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Pricing & Packages Ownership & Control Timeline & Process Content & Design Technical & Hosting SEO & Marketing Content Updates & CMS Management Services Location & Support

Pricing & Packages

How much does a website cost?

Our packages start from $549 + GST for a Business Card website, with Starter at $1,249 + GST and Standard at $1,990 + GST. For fully custom websites, we provide tailored quotes based on your specific requirements. Check out our Services & Pricing page for full details.

Are there any hidden fees or ongoing costs?

No hidden fees. The price you're quoted is what you pay. Hosting is free for most small businesses (under 1,000 form submissions per month). If you outgrow the free tier, hosting typically costs around $19/month paid directly to the hosting provider. There are no mandatory ongoing fees with us.

What's included in each package?

Each package includes different features. All packages include mobile-responsive design, contact forms, SEO optimization, and post-launch support. The main differences are the number of pages, revision rounds, and advanced features like galleries, video embedding, and custom animations. See our package comparison table for specifics.

Do I pay everything upfront?

No. We use a 50/50 payment structure: 50% deposit required (work will not commence until deposit is paid), and the remaining 50% before launch (website will not go live until final payment is received).

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept bank transfer or credit card via invoice.

Ownership & Control

Do I own my website?

Yes, 100%. You own your website, all the code, content, images, and design. We set up your hosting account in your name, and once the project is complete and paid for, everything is yours. You're never locked in with us.

Can I take my website to another developer?

Absolutely. Because you own everything, you can take your website anywhere. We provide you with all login credentials and files. We'd rather you stayed with us for updates, but you're completely free to leave anytime.

Can I update the website myself?

It depends. Our standard websites are static HTML/CSS, which requires technical knowledge to edit. If you want to update content yourself easily, we can discuss adding a content management system (CMS) as an add-on. Most of our clients prefer to just send us updates as needed—we charge pay-per-change pricing, so it's affordable.

What if I need changes after launch?

Just contact us! We offer simple pay-per-change pricing. Small updates (like changing text or swapping a photo) start from $49. Larger changes are quoted based on the work required. No monthly contracts—you only pay when you need something updated.

Timeline & Process

How long does it take to build a website?

Most websites are completed in 1-2 weeks depending on the package:

  • Business Card: 1 week
  • Starter & Standard: 2 weeks
  • Fully Custom: Timeline quoted based on project scope

This timeline assumes you provide content (text, images, logo) within 2-3 days of paying the deposit and respond to revision requests promptly.

What is the process from start to finish?

Here's the simple version:

  1. Quote & Agreement: We discuss your needs and provide a detailed quote
  2. Deposit & Kickoff: You pay 50% deposit and provide your content
  3. Design & Build: We create your website and send drafts for feedback
  4. Revisions: You review and request changes (number of rounds depends on package)
  5. Final Payment & Launch: You approve, pay the remaining 50%, and we go live

Check out our How It Works page for more detail.

How many revisions do I get?

It depends on your package:

  • Business Card: 1 revision
  • Starter: 2 revisions
  • Standard: 3 revisions
  • Fully Custom: Unlimited revisions (within reasonable timeframe)

You can send unlimited clarification emails throughout the project—these don't count as revisions. A "revision" is a formal feedback round after you've reviewed a draft.

What if my project takes longer than expected?

The timeline can extend if you need extra time to gather content, request changes outside the original scope, or take longer to respond to drafts. We'll always communicate clearly if there are any delays and work with you to get things back on track.

Content & Design

Do I need to provide photos and text?

Yes. You provide the content (text, photos, logo, business info). We can guide you on what content you need and how to prepare it. If you don't have professional photos, we can work with what you have—most phone photos are fine for websites. If you need professional photography, we can arrange that for an additional fee (Auckland area only).

Can you write the text for my website?

We don't offer full copywriting services, but we can help polish and refine your text. Most clients find it easy to provide rough content (bullet points, existing brochures, etc.), and we format it professionally for the web. If needed, we can generate draft content, but this requires detailed information about your business—we don't create generic filler content.

Can I see examples of your work?

Yes! Check out our case studies to see websites we've built for businesses like yours, including Strongtracks, KAM Auto Electrical, and West Trades Group.

