How to choose a web design studio in South Africa.
Most websites go wrong before any design starts, usually because scope, content and expectations were never written down. These questions help you compare studios fairly, whoever you choose.
Questions to ask before you sign
- 01
Who will actually do the work?
Ask whether you will deal with the person designing and building your site, or with a sales or account contact who passes your project on. Neither is wrong, but you should know before you sign.
- 02
What exactly is included in the price?
A clear quote names the number of pages, the review rounds, what happens at launch and what is excluded. If a price has no written scope behind it, it is hard to compare and easy to dispute later.
- 03
Who writes the text and supplies the images?
Many studios organise and refine the content you provide, and quote separately for writing from a blank page. Find out which applies, because content is often what slows a project down.
- 04
How many rounds of changes are included?
Review rounds should be stated as a number. Ask what counts as one round and what happens if you need more.
- 05
What happens after launch?
Ask how long support lasts after the site goes live, what it covers and whether ongoing care is optional or required.
- 06
What will cost extra every month or year?
Hosting, domains, business email, platform subscriptions, stock imagery and paid plugins are usually separate from the build. A good studio lists them up front.
- 07
Can I see real work, clearly labelled?
Look for live client websites you can visit, and check that concepts or practice projects are labelled as such rather than presented as client work.
Warning signs
- A price with no written scope, inclusions or exclusions.
- No stated number of review rounds.
- Ownership of the domain or hosting account held by the studio with no clear handover.
- Portfolio pieces you cannot verify or that are not labelled as concepts.
- Pressure to sign or pay before you understand the timeline.
How Novum Atelier answers these questions
Novum Atelier is one option among many. These are the studio's own terms, so you can compare them with any other quote.
- Founder-led studio in Johannesburg. You work directly with Kai Schroeder from enquiry to launch.
- Published starting prices: Focused Website from R4,500, Signature Website from R7,500, Website Transformation from R8,500. Website Clarity Audit R1,250 and Brand & Website Direction from R2,500.
- Written proposal with price, inclusions, exclusions and timeline before work begins.
- Builds are 50% to start. The Clarity Audit and Brand & Website Direction are paid in full upfront.
- Focused Website includes one consolidated review round. Signature Website and Website Transformation include three in total across the project.
- Thirty calendar days of launch support from the agreed launch date.
Full details are on the Services page and the Process page.