Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- How long does it take to complete a website?
- That depends on the size of the project, but most of my fully-customized websites are completed within 30 to 40 hours — usually 2-3 days for the design 1-2 days for development, and 1 additional day for testing it and to make any final modifications.
- How much does a website cost?
- That’s a little like asking how much it costs to build a house — it depends on what you want. A 10,000 sq. ft. luxury home will be more expensive than a 800 sq. ft. bungalow. The cost of a website depends on many factors, including the number of pages, the complexity of the site, if there’s any specialized programming involved, the amount of time spent on the design (number of samples presented and the number of revisions based on the client’s feedback).
- Well, what’s the average cost for a medium-sized custom website?
- My fees for a fully customized, kick-butt, tricked-out website start at $1500 and may go as high as $3500 — occasionally (but rarely) more than that. The average cost is between $2000 and $2750.
- That’s a little more than I can spend. Is there anything we can do to lower the fee?
- NO! Just kidding. Sure, I’m flexible (kind of have to be in this economy, right?). What adds a lot of time to projects is the back-and-forth stuff. To keep the site fee within budget, I need to have all the specifications written up and signed off by the client before beginning the project, with no deviation from those specs. Also, limiting the number of design samples and revisions reduces the cost quite a bit. More samples, more revisions, means more time spent on the project which results in a higher price tag.
- Is the fee a set price, or do you charge hourly?
- The fee I quote is always a set price, but I make it clear that, as much as possible, I need to have a full understanding of every aspect of the project and all your requirements, and the client must sign off on them before the project begins. When giving a client an estimate I do take into account that there will of course be some extra time for minor corrections and tweaks, but if in the middle you tell me, “By the way, I need this added and this changed…”, I’m unfortunately going to have to charge you for the extra time. It’s just too difficult to hit a moving target, which is why I specify very explicitly in my contracts that everything that the client signs off on is fixed, and any and all significant changes, additions or revisions have to be taken care of after the site has been completed and at an additional fee.
- Don’t you think that’s a little hard-nosed? This other web developer told me I could have unlimited changes and revisions.
- Design companies and freelancers that offer unlimited revisions, and don’t specify precisely what their clients will and will not receive for their money, eventually go out of business or die young from the stress. Frankly, I don’t want to do either of those things. Not that I wish to be inflexible, but I’m the Web professional and my clients need to trust that I know what I’m doing, and let me do it. You don’t stand over the guy remodeling your kitchen and tell him to change things as he’s working, do you? Think of me as a good, professional contractor — a craftsman, if you would — and let me do what’s best for you, my valued client.
- Do you charge an additional fee for search engine optimization?
- I optimize my clients’ sites to the very best of my ability as part of its initial development. I also submit your new website to all of the major search engines right after it’s launched, and I don’t charge an added fee for that either. However, if you require ongoing search engine optimization and marketing, that’s a service that I’ll happily provide for you if you wish.
- Do you guarantee search engine results?
- If you mean do I guarantee that you’ll be on the first page of Google, Yahoo, and Bing, or that your site will rank in the top 5 for a specific keyphrase or keyword, the answer is NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT! And any company that does is full of it. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a little like the lottery: you have to be in it to win it. And most companies aren’t in it at all, meaning that their sites aren’t optimized even a little bit and thus they have little to no chance of getting found on the search engines. I can optimize your site and probably get you a good SE position — likely a very good position. I’ve been quite successful at this, in fact. But I can’t make guarantees because there are just too many factors and variables. Please see my SEO page in the ‘Services’ section of this site to learn more.
- You sound very honest to the point of being blunt. Aren’t you worried that you’ll lose sales that way?
- Don’t care. I’m a scrupulously honest individual and I’d rather tell you how it is and risk losing the sale then to B-S you and then have you later discover that I was lying. There are too many of those types of people in this industry, and in the business world in general.
- What happens to my website if you disappear, go out of business, get hit by a bus, or I don’t want to work with you any longer?
- I hope none of those things happen, but when the project is completed I’ll give you all of your website files — the original, editable Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator files, HTML pages, CSS and JavaScript files, a back-up of your database, everything – on a CD when the project is completed. That way, you’ll have all the materials needed to bring to another web designer or company, and they can restore or edit your site.