What if I already started building a website somewhere else?

No problem! Our Fully Custom package is perfect for this. We can recreate and improve upon designs you've started elsewhere, making them uniquely yours and fully functional. Just show us what you've done and we'll provide a custom quote.

Do you have templates or is each website custom?

Every website is custom-built for your business. We don't use pre-made templates. We design and code each site from scratch to match your branding, industry, and specific needs. That said, websites in the same package tier may have similar layouts and structure—we focus on making your content and branding shine rather than reinventing the wheel each time.

Technical & Hosting

Where will my website be hosted?

We typically use Netlify, a professional hosting service with a generous free tier. We set up the hosting account in your name and provide you with login credentials. You own and control the account.

What happens if my website goes over the free hosting limit?

The free tier allows up to 1,000 form submissions per month, which is plenty for most small businesses. If you exceed this, you'd upgrade to a paid plan (around $19/month) paid directly to the hosting provider. We'll help you monitor usage and upgrade if needed.

Will my website work on mobile phones?

Yes, absolutely. All our websites are fully mobile-responsive. They look great and work perfectly on phones, tablets, and desktops. Mobile-first design is standard for all packages.

Will my website be secure (HTTPS)?

Yes. All websites include a free SSL certificate, which means your site uses HTTPS (the padlock icon in the browser). This is important for security, trust, and SEO.

Do I need to purchase a domain name?

If you don't already have a domain (e.g., yourbusiness.co.nz), we can purchase one for you. The cost is typically $20-40 NZD per year and will be added to your invoice. You own the domain outright.

What about email addresses (e.g., info@mybusiness.co.nz)?

Domain-based email addresses are separate from website hosting. We can guide you through setting this up with services like Google Workspace or Outlook, but it's not included in our website packages.

SEO & Marketing

Will my website rank on Google?

All our websites include SEO setup (meta tags, sitemap, fast loading, mobile-friendly, etc.). This gives you a strong foundation for being found on Google. However, SEO is ongoing work—your ranking depends on factors like content quality, competition, and how long your site has been live.

For ongoing basic SEO monitoring and recommendations, our Premium Management service ($299/month) includes simple keyword tracking, basic audits, and content recommendations. Note: We don't guarantee rankings—no one can. SEO results vary and take time.

Do you guarantee search rankings?

No. Anyone who promises "#1 on Google" is being dishonest. We set up your website properly for SEO and can provide basic ongoing monitoring through our Premium Management service, but rankings depend on many factors outside our control (competition, search algorithms, content quality, domain age, etc.).

Our Premium Management includes basic SEO monitoring—keyword tracking, simple audits, and recommendations—but we make no guarantees about rankings or traffic.

Do you set up analytics tracking?

Yes, analytics setup is included in our Standard and Fully Custom packages. This lets you track visitor numbers, page views, and other important metrics.

Can you help with social media?

We offer limited social media setup as an add-on (subject to availability). This includes creating accounts and basic strategy. Ongoing social media management is not something we currently offer.

Content Updates & CMS

How do I update my website after it's built?

You have two options:

  • Pay-per-update (Most popular): Contact us when you need changes. We update text, images, or content for $50-100 per request. No monthly fees, quick turnaround.
  • Self-service CMS: We can build your site with TinaCMS, a user-friendly content editor. You can update text and images yourself anytime for $30/month + GST ongoing maintenance.

Most clients prefer the pay-per-update model - you focus on your business, we handle the tech when needed.

Should I get a content management system (CMS)?

Probably not. While we can add a CMS so you can edit content yourself, it's more complex than most clients need.

CMS option: $30/month + GST ongoing maintenance, plus additional setup costs. More complex hosting, requires training, more things to break.

Better option for most: Pay-per-update service ($50-100 per request). You email us changes, we update your site in 15 minutes. No training, no monthly fees, no hassle.

Quick math: If you update your site 3 times per year = $150-300. CMS = $360/year plus the headache of managing it yourself.

How much does a pay-per-update request cost?

Simple updates cost $50-100 per request depending on complexity:

  • $50: Simple text changes, swapping photos, updating contact details
  • $75-100: Multiple changes across several pages, adding new content sections

There are no monthly fees or contracts - you only pay when you need something updated.

