Paying for web sight design

[arnettda]

Looking for any one who has paid for a web sight design. There are two companies I have found on the net, tekton and heritage web sight designs. Does anybody have anything good or bad to say about them. Or any other companies. I have checked locally but it is $1200 and seems high. The other companies were both around 500. Any other info on paying for your design would be great.
Thanks

 

[jmsbrush]

I just got a qoute and it was $3300

 

[HotConductor]

http://www.siteproplus.com/

They do a nice job and you can edit yourself after they're done. Here is a website they did for me:

http://www.mymbcottage.com/index.html

 

[Rewire]

We went local with our web designer who also takes care of all our IT problems.He took care of everything and having him local has been a plus when we had issues that needed addressed.I try to stay local as much as possible because local dollars makes cents.

 

[petersonra]

A few comments.

1. make absolutely sure that you have control of the web site. There are some very unethical web designers out there who once they have control of your URL and if you decide to change web designers, it can be very hard and expensive to get control of your web site back. THIS IS CRITICAL. THIS IS CRITICAL. (It was worth repeating). Any web guy who tells you otherwise, or tries to talk you into letting him register it in his name should be run away from as fast as possible. Do not even consider this arrangement.

2. most web designers are hacks. just a fact. and not even very good hacks at that.

3. take a look at web sites a prospective web guy has done. excessive use of distracting color, animation, and other unnecessary stuff is a good reason to go elsewhere.

4. chances are most of the cheaper stuff is going to be template based. nothing really wrong with that, and it may indeed make the most sense since it is likely to be a proven template. hacks will give you a song and dance about how they supply a custom solution, but almost all of them start with templates as well.

5. you absolutely must insist that your web designer supply you a backup copy of your web site. for small web sites that do not use php or database techniques, and are all straight HTML, you can back it up yourself from the Internet. most websites these days are database driven.

6. Local guys have the potential advantage of face to face if needed.

7. Where you physically host your web site is an important decision. A local guy with a hosting facility in an unused closet (this is very common) is a monumentally bad idea.

 

[wireguru]

have the web designer design your website only. Do not let them host it, and do not allow them access to your URL. I have seen time and time again, webdesigners have this habit of changing the contact info and password on your domain to themselves, then they either hold you hostage for $, or are long gone when it comes time to renew and you have a heck of a time getting your domain back.

 

[ohm]

http://www.siteproplus.com/

They do a nice job and you can edit yourself after they're done. Here is a website they did for me:

http://www.mymbcottage.com/index.html

Great job! any discounts for electricians?

 

[petersonra]

have the web designer design your website only. Do not let them host it, and do not allow them access to your URL. I have seen time and time again, webdesigners have this habit of changing the contact info and password on your domain to themselves, then they either hold you hostage for $, or are long gone when it comes time to renew and you have a heck of a time getting your domain back.

very, very common problems. it seems especially prevalent with guys working out of their home for some reason.

 

[mikeames]

Some of these posts are unfair and stereo typical. Just like most electricians are not hacks most real designers are not either. I have worked in that field and just like the electrical field the company is everything. If you go with a trunk slammer type designer expect the above. If you choose a professional expect fair value and results as you would with a professional electrician.

As like any field take time to understand what you are buying just as we like to work with customers who understand the logistics of our field. Do you want a content management system like Joomla, drupal, or django, or do you want a plain static site? Some may want more or less customization. Many good developers will host and maintain the site even though you have legal ownership of the domain and information.

Sometimes its upsetting that we don't view other fields or trades as we do our own.

 

[gar]

090305-1459 EST

arnettda:

First you need to define what you want the web site to do for you.

If you want to attract customers, then that is a difficult task, especially for your product (electrical contracting).

Try doing a Google search for words you think might attract customers to you. See what you get.

In my case if I use the two words --- rs232 problems ---, then I come in at about 50th out of 1,450,000 hits. If I use --- rs232 isolation ---, I am about 15th in 450,000 hits. For the words --- rs232 high baud rate --- I am 1st out of 521,000 hits. Change to --- rs232 noise problems ---, and the position is 3rd or 4th in 1,570,000 hits.

If you simply want to have a site that you can tell customers to visit for information, then your task is much easier. Now you do not care about search engine optimization.

If you desire a place where the customer can interact and place orders, then it is much more difficult and expensive.

Your goal for your site becomes your first task.

