Costs

Web design costs are dependent on how many hours are spent working on a design and how many times the client asks for changes to it.      An estimate for a job can only be based on the information made available at the time.   A quote can not be given on an unknown quantity of work.   If requirements or the information provided change, costs will be reviewed with the client.

Graphic design and web site design are separate services.  For example, designing a new logo for your company is not included as part of a web site design package.  What services are needed will be decided after a consultation, and included in the estimate.

Knowing your budget allows the me to establish what you will be able to realistically achieve for the money, and to perhaps suggest a range of options.

Domain and Hosting

On top of the fees to design a site, you will also need to purchase web hosting and a domain. The web host is where your page is stored on a server, and the domain name is your site’s address (www.domain.com). It’s important that you use a reliable host because you don’t want your site to be down at anytime. Cheap hosting means poor service in a lot of cases. Hosting is not something you want to cut corners on. I do not offer hosting, but I know hosts I can recommend and have used for other clients.

Domain names are a standard fee per year, and you purchase from the host, who purchases them from a registrar. Beware of places offering cheap domain names because in a lot of cases they are ‘renting’ the domains and you won’t actually have ownership of the domain. This can lead to trouble down the road. Again, it’s not something you want to cut corners on.

Preparation

Preparation is key when planning a web site for both the client and the designer.  The designer can only work with the information provided.  If it is not prepared properly, or is constantly changing, you are adding to the cost of your project.

Keep a few things in mind when preparing/planning your site.

• Your website should be an extension of your business, and not just a random brochure.
• Your website needs to have a purpose – be it to generate a sale, a lead, or just a contact.
• Your website should be usable and functional – keep the customer in mind as well as your own needs/tastes.

What are your Goals?

Whether it’s a print campaign, posters for a conference stall or a multimedia presentation, every design job involves a goal to be fulfilled. It’s good for the client to think through precisely what that goal is when preparing to meet with the designer. Equally, it’s important for the designer to ask questions about the client’s objectives, because the designer’s job is primarily about meeting the client’s needs.

Materials The Client Is Responsible For

If you or your business/company already have a corporate image that uses a set of colours, fonts, and logos have them available in file form. If all you can provide is a poorly printed letterhead of your logo it will add a lot of time to the job trying to clean it up, or in some cases completely rebuilding it, to make it usable for print/web.

Any text, photographs, illustrations or other material provided by the client should be given to the designer before work commences. It can be a drain on time and resources if a designer is left waiting for these things halfway through a project. All materials provided by the client should be in their final form with no future revisions necessary. Any changes which have to be made after the design work has been done will cost time and money.

Text or ‘copy’ should be provided in an electronic format.  For example, a Word processing document.  To cut costs, be sure the documents have been proof read, spell checked, and organized.  If this is done properly, it will cut time off the design process.  Text varies by client, but includes bios, missions statements, product information, services information etc.

Images/photos/logos should be provided in the highest quality format available.    The more time the designer has to spend working with the supplied graphics, the higher the project cost will be.  Photos should be provided in a high resolution.  Logos should be provided in a high resolution, and preferably in a vector (.eps) format.

Other tips

Have you seen other web sites you like, or have an idea of how you would like the site setup already?  If so provide some sample sites, or even draw a diagram.  Any preparation like this cuts down on design time.

Conclusion

These are a few tips that can help save both time and money when you are getting design work done. Preparation is basically the key. We can work together to come up with a design that makes you happy, but having the basic information before hand can cut a lot of the time off that process. Hopefully this article has been helpful.

If you’re just starting your business, or already running a small business, hiring a professional web design company may seem unnecessary, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Please take the time to read the following article.

What are ‘hosting’ and ‘domain names’?

On top of the fees to design a site, you will also need to purchase web hosting and a domain. The web host is where your page is stored on a server, and the domain name is your site’s address (www.domain.com). It’s important that you use a reliable host because you don’t want your site to be down at any time. Cheap hosting means poor service in a lot of cases, so you need to be cautious choosing a host.

Domain names are a standard fee per year, and you purchase from the host, who purchases them from a registrar. The fees generally run about $20-25 a month, but are included in some hosting companies hosting packages.

If you do not have hosting or a domain name, I work closely with a reliable local company that offers hosting and domain registry services. They also offer domain transfer services if you are not happy with your current host.

How much will design work cost?

There are many factors that affect the final cost of your web site. They range from the size of the site, to the amount of graphics work required. Web design costs are dependent on how many hours are spent working on a design and how many times the client asks for changes to it. An estimate for a job can only be based on the information made available at the time. A quote can not be given on an unknown quantity of work.  So a proper consultation, and preparation are key factors.

Graphic design and web site design are separate services. For example, designing a new logo for your company is not included as part of a web site design package. What services are needed will be decided after a consultation, and included in the estimate.

The best way to cut down the costs of your design job is to be well prepared.

How long does it take to have a web site designed?

The time frame is determined by the size of your web site, the complexity of your site design, the content provided, and my current client design schedule. The most common delay in the creation and completion of a new website is waiting for content (text/images) to be sent to us by the client. So again, preparation is a key factor.

Do you redesign existing websites?

I can redesign, retaining your company corporate style or I can redesign to give you a complete new image.

If you have any questions not covered here, or require more information, feel free to contact me.

A postcard design for Visionscape Landscaping, who are located in the Hockley Valley area

Am Braigh Farm Web SIte

Book Style Restaurant Dessert Menu Design

Book Style Restaurant Dessert Menu Design

Tent Style Restaurant Menu

Robin's Catering Postcard

Jennifer Durocher RMT Business Cards

Jelly Craft Bakery Brochure

Mochaberry Coffee and Co Ltd. Web Site

Jelly Craft Bakery Web Site