Creating or updating a law firm website is a little like building or remodeling your home. You have a vision for how it will look and feel, the colors and features it will have, and most importantly, what it will say about you. You have lots of ideas you want to implement…right up until you find out what it’s going to cost. 

Let’s face it: planning is always more fun when you don’t have to think about the price tag, but for most of us, budget constraints are a reality. The good news is that while you can’t always get (everything) you want in a website, in the immortal words of the Rolling Stones, if you try sometimes, you get what you need. 

Cutting your expenditures isn’t the hard part. There are lots of ways to get a budget website design. The trick is getting an affordable website design that economizes in the right places and still provides the features and impact that you want. The place to start? A website design company that knows what matters, and is willing to help you find a custom website design that fits your budget. 

Affordable Website Design for Lawyers

One of the most inexpensive ways to create a website is to use a fully-templated system. To carry on with the house analogy, it would be like building a house with a pre-fab kit. At the end of it, you’ll have a simple house (or website) that may get the job done, but there’s nothing distinctive about it. Or you could go to the other extreme, and have every last thing created from scratch—down to bespoke sheetrock made from gypsum that was hand-mined by French monks. 

Okay, we may be exaggerating with that one. The point is…customizing can get pricey quickly. But you don’t have to choose between the extremes of  custom and template-based websites (or houses). 

Building a “custom house” can mean different things to different people. For some people, it may mean working with an architect to bring their unique vision to life literally from the ground up. For others, it may mean working with a home builder that offers designs which can be tweaked to customize floor plans, room configurations, and finishes. 

The latter option may not be quite as fully “custom” as the former, but it still allows for a lot of choice and flexibility, typically at a lower price point. Let’s call it a “semi-custom” home. Either fully-custom or semi-custom may be the right choice for you, depending on your needs and resources. And the same is true of law firm websites. 

Fully-Custom Law Firm Website Design

The Modern Firm’s fully-custom website design is crafted to perfectly reflect each law firm’s unique brand. That’s why the process begins with a phone call with several TMF team members, with the sole aim of getting to really know the lawyers and the firm. We use the information from the call to create a branding platform document, which serves as a touchstone for everyone working on your website project (it can also be helpful for your firm and any other vendors you work with). 

Your branding informs every step of the process so that we can infuse your firm’s values, strengths, and philosophy into your website. A week or two later, you’ll have an in-depth design and functionality call. That call takes a deep dive into the visual components of your website, like fonts, colors, and imagery. In other words, the kickoff call is about who you and your firm are; the design call is about how to express that to your intended audience.

The fully-custom website process offers a lot of choice, from a one-of-a-kind homepage tailored to your firm’s preferred design and aesthetic, to unlimited design revisions to ensure that everything is just the way you imagined it. It’s a great option for attorneys and law firms who have a well-defined vision, and want a website that truly reflects it to visitors. 

A fully-custom website involves a lot of collaboration, which is terrific if you have strong opinions and want a lot of input. It might not be best for you if you get bogged down when you have too many options, if you’re exceptionally busy, or if you simply don’t feel you need this level of customization. 

Unsurprisingly, a fully-custom website is the most expensive option. But even with this choice, The Modern Firm keeps costs down as much as possible. We do this by using blueprints we’ve developed over time as a jumping-off point for customization. That allows us to customize in a way that makes the most impact without using your resources on things that don’t add value—like the website equivalent of hand-crafted sheetrock.

Semi-Custom Website Design

The Modern Firm’s semi-custom website designs streamline the website design process. You start with one of three thoughtful designs with proven appeal, and then customize certain elements, like the panels on the homepage, where it has the greatest effect and most emphasizes your brand. It’s still a very collaborative process that allows you to make the website your own, but you don’t have to start with a blank slate. 

As with a fully-custom website, there is typically a kickoff phone call and a branding platform; we still need to know what’s special about you and your firm to design a website for you! However, because the design process has been streamlined, there’s no need to have a design call to discuss design choices at length. 

Revisions are, of course, available with a semi-custom website design. However, they are limited to two rounds, since the fundamentals of the design have already been refined. You get to have input where it matters most to you, and the process is set up for success and efficiency. As such, a semi-custom website costs less than a fully-customized one, and typically takes less time. 

The semi-custom website route is an excellent option for busy lawyers who want a website that conveys their brand, but who don’t want—or have time—to deal with the many decisions involved in a fully-custom site. 

Can I Really Get a Website Design to Fit My Budget? 

It’s a reasonable question. And the answer is, yes, you can. But there are some things to be on the lookout for in the process!

In website design, as in everything else, you get what you pay for. Remember above when we mentioned that there are lots of ways to get a budget website design? Here are some things to look out for if the price you’re quoted is low:

• Hidden costs. For instance, a low up-front price for your website might exclude important services like revisions. Make sure you know what you’re paying for, and what will cost extra.
• Lack of customization. Something unique is almost certain to have a higher price tag than something that’s mass-produced. But if your website doesn’t stand out, how will your law firm?
• Low-quality designs. If your website is meant to convey your firm’s brand, a site with an outdated or shoddy design doesn’t make a good impression. 
• Limited functionality. A website that looks slick on the surface but has missing features, poor performance, or a lack of mobile responsiveness will frustrate users.
• Unclear ownership. Believe it or not, part of the reason for a low website price may be that you don’t have full ownership of the site after it’s completed. 
• Lack of support. Often, a low website price masks the fact that there is little or no customer support post-launch. If there’s a problem, you’re on your own.
• Security risks. If your web designer uses unsecured platforms or outdated technologies, your law firm website could be vulnerable to cyberattacks.

You should be able to get an affordable website design that meets your needs, but make sure you know what it includes before you sign on the dotted line. 

How The Modern Firm Can Help

Our business was founded on law firm website design, so it’s no surprise that we’d like to be the ones you choose to help you build your website—whatever level of customization you need. We can’t promise that the price we quote will be the lowest one you hear. But we do promise to work with your priorities and get you the best website possible based on your realistic budget.

We’ll help you see where, based on your needs, it's important to devote your resources to get a custom website that shows who you are and what you’ve got to offer. Get in touch to learn about our affordable website design packages and how we can help bring your brand to life online.