Always work toward fast loading and fitting on the screen. It is hard to maintain continuity scrolling sideways, vertical is no problem.

If you want the customer to print material from your site, then design with this as a goal.

.

 

[petersonra]

Some of these posts are unfair and stereo typical. Just like most electricians are not hacks most real designers are not either. I have worked in that field and just like the electrical field the company is everything. If you go with a trunk slammer type designer expect the above. If you choose a professional expect fair value and results as you would with a professional electrician.

As like any field take time to understand what you are buying just as we like to work with customers who understand the logistics of our field. Do you want a content management system like Joomla, drupal, or django, or do you want a plain static site? Some may want more or less customization. Many good developers will host and maintain the site even though you have legal ownership of the domain and information.

Sometimes its upsetting that we don't view other fields or trades as we do our own.

What part do you consider unfair and stereotypical? The lockout of URL access is, and continues to be a major problem for web site owners. A fair number of developers do it.

As for being hacks, the plain fact is many just are hacks. Look at the web sites they produce versus a good one. The hack sites are full of animation, and all kinds of other useless crap.

I agree you need to think long and hard about just what you want. no different than any other endeavor. But, it is your web site, not the developer's, and you should control and own it. And any developer who does not agree with that is someone you should not be doing business with at all.

developers that use terms like "content management" when referring to simple web sites like what a small contractor would want to have ought to be avoided like the plague as well.

 

[tonyou812]

A few comments.

1. make absolutely sure that you have control of the web site. There are some very unethical web designers out there who once they have control of your URL and if you decide to change web designers, it can be very hard and expensive to get control of your web site back. THIS IS CRITICAL. THIS IS CRITICAL. (It was worth repeating). Any web guy who tells you otherwise, or tries to talk you into letting him register it in his name should be run away from as fast as possible. Do not even consider this arrangement.

2. most web designers are hacks. just a fact. and not even very good hacks at that.

3. take a look at web sites a prospective web guy has done. excessive use of distracting color, animation, and other unnecessary stuff is a good reason to go elsewhere.

4. chances are most of the cheaper stuff is going to be template based. nothing really wrong with that, and it may indeed make the most sense since it is likely to be a proven template. hacks will give you a song and dance about how they supply a custom solution, but almost all of them start with templates as well.

5. you absolutely must insist that your web designer supply you a backup copy of your web site. for small web sites that do not use php or database techniques, and are all straight HTML, you can back it up yourself from the Internet. most websites these days are database driven.

6. Local guys have the potential advantage of face to face if needed.

7. Where you physically host your web site is an important decision. A local guy with a hosting facility in an unused closet (this is very common) is a monumentally bad idea.

Why is it bad for a web designer to start out on his own first? Whats wrong with a closet? I know someone personally that started this way and how he owns two very large data storage facilities.
But the rest of your post is right on the mark.

 

[mikeames]

What part do you consider unfair and stereotypical? The lockout of URL access is, and continues to be a major problem for web site owners. A fair number of developers do it.

As for being hacks, the plain fact is many just are hacks. Look at the web sites they produce versus a good one. The hack sites are full of animation, and all kinds of other useless crap.

I agree you need to think long and hard about just what you want. no different than any other endeavor. But, it is your web site, not the developer's, and you should control and own it. And any developer who does not agree with that is someone you should not be doing business with at all.

developers that use terms like "content management" when referring to simple web sites like what a small contractor would want to have ought to be avoided like the plague as well.

1st . I am not sure what you mean when you say "lockout of URL access"?

2nd. If you say many web developers are hacks then many electricians are hacks. This may be true but I tend to consider the hacks non professionals just as I would consider trunk slammer hacks non electricians.

3rd. The term "Content management" refers to a system that a simple web site (or complex) site would use to allow non experienced people to add, delete, and modify simple text, pictures and content. It is not a term used to woo people. Telling a person to avoid a developer who uses the term "content management system" is like telling someone to avoid an electrician who uses terms like breakers, and conduit. In fact you should ask for these since they afford the most flexability for the least cost not to mention validation and accessibility (sec504).

4th I have never seen or worked for a company who did not leaglly turn over 100% of the clients content. The only thing the developers have legal control over are the boxes that actually server your pages, and you want them to have that control that's why your paying them. If your provider refuses access and control of your box then your not paying for a full service host/ developer and that's something you should be aware of before hand. Go with a cheap $6 a month hosting plan and expecting root shell access, or dedicated cpu time and your dreaming.

