Freelance website designer for local businesses

Local tradespeople, shops, cafes, clubs, charities and self-employed people who need a website or a refresh of an old one.

A fixed price per website, often with a monthly fee on top for hosting, updates and support.

• Basic design sense and layout
• Comfortable with a website builder or WordPress
• Clear communication with non-technical clients
• Simple writing and organising content

• Professional indemnity insurance is worth checking, as clients may blame you if a site goes wrong
• Use a written agreement covering scope, payment terms and who owns the site and content
• Check you have the right to use any images, fonts and plugins you include
• If you handle personal data (for example contact forms), check your UK GDPR duties and whether you need to register with the ICO
• Check whether you need landlord or mortgage lender permission to work from home

Startup costs are typically around £100 to £1,000, depending on the software, hosting, domain names and any paid themes or plugins you choose. These are estimates, so check what tools you actually need before you buy.

Monthly revenue is typically around £300 to £3,000, depending on how many clients you take on and how many hours you put in each week. That is revenue, not profit, so allow for software and hosting costs.

If you handle personal data, such as contact forms, check your UK GDPR duties and whether you need to register with the ICO. Also check professional indemnity insurance, use a written agreement, check rights to images, fonts and plugins, and ask your landlord or lender about working from home.