Can I switch from static to CMS later?

Yes, but we'd honestly recommend sticking with pay-per-update. If you later decide you absolutely need to edit content yourself (like daily blog updates), we can add a CMS. Just know it's more complex and expensive than most clients expect.

Website Management Services

What are the Website Management Services?

We offer two optional management tiers for clients who want hands-off website management: Essential Management ($29/month) and Premium Management ($299/month). These are completely optional—all websites include free hosting setup by default.

Do I need a management service?

No. All our websites come with free hosting setup as standard. Management services are optional add-ons for clients who want us to handle domain renewals, hosting monitoring, analytics, SEO, and content updates so they never have to think about it.

What's included in Essential Management ($29/month)?

Essential Management includes:

  • Domain registration & renewal (domain cost included in the monthly fee)
  • Hosting management & monitoring
  • SSL certificate management
  • Analytics setup & monitoring
  • Monthly performance report

This is perfect if you want a completely hands-off experience and never want to worry about domain renewals or technical management. You can pay monthly ($29/month + GST) or annually ($25/month + GST = $300/year).

What's included in Premium Management ($299/month)?

Premium Management includes everything in Essential Management, plus:

  • Full SEO optimization & management
  • Keyword research & tracking
  • Google My Business management
  • Up to 4 content updates per month (you supply the content/images)
  • Text & image replacement on existing pages (no new sections added)
  • Monthly SEO & performance reports

Limited time offer: Pay annually and get 30% off ($209/month + GST = $2,508/year instead of $3,588).

If you need us to write blog content for you, that's available at $79 per blog post.

What does "up to 4 content updates per month" mean?

With Premium Management, you can send us up to 4 content updates per month (roughly 1 per week). This could be:

  • Publishing a new blog post (you provide the text & images)
  • Replacing text on an existing page
  • Swapping out photos on your gallery or services page
  • Updating business hours, contact details, or pricing

Important: Updates can replace existing content but cannot add entirely new sections or pages. If you need us to write the content, that's $79 per blog post.

Is the domain cost really included in Essential Management?

Yes! The $29/month (or $25/month annually) includes your domain registration and renewal. You don't pay separately for the domain—it's all covered in the monthly fee.

Can I switch between management tiers?

Yes! You can upgrade from Essential to Premium anytime, or downgrade from Premium to Essential with 30 days' notice. You can also cancel and switch back to managing your own hosting if you prefer.

What happens if I cancel a management service?

You can cancel anytime with 30 days' notice. We'll transfer full ownership and login credentials to you for your domain and hosting. You'll need to manage renewals and hosting yourself going forward, or you can choose to move to another provider.

What does the basic SEO monitoring in Premium Management include?

Premium Management includes basic SEO monitoring—not a full-scale SEO campaign. This includes:

  • Simple keyword tracking (monitoring how you rank for key terms)
  • Basic monthly audits (checking for technical issues)
  • Content recommendations (suggestions for improving existing pages)
  • Google My Business management
  • Monthly performance reports

What it's NOT: This isn't guaranteed rankings or aggressive SEO campaigns. It's basic monitoring and recommendations to keep your site healthy. Perfect for early clients who'll get more hands-on attention as we build this service.

Location & Support

Do you work with businesses outside Auckland?

Yes, absolutely! We're based in Auckland but work with businesses all over New Zealand. Everything is done remotely via email and video calls, so your location doesn't matter.

Can we meet in person?

For Auckland-based clients, we can arrange an in-person meeting if needed. However, most projects are completed entirely remotely, which saves time and keeps things efficient.

What support do I get after launch?

Every package includes a post-launch support period:

  • Business Card: 7 days
  • Starter: 30 days
  • Standard: 60 days
  • Fully Custom: 90 days

During this time, we're available for questions and fixing any technical issues. After that, we're still here for updates and changes—just on a pay-per-change basis.

How do I contact you if I need help?

Email us at enquiries@westtradesgroup.co.nz. Once you've paid your deposit, you'll receive direct contact information for faster communication during your project.

Still Have Questions?

We're happy to help! Get in touch and we'll answer any questions you have.

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