Tradesperson website in Düren: what does it really cost?

I hear this question in almost every first conversation, usually within the first five minutes: "So what does this fun actually cost me now?" A fair question. Honest answer: it depends, but not in the way you think.

In this article I'll explain to you, what really determines the price of a tradesperson's website, why Google makes the question more worrying than helpful, and why one of my customers from Düren came to me with a completely wrong number in mind. Too high, mind you.

Why nobody gives you a number

Search Google for "website cost". You'll find everything: builder packages from zero euros, agency quotes in the five-figure range, and a thousand blog posts that talk around the subject. It's not that everyone is hiding something — it's that "a website" is about as precise as "renovate a bathroom".

You wouldn't quote a fixed price for a bathroom over the phone either, before knowing: how big? Old or new build? Tub out, shower in? It's the same with websites. The price depends on a few specific questions — and let's look at those now.

The four things that really drive the price

1 · Business card or inquiry machine?

A page that just says "we exist, here's the number" is quick to build. A page that cleanly takes down a customer's enquiry at half past nine at night, greets you in the morning with a ready-made job folder, and is found on Google in Düren in the meantime: that's a different trade. Both have their place. But only one of them actively brings you jobs.

2 · Is your content already there?

Texts, photos from the site, references, reviews. If all of that still has to be created, it takes time. If you already have good material, it goes faster. It's like the customer who has already bought the tiles: the work stays, but one line item drops out.

3 · What happens after go-live?

A website is not a carport you put up once and it stands for twenty years. Updates, security, GDPR, small changes, new references. Ask every provider: Who takes care of it afterwards — and what does that cost? This is where the real costs hide with many providers.

4 · Who builds this thing?

A large agency means project managers, meetings, interim approvals — and you pay for every layer. A website builder means cheap or even free, but you do everything yourself, and you usually won't be found anyway. In between there are people like me: you speak directly with the person who builds it. No game of telephone, no bloated overhead.

The story of Thomas Mager

Thomas Mager leads with the Helmut Mager GmbH a heating and plumbing business in Düren, master craftsman's business since 1987. When we first sat down together, he had one number in his head: 12,000 to 15,000 euros. He had heard it that way, it was stated that way in quotes he knew — for him that was "the price for something like this".

No. It isn't like that.

The truth is: a really good website for a trade business like his does not have to cost a fortune. What agencies with large-corporate structures charge has nothing to do with what a business with fifteen employees actually needs, which is very little. In the end, Thomas got not only a new website but also an enquiry system and his own company app on top. And he still ended up in a completely different world from his original figure. His Rating on this you can check it in the original — the word „unbezahlbar“ comes from him, not from me.

The DIY website trap

"But Kevin, there are free website builders!" True. And I'll be honest with you too: for some businesses that's enough. But think about it differently: if a bad website a single bathroom renovation per year slips through your fingers because the customer can't find you or the contact form doesn't work on mobile — then "free" was the most expensive item on your balance sheet.

Then there's the time. Tinkering with a website kit in the evenings after the job site? You wouldn't recommend your customers service their own boiler either, “there's always YouTube”.

How to recognise a fair quote

• There's a fixed price before the project starts — no open-ended timesheet billing in the dark.
• The running costs are laid out in black and white — hosting, maintenance, changes.
• You understand every position — if you have to ask three times what an "SEO onboarding workshop" is, skip it.
• No lock-in contracts — monthly cancellation should be the norm, not the exception.
• You're talking to the person who builds it — not with a salesperson who never gets back to you afterwards.

So what does it cost in your case?

Deliberately: no figures in this article. Not because I'm hiding anything — but because I won't quote you a price for your bathroom before I've seen your bathroom. What I offer you instead: 15 minutes, free, honest. Tell me what you need, and I'll tell you what it costs with me, as a fixed figure with everything included. You'll get my complete price list on top during the conversation. And if a kit is enough for you, I'll tell you that too. Ask Thomas.