Quick answer
To hire a website developer in the UK, define your goals and budget, shortlist freelancers or agencies with relevant work, ask for a fixed, written scope, check who owns the code, and speak to past clients. Agencies cost more than freelancers but provide design, project management, testing and continuity.
Start with what you need
Before you contact anyone, write down what the site must do, who it is for, and any must-have features. A short brief gets far better quotes: use our requirements brief template. If you want someone simply to build a website for your business, a clear page list and examples of sites you like are enough to begin.
Freelancer, agency or in-house?
A freelancer can be a good fit for small, well-defined work, but is a single point of failure. An agency brings designers, developers, project management and testing, and continuity if one person is away. In-house hiring suits ongoing product work but takes months. Our hire software developers page explains the engagement models we offer.
What to check in a portfolio
Look for sites similar in scope to yours, then open them. Are they fast on a phone? Do they work? Ask what the provider personally did. Our own portfolio and customer stories show real projects and results.
Questions to ask before you hire
What exactly is included in the price? How many design revisions are covered? Who owns the code, design and domain? How will you handle SEO, speed and accessibility? What happens after launch, and who fixes problems? See how to choose a development company for a longer checklist.
Red flags
Beware of vague quotes, no written contract, refusal to hand over the code or logins, guaranteed rankings, extremely low prices that omit essentials, and providers who cannot show live examples.
Contracts and cost
Prefer a fixed-price contract with clear scope for defined projects, or a time and materials arrangement with a cap for evolving work: see fixed price vs time and materials. For typical budgets, read how much a website costs in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to hire a website developer?
It depends on scope and who you hire. Freelancers are usually cheaper per project, while agencies cost more but include design, project management and testing. Get a fixed written quote.
Should I hire a freelancer or an agency?
For small defined jobs a freelancer can work well. For business-critical sites and web applications an agency offers more resilience and a broader skill set.
How do I find someone to make me a website?
Ask for recommendations, check portfolios and reviews, and request a written quote from two or three providers. Or start with our instant quote to see an indicative range.
Who should own the website code?
You should. Make sure the contract says code and design transfer to you at handover.
Ready for a realistic number? Get an indicative price in about a minute, with no sales call.
Get an instant quoteWritten by the LOLCorp engineering team from our experience delivering custom software for UK businesses. This is general guidance, not legal or financial advice.