Is There Such Thing as Affordable Web Design?

Affordable web site design is somewhat of a dying market. There are millions of small businesses that require a web site and would benefit greatly by a professionally designed site. However, these people are left with few options. They are conscious of their costs and don't want to spend thousands of dollars to a traditional web design company, but also expect more than what the 'build-it-yourself' template providers can offer. They exist in this limbo state, and typically, this leads to no web site at all. With new options arising on the market to get a custom web site designed by professional designers and copywriters, the number of businesses in this limbo state will decrease and more businesses will have the opportunity to launch a web site for their business. What does everyone think about the current options to get a web site and the quality you experienced with your design firm if you had a site built in the past?