 

[dbuckley]

The issue isn't just lockout - its copyright. If you pay someone to design a website, make sure your contract says that you own all the copyright vested in it. The commonly seen problem is that someone buys web design and hosting as a package, and then decide to move their hosting elsewhere, and then find they dont atually own the website so they can't move it elsewhere. So you can either pay the ransom (typically a few $000) or go to court to argue the toss...

The other thing that is really important is content. You have to write the text on the pages, and its helpful if you supply the pictures. A web designer cant "write" your website; only you the business owner can describe your business.

I host a few websites, and a friend of mine asked me to host and program a simple website (like the example above). A graphic design house did the logo, and another friend of hers decided the layout. She insisted on paying me the equivalent of $500 for the programming work, which is apparently the going rate over here...

 

[cowboyjwc]

I could give you my son in laws name or see if he was interested in making some extra money, not that he needs it. He was working for Fox Studios and doing design for American Idol and other shows web sights and he can do it all from here.

The moving part is true. When I was with the Little League we had to host through their people and pay their fees, even though we did all the design work. We could do things like change content and layout, but we couldn't add sponsers even though theirs were on on site. We then found out that we could do our own so my SIL bought the rights to SVLL.com. When we left the league, they found out my SIL owned their sight and domain name. Since he grew up in the field he wasn't about to just give it away though he did make them a good deal on it.

 

[TOOL_5150]

I just got a qoute and it was $3300

And to think, I used to design web sites for people for around $700 and they squacked at that price. I would laugh at $3300.


~Matt

 

[petersonra]

Why is it bad for a web designer to start out on his own first? Whats wrong with a closet? I know someone personally that started this way and how he owns two very large data storage facilities.
But the rest of your post is right on the mark.

do you really want your precious web site physically located in someone's closet in his spare bedroom? or worse yet in his basement?

not exactly the most secure of things.

you want a real data center, with multiple backup power systems, multiple high speed data lines, and a high level of physical security.

the data center in the closet may be good for the guy that owns it, but for the vast majority of web site owners it is a very bad idea.

I don't really much care if the web dsigner works out of his bathroom while sitting on the toilet. his physical location is not real important. the physical location of your web site is.

 

[petersonra]

1st . I am not sure what you mean when you say "lockout of URL access"?

Thats when a developer has control over the URL and refuses to turn it over to the actual owner. unscrupulous developers register the web site name in their own name rather than the owner's name, and use this as leverage against the owner if the owner wants to switch to a different hosting arrangement or developer. I am sort of surprised you have never heard of such a thing. it is a VERY common problem in the industry.

2nd. If you say many web developers are hacks then many electricians are hacks. This may be true but I tend to consider the hacks non professionals just as I would consider trunk slammer hacks non electricians.

I am sure there are some hack electricians too. the thing is there is a very low barrier to entry for web design. Just about anybody can set up shop and claim to be a web designer. And in fact, for simple web sites, it tends to be true. Unfortunately, some of these guys have gotten into some more involved sites and they are just bad.

3rd. The term "Content management" refers to a system that a simple web site (or complex) site would use to allow non experienced people to add, delete, and modify simple text, pictures and content. It is not a term used to woo people. Telling a person to avoid a developer who uses the term "content management system" is like telling someone to avoid an electrician who uses terms like breakers, and conduit. In fact you should ask for these since they afford the most flexability for the least cost not to mention validation and accessibility (sec504).

I am not arguing that its not a valid term. But throwing buzz words to baffle the end user is not a substitute for actual expertise and competence.

4th I have never seen or worked for a company who did not leaglly turn over 100% of the clients content.

I am amazed you have never heard of this. It is also a very common problem in the industry, especially with the one man band kind of shop.

The only thing the developers have legal control over are the boxes that actually server your pages, and you want them to have that control that's why your paying them.

Personally I think allowing the developer to have control over the hardware that runs your server is about as dumb a thing as you can do. its especially an issue if it is a one man shop and he gets run over by a truck. What do you do when the one guy that has control over your business dies and you have no access to your own web site anymore?

If your provider refuses access and control of your box then your not paying for a full service host/ developer and that's something you should be aware of before hand. Go with a cheap $6 a month hosting plan and expecting root shell access, or dedicated cpu time and your dreaming.

Big difference between provider of bandwidth, CPU time, nd storage space, and the developer that does the web design. there are very good reasons to separate them, especially if either is a one man type of shop.