Web Design in New Territories

Usually not — most quotes assume you supply finished text and images. Professional copywriting and a photo shoot are typically separate line items that can add 20-50% to a project. Stock photos and designer-polished draft text are the common middle ground; agree this explicitly before signing.

One page: what the business does, the site's single main goal (calls, bookings, orders), the pages you need, 2-3 example sites you like and why, your content status (ready or needed), deadline, and budget range. Sharing your real budget gets you an honest proposal instead of a guessing game.

Morally yes, legally increasingly so — several markets now enforce accessibility standards (WCAG) for business websites, and lawsuits and fines are real in some countries. Practically: proper headings, alt text, keyboard navigation and color contrast cost little at build time and a lot to retrofit. Ask your designer to build to WCAG 2.1 AA.

Use a builder if your budget is minimal and your needs are a brochure plus contact form. Hire a freelancer for a custom site with some business logic. Pay agency rates when you need strategy, copywriting, SEO and design under one contract with accountability. Many small businesses outgrow a builder in year one — budget for that path.

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.

Freelancers charge roughly HKD 300-900/hr; 5-page corporate sites commonly run HKD 12,000-50,000 and e-commerce from HKD 30,000. Quotes assuming English-only can jump 30-50% once Traditional Chinese content is added.

For consumer-facing businesses, bilingual English/Traditional Chinese is the market expectation; B2B and professional services often run English-first. Decide before quoting — retrofitting a second language costs more than scoping it up front.