Rather than charge an hourly rate, we generally charge a flat fee to design a layout template, and then charge for content separately. These costs are based on the specific needs of your site, and is negotiated during the discussion process during which we determine exactly how you want your site to look.

What does ‘template’ mean?

It means creating the look and layout of the site. The template includes the graphics, navigation, colors, fonts, etc. The template is basically one page of the website, with functional menus, the visual interface completed, but with no actual content on the page. If you are looking for a one-page site (essentially like an online single-page brochure) then the template fee would include putting the content that you provide into the template. Beyond one page, we charge for content a few different ways.

How is content charged?

The best option is to use a content management system that allows you to add, edit, and update your own content from your browser. This is easy to do and the $250 fee to set up this software and adapt your template to work with it includes teaching you the basics of how to use it.

If you prefer to have all of your pages created individually, the pricing is on a flat fee-per-page basis which would be determined based on the complexity of your template. For an additional fee we can create pages which have specific content layout requirements that don’t simply follow the template. The following exceptions apply:

• FREE: Script response pages (e.g. a “thank you” page that is returned after submitting an email form)
• FREE: Simple pop-up windows (no, not ads. There are many legitimate uses for having a page open in a small extra window, such as zoomed images, “more information” links, etc.)
• Additional charges apply for especially complex pages and for scripting implementations. Some examples of these would be guestbooks, message boards, dynamic image galleries and other services. The client is responsible for any licensing fees for scripts or programs that are included in the site.

The complexity of the site determines the price. We try to give accurate prices up front by discussing in detail beforehand what is needed. Only in extreme situations will we adjust the price after we’ve begun working on a site. It is our policy to deliver a site that the client likes, no matter how many times we need to change things. This is one of the reasons that we don’t believe in charging by the hour for site design. Hourly billing encourages two things: it encourages the designer to make more drafts and changes than needed, in order to bill more hours, and it encourages the client to approve the site quickly, compromising when perhaps they really wanted a few more things changed.

Updating

Nearly every website needs to be updated. There are three ways that we provide updating:

• Do-It-Yourself. I can install back-end management tools that will allow the client to edit areas of the site on their own through a browser interface. The fee for this is $250 and includes showing you how to update the content on your site. This is generally the best option as it gives you the most control and ends up costing the least over time.
• Per occurrence. This option is good for sites that don’t need updating very often. The fee is $25 per page for updates and modifications.
• Monthly. On a client by client basis I can work out a monthly fee which covers any updates or modifications that are needed for that time period. Six month minimum contract.

Payment

Payment can be made via check or money order, or by credit card or online check using PayPal. We request half up front, with the remainder due when the project is completed.

• These fees do NOT include custom animation, Real Audio or Real Video encoding, creation of MPEG or AVI files, WAV files, MP3 files, or other multimedia content, These can be provided by the client, or some may be created at an extra charge. Additionally, we will not write the actual content text for your site, though we try our best to proofread your text and offer suggestions or correct mistakes.