Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does it Cost to Make a Web Site?

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There are several variables that make it very difficult to answer this question until some investigation is done to reveal all of the requirements. It is very common for a customer to give other Web sites as examples and ask for a quote based upon that. This is a great start, and the examples can be very helpful, but there are usually more options available than people realize. Once the analysis is complete it is often surprising as to how many decisions need to be made for a quality Web site, whether the Web site is simple or complex.

Charging by the Page

Charging a flat rate per page is going to be a good deal for either the Web designer/developer or the customer. The amount of preparation done by the customer greatly affects the amount of time it takes to create a page. If no preparation is done, the Web designer/developer has to ask many questions to gather information and make decisions as to the best way to organize and present the information on the page. The more creativity required by the Web designer/developer, the more time that is required to put the page together. On the other hand, if the information is put together in a document and the information simply needs to be applied by some manner of copy and paste, the Web page can be created much faster. The amount of time can be as much as three or more hours or as little as ten minutes. Charging by the page is somewhat of an amateur approach to Web site design/development.

Charging by the Hour

Charging by the hour can be a little scary for a customer who is not familiar with the Web designer/developer. No one wants to get ripped off, yet they want the best looking Web site possible with the greatest features, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and a nice user-friendly format organized in an intuitive manner. If an experienced Web designer/developer with good references is doing the job, you should be able to get a pretty good time estimate. The time estimates should contain some conditions, stating something like the work can be done in 'x' amount of time if certain information 'y' is provided. Then if the information is not complete, or needs to be modified, then additional time is required and it should be understood that the extra time increases the cost accordingly. If the Web designer/developer is required to work with outside vendors, this may introduce additional time for matching up to their schema or getting the necessary information for connections, testing, etc. A new Web site can be made in as little as four hours or as much as several hundred hours. Charging by the hour is how most professional Web design/development companies will charge.

Variables to Consider When Making a Web Site

Here are some things to consider when determining how the Web site will work. The more information provided by the customer, the easier it is for the Web designer/developer. The easier it is for the Web designer/developer, the less it should cost.

  • Is the page structure determined? Page names laid out in an outline fashion is a great way to see the layout of main pages and their sub-pages.
  • Which pages are informational pages? Which pages contain forms? Informational pages primarily contain paragraphs of text, images, and links to other pages or external Web sites. Forms are primarily for visitors to enter information into fields and submit their information.
  • Which fields are needed for each form? What kind of information will each field contain (Email address, plain text, number, pick a choice from an option list, choose from a group of radio buttons, etc)? Which fields are required to be filled in? Which fields are OK to leave blank? Which fields need to validated for correct information?
  • Which forms send Emails containing the entered information? Which forms send information to a database?
  • If forms send information to a database, is the database going to reside on the Web server or is it going to write to a pre-existing database in a different location?
  • Are any forms going to be needed for adding/editing/deleting data sent to the database? Are any reports going to be needed?

If you have any questions regarding the cost for your Web site please contact us to schedule a free consultation. We can help get all of this information together and give expert advice. We will be happy to help you determine the best way to reach your online goals and give you an estimate for making your new Web site.

 
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