A Story I've Heard Too Many Times
Last month, a business owner contacted me. She'd paid R6,000 for a website eight months ago. The site looked okay, but:
She needed me to fix it. My quote to rebuild it properly? More than triple what she'd originally paid.
This happens constantly. And I'm genuinely not trying to bash budget developers—but we need to talk about why cheap websites often aren't.
What You're Actually Paying For
When you pay for a professional website, you're not just paying for someone to make it look pretty. You're paying for:
**Strategic thinking.** Understanding your business, your customers, and what actually needs to be on the site to convert visitors into customers.
**Technical competence.** Proper code, security practices, performance optimization, mobile responsiveness done right.
**SEO foundations.** Site structure, meta data, page speed, schema markup—the invisible stuff that determines whether Google shows your site to anyone.
**Future-proofing.** Building something that can grow with your business, not something you'll need to replace in 18 months.
**Support and reliability.** Someone who answers when things go wrong.
The Hidden Costs of Going Cheap
1. The Opportunity Cost
Let's say your website should be generating 10 leads per month, but because it's slow, confusing, or invisible on Google, it's generating 2.
If each lead is worth R5,000 to your business, that's R40,000 per month you're leaving on the table. Over a year, that's R480,000.
Suddenly, the R30,000 difference between a cheap site and a proper one looks very different.
2. The Rebuild Cost
I'd estimate 60-70% of my enquiries come from people who need their "new" website rebuilt. They're essentially paying twice.
And the rebuild is often more complex because I have to migrate content, maintain any SEO value they've managed to build, and sometimes recover from damage done by poor security practices.
3. The Reputation Cost
Your website is often your first impression. A site that looks outdated, loads slowly, or doesn't work on phones tells potential customers something about how you run your business.
I can't quantify how many customers you lose because your site made them doubt your professionalism—but it's not zero.
4. The Security Cost
Budget developers often use nulled (pirated) plugins, skip security updates, and use weak hosting. When (not if) your site gets hacked:
I've seen cleanup costs run into tens of thousands of Rands.
What Does a Proper Website Actually Cost?
I'm going to give you honest South African market rates (as of 2026):
**Basic Business Website (5-7 pages, contact form, basic SEO):** R15,000 - R35,000
**E-commerce Store (WooCommerce/PrestaShop, up to 50 products):** R35,000 - R80,000
**Complex E-commerce/Custom Functionality:** R80,000 - R250,000+
Yes, there's a range. The variables include complexity, custom functionality, content creation, integrations, and ongoing support requirements.
Red Flags to Watch For
If a developer quotes significantly below these ranges, ask:
Legitimate budget options exist—but understand exactly what you're getting.
When Budget Actually Makes Sense
I won't pretend everyone needs a R50,000 website. If you're testing a business idea, have minimal budget, and just need something functional to start, a well-chosen template with basic customization might be appropriate.
But go in with eyes open. Understand it's a starting point, not a long-term solution. Budget for the proper build once you've validated your business model.
The Bottom Line
I've never had a client regret investing in a quality website. I've had plenty contact me regretting that they didn't.
Your website isn't an expense—it's infrastructure. Treat it like the business asset it is.
Want to discuss what your business actually needs? Let's talk.