Web Design in Sydney

A 5-page small-business site takes 2-6 weeks with a responsive client; e-commerce adds 2-4 weeks. The most common delay is not the designer — it's the client's content. Have your text, photos and logo ready before kickoff and you'll cut the timeline roughly in half.

You should. Insist that the domain is registered in YOUR name (not the designer's), you hold the hosting account credentials, and the contract transfers full rights to the design and code on final payment. Designer-owned domains are the single most common lock-in trap in this industry.

Domain renewal (a small annual fee), hosting (from a few dollars monthly for a brochure site), and optional maintenance. Maintenance retainers typically run 5-10% of the build cost per year and cover updates, backups and small edits. A static brochure site can genuinely run for years with near-zero maintenance.

Fixed price for a defined scope (a 5-page site with listed features) protects both sides; hourly suits ongoing work and vague scopes. Standard payment structure is 30-50% deposit, remainder on launch — never pay 100% up front, and be wary of anyone who asks.

A content management system (WordPress, Webflow, Shopify) lets you edit text, images and posts without a developer. If you'll update content more than a few times a year — blog, menus, listings — you need one. If the site is a static business card, skipping the CMS makes the site cheaper, faster and harder to hack.

Freelancers charge roughly AUD 60-150/hr; basic sites run AUD 700-3,000, small-business sites AUD 2,000-9,000, and e-commerce from AUD 5,000. GST (10%) may or may not be included in quotes — always ask.

You need an ABN/ACN to hold a .com.au, and the domain must be registered to YOUR entity, not your designer's. Verify ownership in the auDA registry after launch — reclaiming a designer-held domain later is slow and sometimes impossible.