The verdict in three sentences
The headline build price hides half the cost: hosting, maintenance, SEO and security nearly double the bill in year one. In 2026 in Toronto, a B2B site quoted at 11,000 CAD to build actually costs ~25,000 CAD in year 1 all-in. Think in 3-year TCO: the equivalent monthly cost then drops to around 1,150 CAD, which changes the decision.
Year-1 TCO line by line
A CFO does not sign on the build quote alone: they demand total cost of ownership. Here is the typical breakdown.
| Line item | Year-1 cost (CAD) | Nature |
|---|---|---|
| Site build | 11,000 | One-off |
| Domain + SSL | 180 | Recurring |
| Managed hosting | 850 | Recurring |
| Maintenance | 5,000 | Recurring |
| SEO (retainer) | 8,400 | Recurring |
| Year-1 total | ~25,430 | — |
The build therefore weighs only 43 % of year-one real cost: everything else is recurring spend that keeps the asset alive.
The 3-year amortization
Spreading the investment over the site's life (3-4 years) reveals the true cost of ownership. The one-off build amortizes; the recurring stays stable.
| Year | Build | Recurring | Annual total | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 11,000 | 14,430 | 25,430 | 25,430 |
| Year 2 | 0 | 14,430 | 14,430 | 39,860 |
| Year 3 | 0 | 14,430 | 14,430 | 54,290 |
Over 3 years the total reaches ~54,290 CAD, about 1,510 CAD/month equivalent — a large share being SEO, which itself generates revenue.
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Mini case study
David, CFO of an industrial SME in Toronto, receives an 11,000 CAD build quote and approves it without reviewing recurring costs. By year-end the real bill hits 25,400 CAD: he had not budgeted maintenance or SEO. Redoing the exercise as 3-year TCO, he finds the site costs 1,510 CAD/month but SEO generates 6 leads/month at 2,000 CAD of value: the channel pays off by month 4. He rebudgets cleanly and negotiates a maintenance + SEO bundle at 1,100 CAD/month, saving 3,300 CAD in year 2.
FAQ
Why isn't the build quote enough? Because it ignores hosting, maintenance, SEO and security, which are 57 % of year-one cost. Signing on the build quote alone guarantees an unplanned budget overrun.
Is maintenance really mandatory? Yes for a professional site. Without security updates and fixes, a site degrades and becomes vulnerable within 12-18 months. Budget 400 CAD/month for serious maintenance.
Should SEO be in the year-1 budget? If organic acquisition matters, yes: 700-1,100 CAD/month retainer. It is the line that generates revenue, not dead cost; judge it by ROI, not price.
How do I present this cost to leadership? As 3-year TCO and equivalent monthly cost. A site at 54,290 CAD over 3 years reads better at 1,510 CAD/month, especially against generated pipeline.
Can I cut TCO without hurting quality? Yes, by bundling maintenance and SEO with one vendor and matching hosting to real traffic. You often save 15-20 % on recurring with no loss of service.
Let's scope your project. Give us your scope and acquisition goals: we price the full year-1 TCO and equivalent monthly cost, no hidden line items. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
