Website costs scale with three main factors: design complexity, technical functionality, and content volume. A template-based WordPress site with 5–10 pages and stock photography might cost $2,000–$5,000 CAD because it uses pre-built themes and minimal custom code. Custom design work—unique layouts, brand-specific UI elements, professional photography—adds $3,000–$10,000 depending on revisions and asset creation. Technical features drive the biggest cost jumps. E-commerce platforms need payment gateways, inventory management, shipping calculators, and security compliance. Membership sites require user authentication, content restrictions, and subscription billing. Custom web applications with dashboards, APIs, or real-time data processing can require 100–300+ development hours at $75–$150/hour CAD for experienced developers. Content is another hidden cost driver. Writing 20–30 pages of SEO-optimized copy, creating original graphics, and producing video can add $5,000–$15,000. Most clients underestimate this because they assume the developer handles it, but quality content requires separate expertise. Ongoing costs matter too—hosting, SSL certificates, plugin licenses, and maintenance retainers run $50–$500/month depending on traffic and complexity. At Ottawa SEO Inc., we typically quote $4,000–$8,000 for local business sites with custom design and basic SEO setup, and $12,000–$25,000 for e-commerce or lead-generation platforms with advanced tracking and conversion optimization. We break down costs by milestone so clients see exactly what they're paying for: wireframes and design mockups, front-end development, backend functionality, content integration, testing, and launch. The sticker shock usually comes from comparing a custom solution to a $500 Fiverr template, which works fine until you need something that template can't do. If a website is your primary revenue channel, spending 5–10% of annual revenue on a properly built platform isn't outrageous—it's just proportional investment.