happens after launch. You usually pay a large amount upfront, the timeline can stretch over weeks, and once the project ends, changes are billed by the hour. Many contractors end up with a beautiful site that slowly goes out of date because every edit costs money.
Done for you, on a flat fee
This model rolls the build, hosting, and ongoing updates into one flat monthly cost. You do not touch the tools, you do not pay a big upfront bill, and updates are part of the deal rather than an extra. The trade off is that you are in an ongoing relationship rather than buying a one time asset. For most busy contractors, that is the point.
A quick way to choose
- Pick a builder if you enjoy the work, have the time, and want the lowest possible cost.
- Pick a designer if you want a one off custom project and have a budget for both the build and future changes.
- Pick done for you if you would rather stay on the job and never think about hosting, edits, or maintenance again.
Where we fit
Bridgewood Sites is the done for you option. We build your site for free, host it, and handle your updates for one flat monthly fee. The fairest way to judge it is to see the result first, so you can get yours built in 24 hours before you decide anything.
Common questions
Is a DIY website builder good enough for a contractor?
It can be, if you have the time and patience. The main costs are your hours and a result that often looks like a template. For many contractors, the time is better spent on the job.
What is the downside of hiring a web designer?
Usually the upfront cost and what happens after launch. Many one time projects leave you paying by the hour for every future change, so the site slowly falls out of date.