- Do you do print design as well?
- Carlson Web Design does, but personally, I do not (i.e., print design is one of those few tasks that I outsource). I work with an extremely talented print designer and illustrator who sometimes does logo work for me, as well as brochures, letterhead, business cards, etc. I feel strongly that a company needs to establish a recognizable brand, and your branding should be consistent across all of your print materials as well as your website.
- Do you provide web hosting?
- I offer web hosting through a reseller account that I have with a major company. I’ve been working with this company for almost ten years and have found them to be exceptionally reliable with excellent support and very reasonable prices. Also, I do not mark up the hosting fee over and above what the parent company charges. The main reason that I offer web hosting is: 1) it’s often expected when you’re in this business; and 2) it makes my life a lot easier if I have my clients’ sites under one umbrella. That way I can administer everything much more easily, and I don’t have to learn the ins-and-outs of an array of different hosting companies. Basically, offering hosting is about expediency more than it is a means to make money. As such, I encourage my customers to sign up for their hosting through my company as often as possible. However, it isn’t a requirement.
- Why do you believe my business should spend money on a professionally designed website? Can’t I just use one of those cheap do-it-yourself website templates?
- Your website is often the first contact a prospective customer or client has with your business, so it’s crucial that your site conveys a positive image of your company and visitors have a great experience. Having an outstanding website is part of your professional image too, like having a nicely furnished office and dressing well when you meet with your clients. An amateurish or dated website makes your business appear unprofessional, and in today’s fiercely competitive economy you simply cannot afford to have sub-par Web presence. Using a free or inexpensive template is okay if you have a very limited budget, but it’s a less flexible solution, and you might be one of many businesses using that same template theme. Your site should be specifically tailored to your company, be consistent with your branding, and accurately convey your message.
- What do you need from me to start building my website?
- I need to have a thorough understand of your website’s structure, information flow, major sections and their sub-sections (if any), the overall message that you want to get convey, and the target audience you want to reach. Also any design preferences you might have, other sites in your industry (or even outside your industry) that you admire, and additional materials that need to be included such as logos, photos, images, content. If you already have a company color scheme and logo, I’ll integrate them into your site so that it’s consistent with your overall look/branding. I’ll also need you to sign off on the contract that states the scope of work, and I typically require a deposit of 30%-50% of the total fee at the outset of the project.
- What if I don’t have the copy/wording for the site completed when you’ve finished designing my website?
- When I’m done creating your website, the project is finished regardless of whether you have all your text/copy written. Sorry, but if I had to wait for my clients to finish writing the content for their own site then I’d never get paid. I absolutely will enter all that content for you just as soon as you have it completed though, and I’ll also give you the ability to add, delete, and modify your content (text, photos, media files) through the WordPress content publishing system that I include with every website that I build.
- Do you provide copy writing services?
- I occasionally do, but it’s often difficult for me to write about your company and that’s normally something that the client does for herself. If you do need copy writing assistance, we would need to schedule time together so I can learn about the specifics of your product or service offerings, your company’s history, mission, etc. Once that information is gathered I’ll write it up and present it for your review and feedback. Copy writing is not something that I do by default as part of the development of your website, but I can provide this an added service and a separate engagement.
- I’d really like to work with you, but my budget is very limited. Do you offer any type of discount web design at all?
- I realize that there are many small businesses and individual solopreneurs that simply don’t have a couple of thousand dollars or more for a top-of-the-line website. Being a one-man show myself, I can empathize with your situation. What I can do for such individuals and companies is offer you a “prefabricated” design. I’d set up your database, upload your pre-made WordPress theme, add in your logo (if you have one) and upload and set up any required plug-ins. I’d also get the site optimized properly for the search engines.
I can do all this for $497. What I can’t do is spend long hours on design, customized functionality and programming. For this price, I’d need to have the site finished in one day, but you’d at least have a solid, well-constructed and search engine optimized website that you can later build on as your business grows and as your budget allows. If you’re interested, you can read more about my budget web design offering in the Services section.