Building a custom website: where do you start?
Building a custom website: where do you start?
By Lilmou — we build licensed software and custom websites for shops and small businesses.
Do you run a shop and you're thinking about having a custom website built? It's a big decision, especially if you're not comfortable with tech jargon. This guide walks you through, step by step, how to prepare your project before you even ask for your first quote.
The essentials
- 99% of French small and mid-sized businesses see the internet as useful or essential, yet only 61% had a website in 2025, down from 70% in 2024 (Afnic, 2025).
- A basic website costs between $1,000 and $3,000, a mid-range website between $5,000 and $20,000, depending on complexity (GoodFirms, 2026).
- Preparing a project brief (the document that lays out your needs and budget) before requesting a quote heads off most bad surprises.
- In France, under €3,000, expect to work with a freelancer rather than an agency (CCI Deux-Sèvres).
- Comparing several quotes on the exact same scope is still the best move before you sign anything.
Why invest in a custom website today
The number of French small and mid-sized businesses with a website is falling. Only 61% had one in 2025, down from 70% in 2024 (Afnic, Réussir avec le web study, 8th edition, December 2025). That's a 9-point drop in a single year. Yet the conviction hasn't wavered: 99% of business owners consider the internet "useful" or "essential" to their business, according to the same study. So the obstacle isn't a lack of belief, it's the budget and time available to get started.
The budget French small businesses set aside for the web stays modest. 66% of them spend less than €300 a year on their online presence, up 6 points year over year (Afnic, 2025). Meanwhile, the share investing more than €1,000 a year is shrinking, from 17% down to 14%. This is exactly why preparing your project well matters as much as the budget itself. A clear project brief lets you get more for less.
| Year | French small and mid-sized businesses with a website |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 70% |
| 2025 | 61% |
Source: Afnic, "Réussir avec le web" study, 8th edition, December 2025.
In the United States, the trend runs the other way. 83% of small businesses had a website in 2025, up from 64% in 2018, according to Clutch.co. Business owners surveyed cited three main reasons for launching one: boosting sales (39%), building credibility (24%), and informing or supporting customers (22%). These motivations hold just as true for a shop in France or the Maghreb. A website isn't just a storefront, it's a sales and trust-building tool.
Take a concrete example. A convenience store that wants to offer online ordering with in-store pickup ("click and collect") has two specific needs. It needs an up-to-date product catalog and a simple booking system. That's exactly the kind of feature to list from the start, rather than bolt on in a rush once the site is already live.
How much does a custom website cost?
The price of a website mostly comes down to its complexity, not just how big it looks on screen. A survey of more than 300 agencies across 31 countries offers some clear benchmarks (GoodFirms, Website Construction Cost Survey, 2026).
| Project type | Indicative budget | Share of respondents | Typical timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic website (minimal version, or "MVP") | $1,000 - $3,000 | 71% | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Mid-range website | $5,000 - $20,000 | 54% | 4 to 8 weeks |
| Custom application | $20,000 - $50,000 | 35% | 8 to 28 weeks |
These figures come from a self-reported survey of web professionals, not an official statistical body, so treat them as a benchmark rather than an absolute reference. The amounts come from agencies worldwide, so French prices can vary. In practice, under €3,000, it's hard to find an agency in France: you'll more likely work with a freelancer (CCI Deux-Sèvres). Above that threshold, agencies start offering genuinely custom projects with more structured support.
The 10 steps to prepare before contacting a provider
A website project is won or lost before the first meeting with a provider. These ten steps come from the practical guides published by France Num and CCI Deux-Sèvres, two trusted references for French small and mid-sized businesses.
- Define your main goal: selling online, informing your customers, or reassuring them before an in-store visit.
- Describe your target audience: who visits your site, what age group, what needs, on mobile or desktop.
- List the exact features you need: catalog, appointment booking, online payment, contact form. For a convenience store, that could be a simple catalog with the day's prices, browsable without creating an account.
- Gather examples of sites you like, even outside your industry, to show the style you're after.
- Prepare your content ahead of time: text, photos, logo. A provider can't guess your business for you.
- Set a realistic budget and timeline, based on market ranges rather than a vague wish.
- Plan for SEO (search engine optimization) from the project brief onward. A website that's invisible on Google does you little good.
- Budget for ongoing costs: domain name, hosting, maintenance. A website is never paid for once and done.
- Involve your team, if you have one. They'll use the site day to day and often spot needs you'd otherwise miss.
- Compare several quotes on the exact same scope, not just the final price at the bottom of the page.
Common mistakes that sink a project
Choosing a provider on price alone is still the most common mistake. A rock-bottom quote often hides a reduced scope or costs that surface after delivery. Comparing quotes properly means checking they cover exactly the same features.
Skipping the project brief comes in a close second. Without a written document, each side interprets the project their own way, and misunderstandings eat up time. A project brief, even a simple one, protects both sides.
Not checking who's actually building the project is another pitfall. Some agencies subcontract the development work without telling the client. Always ask who will code your site, and how follow-up support works after launch.
Neglecting the content you need to provide slows down nearly every project. The site is waiting on your text and photos, the provider is waiting on the site: the project stalls. Preparing your content before the first meeting speeds up delivery considerably.
Finally, leaving mobile and maintenance out of the quote seriously limits results. Treating the website as a simple business card, without a thought for SEO, has the same effect.
What a solid quote should include
A trustworthy quote spells out the exact scope of the project: number of pages, features, available languages. It also sets out milestones, meaning intermediate delivery stages with dates. Finally, it lists the ongoing costs after launch: hosting, domain name, maintenance (CCI Deux-Sèvres).
If a quote stays vague on these three points, ask for clarification before you sign. A serious provider will answer these questions without hesitation.
In short: prepare, then compare
A successful custom website starts before the first quote. Defining your goal, preparing your content, and comparing several offers on the exact same scope heads off most disappointments. Budget matters, but preparation matters even more.
At Lilmou, we build custom websites and software for shops and small businesses, with support tailored to owners who aren't tech-savvy. Our payment options adapt to your situation too: bank transfer, CCP, or BaridiMob in Algeria, Stripe for international payments. Request a quote to talk through your project.
Sources
- Afnic, "Réussir avec le web," 8th edition, December 2025
- Clutch.co, "The State of Small Business Websites 2025," 406 business owners surveyed, August 2025
- GoodFirms, "Website Construction Cost Survey 2026," 300+ agencies, 31 countries
- CCI Deux-Sèvres, "Practical guide before launching a website project"
- France Num, "Building the website project brief"