There are at least two huge advantages. The first is the freedom from any constraints of a pre-existing template. With a bespoke theme, you can be really creative with your WordPress site and build in any specific functionality to meet your business’ individual needs. A unique design and layout will further help your brand stand out from the competition. That’s the second point of having a tailor-made website template.
The primary objections against one are the possible time and cost implications. A basic business or personal website theme can cost around $1,500-$5,000. With additional built-in features or companion plugins, it can cost up to $10K, and an enterprise-level project cost can even exceed $30K. And don’t forget about the additional costs of WP hosting, website maintenance, and support after delivery of your custom WordPress theme. Over time, its components can become obsolete. The utilized WP functionalities can turn out to be vulnerable too. Such vulnerabilities may be easier to eliminate in the theme by disabling the functionality or building an equivalent, rather than wait for WordPress to fix it.
However, knowing the factors that affect the cost, you can save money and avoid overpaying. The development time and cost to build a website from scratch primarily depend on the desired features, design, and functionality. Do your research, write down your requirements, and prioritize them. A clear idea and scope of the project will help you get a more accurate quote, reduce the number of revisions, and avoid possible change-order fees eventually. Start small and extend your WordPress website as your business requirements grow.
There is a wide range of professionals and companies offering WordPress development services. A custom-built theme takes at least a designer and a developer to create. Full-service agencies, which have both types of professionals on their teams, tend to be more expensive. (Although the prices largely depend on the location.) Alternatively, you can find a freelancer to design and another to develop, or even someone to do both, and manage the whole process yourself. In any case, the cost will depend on the required expertise, relevant experience, and creativity. Occasionally, an expert U.S.-based WP developer turns out to be more expensive than an overseas team.
Whoever you engage in the project, it’s important that you understand what they are doing and why. For example, the creation of a WordPress custom plugin may be a waste of time if an existing plugin can be used. On the other hand, exclusive WordPress plugin development can be beneficial for a specific niche when there is no ready solution. You should also be interested in the way your future site is built: from the ground up or by using one of the WP theme frameworks. And these deserve a separate chapter in this post.
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