Village hall committees ask us this more than anything else, usually because someone has been quoted a four-figure sum and someone else says their nephew could do it for free. The honest answer is that it depends on who builds it and, just as importantly, who keeps it up to date. Here's what each option really costs.
The three ways halls get a website
1. A volunteer builds it on a DIY builder
Tools like Wix, Squarespace and WordPress.com let anyone build a site. A paid plan, which you need for your own domain name and to remove the builder's adverts, typically costs somewhere between £10 and £30 a month.
The real cost is volunteer time. A first version takes days, not hours, and someone has to keep hire rates, events and documents current. The most common story we hear: the volunteer who built the site moves on, nobody else has the login, and the hall's website sits frozen for years.
2. A local freelancer or agency builds a bespoke site
A one-off bespoke website from a freelancer or small agency typically costs anywhere from £1,000 to £5,000, depending on how much is custom built. Hosting, the domain and updates are often charged separately, and each change after launch may be billed as extra work.
This can produce a great site, but check what happens after launch: who makes changes, how much they cost, and whether you'll own the site if you part ways.
3. A managed website for community organisations
The middle route is a service built specifically for halls and community groups: a professionally designed site with hosting, domain and updates included for a fixed monthly fee or a one-off price. Our village hall websites work this way, from £39 a month or £499 one-off, with unlimited changes made for you.
The costs people forget
- Domain name. Around £10 to £20 a year for a .org.uk or .co.uk address. Make sure it's registered to the hall, not a volunteer's personal account.
- Email addresses. A proper bookings@ or secretary@ address on your domain, so the address doesn't change when volunteers do.
- Updates and security. Self-managed WordPress sites need regular updates to stay secure. Hacked community websites are common, and cleaning one up costs far more than keeping it maintained.
- Online booking. A website alone doesn't take bookings. Booking software such as Village Hall Hub starts from £12.99 a month and can show live availability on your website.
- Accessibility. Many hirers and visitors are older or have access needs. A site that's hard to read or use costs you bookings, even if nobody complains.
A rough budget
- DIY: about £120 to £360 a year in plan fees, plus a domain, plus a lot of volunteer time.
- Bespoke agency build: £1,000 to £5,000 upfront, plus hosting, domain and any paid changes each year.
- Managed community website: a fixed monthly or one-off price with hosting, domain and updates included.
Whichever you choose, add booking software if you want hirers to be able to check availability and book online.
Paying for it: grants and funding
A website that brings in more hire income often pays for itself, but the upfront cost can still be a hurdle. Places halls commonly look for funding:
- National Lottery Awards for All: small grants for community projects, including improving how a community building is run.
- Your local community foundation, which manages grant funds for local groups.
- Parish, town or district council community grants. Many councils have small grant pots for local organisations.
- Your county's rural community council, which often runs a village halls advisory service and knows what local funding exists.
Funders usually want a written quote, so ask any provider for one made out to the hall.
Questions to ask any website provider
- Who owns the domain name and the website?
- What's included in the price, and what costs extra?
- Who makes changes, how quickly, and at what cost?
- Does it work well on phones and meet accessibility guidelines?
- Can it show live availability or take booking requests?
- What happens if we want to leave?
If the answers are clear, you're in good hands, whichever route you choose.