We are often asked to provide a cost estimate for a new website. One of the best things we do is provide our clients with the cost for their projects as we shoot for 95% accuracy in our quotes. But before we can tell a client how much, we need to understand what ‘exactly’ it is the client has in mind. Is it a new custom from scratch wordpress design? Or, is it a theme from say a reseller and then we undertake the task of making some edits to the theme to personalize it for the client?

Each option, Custom WordPress Design V. Pre-Fab Theme – has its pros and cons, and here we want to outline some of those pros and cons on each. Below please see our list of pros and cons on the subject matter:

Custom Theme Pros –

• It is completely unique and no other website looks like yours
• A custom theme allows you to express your brand in a unique way
• You have full control over aesthetics
• There is no confusing your site with the other wordpress sites
• The real estate is yours and yours to determine how to best use it
• You make the website the unique expression of your business
• There is a plugin for that! Add as many as you want and skin them to match

Custom Theme Cons –

• Let’s start at cost cause it ain’t cheap
• You need a good design team  as carte blanche is not always a good thing
• All this white space and how to occupy / or / use it
• You will be tempted to copy others
• Adding stuff you don’t need to fill in the gaps
• You will need a clear vision before you start
• Two words; WIRE FRAMES without them it can get even costlier

Pre-Fab Theme Pros –

• Sure we can start at price why not? They range from $20 to a few hundred
• Purchase and install and you are almost done
• What you see is what you often get
• Pretty much turn key option
• So many to chose from
• Often are already mobile friendly and responsive
• Many sources of pre-fab themes to chose from

Pre-Fab Theme Cons –

• They are sold and resold and resold and used and reused
• Yes some are mobile friendly, but customizations mean cost to fix resulting mobi breaks
• Buyer beware the more you edit the more it costs
• Set up is not always cheap
• Some use ‘too’ many plugins which means dependency on them
• Limited layout options
• Lack of compatibility to latest WordPress version

If you’re still not certain as to what may be best for your situation, let us know and we would be glad to provide further insight. Either way, good luck with your WordPress project.