Read Before You Hire
Straight answers, no sales pitch
Since 2013, I’ve answered the same handful of questions on almost every first call. How much will this cost? Should I use Wix or WordPress? What should I ask before I hire someone? These guides are my best answers, written down so you can read them before we ever talk.
They’re meant to be useful whether or not you hire me. Where I compare platforms, I’ll tell you where each one shines, including the ones I don’t use. Where I talk about price, I explain what drives the cost and share exactly what I charge. If you’d like to see what working together looks like, start with my services or how I work with clients.
Featured Guide
What drives the cost of a website in Canada, monthly costs to expect, and how DIY, freelancers and agencies compare.
Cost Guides
What websites, redesigns, online stores, logos, graphic design, SEO and maintenance really cost, what moves the price, and what I charge for each.
Cost Guides
What a small business website really needs, what it costs to build and run, and where your budget matters most.
Cost Guides
WordPress is free, but your site isn’t. Hosting, themes, plugins and design costs explained, plus what I charge.
Cost Guides
Refresh or full rebuild? What a website redesign involves, what you can reuse, and how to budget for it.
Cost Guides
Build costs, platform and payment fees, and the running costs of a small online store, explained plainly.
Cost Guides
What website maintenance covers, monthly vs yearly costs, what happens if you skip it, and what I charge.
Cost Guides
Hourly vs project pricing, freelancer vs agency rates, what affects them, and how to compare quotes fairly.
Cost Guides
The types of SEO, monthly vs one-time pricing, red flags to avoid, and whether SEO is worth it for a small business.
Cost Guides
DIY logo tools vs freelancers vs agencies, what drives logo design cost, and what a branding package includes.
Cost Guides
How flyers, posters, brochures and print packages are priced, what affects the cost, and how to brief a designer.
Comparisons
Fair, side-by-side looks at the choices business owners weigh most often, with a clear “who should choose what” for each.
Comparisons
Ease of use, pricing, SEO, ownership and growth compared fairly, plus a quick look at Webflow and Squarespace.
Comparisons
Design, pricing, SEO, flexibility and ownership compared fairly, with notes for photographers and creatives.
Comparisons
Costs, fees, ease of use, flexibility and ownership compared fairly for small eCommerce businesses.
Comparisons
What each role does, where they overlap, and which one a small business actually needs to hire.
Comparisons
What a logo is, what a brand identity includes, and how to decide which your small business needs now.
Hiring Guides
Practical checklists for deciding whether you need a designer, and choosing the right one.
Hiring Guides
An honest look at when building your own website works, when it doesn’t, and how to decide.
Hiring Guides
How to choose a website builder for your business, and when hiring a web designer is the better investment.
Hiring Guides
What a web designer does at each stage of a project, what you receive at the end, and how agencies compare.
Hiring Guides
A practical checklist for comparing web designers and agencies: portfolio, process, pricing, ownership and support.
Hiring Guides
The questions worth asking before you hire, grouped by topic, with what good answers tend to sound like.
Questions and Answers
Common Questions
Quick answers about these guides, my prices and how to ask me something they don’t cover.
Are these guides only for Windrose clients?
No. They’re written to be useful to anyone planning a website or brand, whoever you end up hiring.
Where can I see your actual prices?
Every cost guide includes my rates, and they’re all on my pricing page: websites from $1,200, logos from $300, maintenance from $150 a year and hourly work at $65.
Can I ask a question that isn’t covered here?
Absolutely. Get in touch by phone at 902.698.9005 or by email, and I’ll give you a straight answer.
Do you build on Wix, Squarespace or Shopify?
I build on WordPress, which I believe gives most small businesses the best mix of ownership and flexibility. My comparison guides explain where the other platforms are a better fit.
Let’s Plan Your New Website
Tell me about your business and I’ll reply within one business day with ideas, a timeline and a clear price. No pressure, and no jargon.