How much to charge to create a site?

I have the opprotunity to do a bit of website creation for a company, and have no idea how much to charge.

The site is a fairly simple site for a company who sell handmade furniture. The site would be about 12 pages or so, and would show various examples of the different furniture, and contact details etc. Nothing complicated, could all be static html, with no database backend.

Should perhaps say that it would be a complete overhall of an existing site, so the content is all done, and pictures available etc. The work would be designing the site in PS, then creating the code, and copying the old content over.

A few hundred dollars? A thousand?

I did this once for my brother-in-law's father's company. Nothing major just a 15 page site that needed an up to date design, he was a friend so I did it for what he could afford, $300. I'm sure that's cheaper then what a web design company would charge and it took me less then a full day to complete.

I have no idea the going rate for this type of work but I'd assume you would be able to get at least $300 - $500 for the job, and for a days work, thats not too shabby.

Shhhhh. Not supposed to talk about such things ;)

Think hourly wage.

Hehe :)

Hourly wage was what we went on, so I guess it should be about right :) We went with £300 or about $540.

I would just say whatever you feel like your time is worth. There is a lot of discussion on this topic at other forums. It's one of those things where you charge to low and the client may start to wonder if they are going to "get what they pay for" as the saying goes. In a sense, sometimes clients want to hear a high figure to kinda reassure them they are getting a good product, if that makes any sense at all. lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by deronsizemore

In a sense, sometimes clients want to hear a high figure to kinda reassure them they are getting a good product, if that makes any sense at all.

---

Yes, totally. I was wondering whether ~$550 was a bit low, but should be ok.

Remember to get a contract.

Thanks, will do.

If you don't know them, or haven't wored for them before I'd try to go for between 25% - 50% upfront (I go for 50%).

You should also spell out in the contract that it includes delivery of the agreed upon features only and not free updates and additions for eternity. You'd be surprised what some people expect. :rolleyes: It's best to make sure that both you and the client have the same idea of what will be done before you start the job.

On the other hand, if you spell out in your agreement that you're available to update the content, pictures, etc for an hourly rate then you may be set up with some good residual income.

I have several local businesses who regularly email me text or MS Word files of newly rewritten content for their websites. They're happy to pay for the updates in order to avoid the possibility of messing things up by trying to edit the site themselves.

Yes, I had been thinking about future updates - as you say it would definitely be essential to sort this out and write it down before payment is made.

Agua, I will go for 50% :)

I'm not so sure it is important to get money up front. Certainly in the UK almost all business transactions operate in credit. That is to say, a job is done, signed off. An invoice is raised. That invoice will say on it "To be settled in 28 days" or "To be settled in 14 days".

I think that is the norm. It is certainly what we've done for 6 years now, and what I know other web/graphic agencies do. The way I always look at it is, clients don't know you, just as you don't know your client. Why should they trust you with their money.

The only exception to this rule is in the past we've worked with filmworks companies. For some reason that trade often seems to expect a 1/3rd 1/3rd 1/3rd schedule of payments. That is : chunk one on commissioning, chunk two on completion, then the final third on 30 day terms after the completion. They invoice their client on that basis too, so the money staircases down the tree.

If you can get away with grabbing money in advance, COOL, but I think there are a lot of businesses who would say "on your bike mate". The traditional argument to what I've just said is "ah but if I get a builder in to build a wall, he expects to be paid partly in advance"...

Builders often ask for material costs up front - and people expect to pay that. Because they can see bricks and mortar for their money. Where there is nothing tangible... I think people are a lot less sure. Play it by ear - of course if you can get money up front, fantastic. But don't scare off a potentially good client who will pay in reasonable time just to satisfy a needless (and potentially incorrect) distrust!

Just my 2p!

A

nm... I used to work in the UK and always asked for a percentage up front... even when I was a designing for print. From memory, most, if no all of the printers I used also asked for a percentage upfront.

I've used this method for 10 years in total, 6 of those for web design, and have never had a complaint or non payment.

Always state you do charge up front though, don't just send an invoice - that is potentially damaging :)

Its kind of a friend of a friend type thing, so I'm sure it will be alright. I'll raise the issue of when payment will be made, and go with whatever he is happy with. We don't really need payment upfront, as Aj8 says, we don't need materials or anything.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by agua

nm... I used to work in the UK and always asked for a percentage up front... even when I was a designing for print. From memory, most, if no all of the printers I used also asked for a percentage upfront.

I've used this method for 10 years in total, 6 of those for web design, and have never had a complaint or non payment.

Always state you do charge up front though, don't just send an invoice - that is potentially damaging :)

---

Yep - and printers have material costs (i.e. paper and ink)! So it's reasonable for them to ask for something in advance [although again, my experience is that printers don't normally get anything up front from design companies.. in fact the advertising/design for print/print industry is rife with debt and late payments!].

As I say, it depends wholly on the circumstances, but I do not think it is usual for web development companies or sole contractors to be paid anything in advance. If you can get it, cool! It's better in your account than theirs!

A.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by r2d2

Its kind of a friend of a friend type thing, so I'm sure it will be alright. I'll raise the issue of when payment will be made, and go with whatever he is happy with. We don't really need payment upfront, as Aj8 says, we don't need materials or anything.

---

On a little tangent for a moment, money up front or no money up front, it goes without saying you must be very clear about costs from the outset. No need for signatures [imho] but make sure you email a quote, and get a 'quote approved - go go go' type reply from the client. That way everything is clear for both sides.

A

If I know the client I won't require money up front. I've actually had people give me the full payment upfront even without even asking.

If you don't want any money upfront, then upload the site to a different server (like a subdomain on your design site.) Show it to the client. Once they pay in full, upload it to their server.

Cheers guys, we have a quote agreed now, and the go ahead. Done via email, so that should be cool, thanks for the tip Aj8.

Thats a good idea Cutter, I shall develop on my hosting so he can see how it comes out etc.

I would say get paid half of the amount upfront and get the other half on submission of the files. Some people change their minds half way through the process of design.. others just get fussy and start changing loads of things. This way you can highlight, that the price will get higher if they change loads of fundimental things of the design.

Good luck