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"How much does a website cost?" – a survey of web designers

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Re: "How much does a website cost?" – a survey of web designers

#41

Post by csomar »

bradleyland wrote: post #21

I know it's trite, but when people ask me, "How much would you charge me to build a website?" I always reply with something pithy like, "Between $100 and $100,000." What's more interesting are the responses. It's almost like a litmus test for who I'd actually want to work with. A person that I might actually want to work with will laugh and acknowledge that the question was ridiculously vague. A person that I don't w…

I don't agree. For the client, this might seem not serious.

How do you know the clients that you want to work for?

Get to know him. As simple as that. What's his business? can he afford your rates? Is he ready to pay that rate or does he see the value of your work?

And then ask for details. Give a reasonable estimate. Alert them that your hourly rate is $xxx and beyond the details specified in the estimate you'll charge more.

Re: "How much does a website cost?" – a survey of web designers

#42

Post by wetbrain »

reason wrote: post #34

What do you guys get out of your smart-ass answers to potential clients? You do know that they come to you because they know that you are the professionals. Many of them are completely clueless as to how pricing works for dev/design-work. Asking "how much do you charge?" is a perfectly reasonable question for someone understandably uninformed to ask. You may be skilled at your trade, but from the sounds of it, many o…

I think part of it is the cynicism that develops from bad clients. Some people don't understand that the designer is a professional. Designers just draw all day, and love what they do, so why would I pay big bucks for a website?

After all, my nephew does computers and I can have him make a website for cheap.

There's also the "Of course we want you to have creative control. We just want to be able to tell you how it looks, what colors to use, and what the tone is."

So, I'm not surprised with the responses here. It's the same one I'd have if someone tells me they want to make the next Facebook, only better. Compensation? I'll give a share when it gets big. Details? No, it's a secret...

Re: "How much does a website cost?" – a survey of web designers

#43

Post by hopeless »

To all those designers comparing their pricing to car sales, consider this: I can wander around a car sales lot and browse the cars and their prices. I don't have to invent a "car spec" or give you a budget, I can see for myself what I can afford. Unfortunately, web designers don't take this approach or else I could browse through example (or previous) sites with their price tags proudly attached. I could see how much $1000, or $3000 or $10,000 would buy me. Unless you want to go down this road, never respond to me "well, how much is a car?"

Re: "How much does a website cost?" – a survey of web designers

#44

Post by asto »

bradleyland wrote: post #21

I know it's trite, but when people ask me, "How much would you charge me to build a website?" I always reply with something pithy like, "Between $100 and $100,000." What's more interesting are the responses. It's almost like a litmus test for who I'd actually want to work with. A person that I might actually want to work with will laugh and acknowledge that the question was ridiculously vague. A person that I don't w…

I'm new to the freelancing business and that's a great tip!

Re: "How much does a website cost?" – a survey of web designers

#45

Post by schraeds »

reason wrote: post #34

What do you guys get out of your smart-ass answers to potential clients? You do know that they come to you because they know that you are the professionals. Many of them are completely clueless as to how pricing works for dev/design-work. Asking "how much do you charge?" is a perfectly reasonable question for someone understandably uninformed to ask. You may be skilled at your trade, but from the sounds of it, many o…

It's hard to imagine for most, but I think what is being displayed here is that experienced freelancers learn early on that not every project is a good fit. There are a lot of jokers out there, there are a lot of people who aren't ready to turn their ideas into a reality. To be successful as a freelancer, you have to sift through the sea of prospects to find the situations that are going to be mutually beneficial.

Re: "How much does a website cost?" – a survey of web designers

#46

Post by asto »

jurre wrote: post #18
wofser wrote: post #15

I always answers like this: "How much does a website cost?" "It depends". "Depends on what?" "A lot of things". I am a web developer, not a web designer.

I know that you're right and I know that it is the wrong question to ask, but answering it like that is what makes a lot of non-dev/designers dislike us. Maybe try helping them ask the right question by saying something like: "Well it depends on what you want, what kind of website are we talking about?". It might take a couple of minutes more to answer their question but it has a much higher chance of actually gettin…

But why do web developers and designers always get these kind of questions? One would hardly go into a shop selling watches and ask how much _a_ watch costs. Why then ask a vague question that just cannot be answered? I think giving an equally vague reply is fair.

Re: "How much does a website cost?" – a survey of web designers

#47

Post by namityadav »

gallerytungsten wrote: post #22

Whenever someone asks me this question, I ask them, "how much does a car cost?" Well, it depends on the car, they answer. Precisely. So do you want a used Honda, a new Corvette, a BMW, or a Rolls Royce?

But do you think there are many designers who think that they are anything less than a Rolls Royce? (Just like most programmers think that they are much better than average)

Re: "How much does a website cost?" – a survey of web designers

#49

Post by xorglorb »

mtogo wrote: post #33
sambeau wrote: post #26

When freelancing I tend to work a simple system. £250: An update to content - an evening or two's work. £500: A tiny static site with some original design. I then slide upwards for jobs I don't want and down for people I like. I've never gone above £5000 for a 'homer'. I also have a mate-rates scale that appears below this: Free: Family. Charities I like. Updates + tiny static. Bottle of Wine: As above but close fami…

Whoa dude, $392.10 for you to just change content on a site ? Set up a CMS and let the client change it themselves.

A CMS brings in additional complexity of updates and security breaches, which can cost much more than a $400 update fee a few times a year.

Re: "How much does a website cost?" – a survey of web designers

#50

Post by geuis »

I really take issue with this:

"All prices are for design only, i.e. they don’t include any sort of coding (no HTML, no CSS, no Javascript, no PHP, etc.)".

I'm sorry, but a design is only a tiny, tiny fraction of a website. Usually it's the most minor and inconsequential part. I've lost count of how many clients thought their apparently simple designs can built for a toothpick and olive.

Coding the HTML, CSS, javascript, and backend (app + database) can be freaking complex and is easily the most expensive part of a site.

This article is mis-titled, since design is the least important part of a site.

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