So, you need a website.

The first thing you will probably do is think of a budget for this site. How much exactly are you willing to spend on your site? Obviously, depending on what your site will do, the budget will vary.

For a basic 3 page website with a contact form you may only be willing to part with £100.

If you need an e-commerce site, however, you may have a budget of £1000+.

Think about the budget before talking with any Web Design Company as you may be bought into paying alot more for something that could cost you alot less.

Another thing you need to consider when choosing a Web Design Company is what you want your website to look like and what functionality it needs. A good Web Design Company will have a portfolio of their previous web design work and if they have created a site previously that meets with your needs then great - if not, chances are they may not.

Once you've found at least 5 good web design companies that meet your requirements, it's worth giving a call to each one to discuss what you need. From here you can get a good feel of their customer service and see how each company handles a quote for you.

Don't ever tell them your budget though. This is something that must stay in your mind as some companies may quote you your exact budget but give you a low-quality website in return.

I hope this has been of use to you.