In short
A focused visual and content refresh may cost $5,000–$15,000. A custom redesign covering strategy, UX, design, development, CMS, technical SEO, and migration often costs $15,000–$75,000+, while ecommerce or application work can exceed that. Price depends on templates, content, data, integrations, and risk—not page count alone.
Planning ranges by type of change
| Redesign type | Typical planning range | Usually changes |
|---|---|---|
| Focused visual/content refresh | $5,000–$15,000 | Key templates, typography, imagery, copy, components |
| Custom marketing-site redesign | $15,000–$40,000 | Strategy, architecture, content, design, development, CMS |
| Content-rich or multilingual redesign | $30,000–$75,000+ | Content model, migration, search, localization, governance |
| Ecommerce or integrated platform | $40,000–$150,000+ | Products, transactions, accounts, data and operations |
These are planning ranges, not a quotation. A redesign can preserve the existing CMS and code, or replace nearly every layer while keeping the domain. Those projects should not share one average.
What the redesign may include
Evidence and strategy
Analytics, Search Console, interviews, sales and support themes, content inventory, accessibility, performance, and technical risk. This decides what to preserve and what to change.
Information architecture and content
Sitemap, navigation, page outlines, copy, evidence, media, content governance, and migration decisions. Content is often the largest hidden client-side cost.
UX and visual system
Flows, wireframes, typography, colour, imagery, components, responsive behaviour, interaction, and important states.
Development and CMS
Templates, components, content models, preview, forms, integrations, analytics, consent, accessibility, performance, and deployment.
Migration and launch
URL inventory, redirect map, content migration, metadata, structured data, QA, training, monitoring, and recovery.
Removing a line from the agency proposal may transfer it to the client rather than remove it from the project.
The largest cost drivers
- Unique templates: each requires content, design, responsive, CMS, development, and QA work.
- Content condition: unclear positioning, missing evidence, or unowned copy extends the project.
- Migration volume: hundreds of inconsistent pages, assets, URLs, and relationships need decisions and testing.
- Integrations: CRM, payments, product data, booking, identity, and search add rules and failure states.
- Languages and regions: localization affects fields, URLs, workflow, permissions, and QA.
- Quality requirements: accessibility, performance, technical SEO, security, and browser support require deliberate work.
- Uncertainty: unknown data, stakeholders, features, or dependencies increase discovery and contingency.
Refresh, redesign, or rebuild?
Refresh
Keep the architecture and technology; improve content, visual language, and selected components. Use it when the underlying journeys and CMS remain sound.
Redesign
Reconsider architecture, content, and interface while preserving some technical foundations. Use it when the experience no longer represents the business.
Rebuild
Replace the implementation and often the CMS. Use it when technology, maintainability, performance, or required functionality cannot be responsibly repaired.
Calling every project a redesign hides the layer driving the price.
Costs outside the build
Budget for:
- client decision and review time;
- copy, photography, video, translation, and legal review;
- paid fonts, plugins, platforms, and usage fees;
- hosting and monitoring;
- content entry and migration;
- staff training;
- ongoing maintenance;
- post-launch SEO and improvement.
How to reduce cost responsibly
- define the business problem and decision-maker early;
- inventory content and URLs before design;
- launch fewer strong templates;
- preserve sound technology rather than replacing it for fashion;
- defer unproven features;
- prepare integrations and access early;
- use one coherent review process;
- separate launch-critical work from phase two.
Do not save money by removing accessibility, migration, QA, or ownership. Those omissions create cost after launch, when options are narrower.
Common questions
Why can a redesign cost more than a new website?
A redesign must understand, preserve, migrate, and improve an existing system with users, URLs, content, data, integrations, and business dependencies. A new site may have less inherited risk.
Can I redesign without changing the CMS?
Yes. If the CMS content model, workflow, security, and maintainability remain sound, a new front end and content structure may be enough.
Does redesign pricing include copywriting?
Only when stated. Clarify strategy, copywriting, editing, migration, content entry, photography, translation, metadata, and approval as separate responsibilities.
How much contingency should I keep?
Base contingency on unresolved content, data, integrations, approvals, and migration—not a universal percentage. Reduce uncertainty through discovery before fixing the full budget.
Is the cheapest redesign proposal risky?
Price alone proves nothing. Compare templates, content, CMS, migration, accessibility, performance, SEO, QA, support, assumptions, and client responsibilities before comparing totals.
