Web Design/Development pricing

[kb1987]

Greetings

I would like to touch on a hot topic, that I feel is very relevant at this stage of my learning/career. What would be the correct pricing to charge a client for Web Design? I see some really really low prices and then there are some pretty high costs.

I am targeting small business owners so they do have funds available, but maybe not as much as one would hope ( or maybe I'm looking at it wrong???)

What would be the market value for 5 page HTML sites or even 5 page Wordpress sites?

I dont want to be #ThatGuy that undercharges and sooner or later the whole market becomes over saturated. I also dont want to be the guy to charge too much and not deliver to expectation

I have basic web design and photography skills so that is a plus and I believe the work I put out there is of a good quality.

 

[Inathi]

Brilliant question KB1987. I too would love to know the 'sweet spot'.

 

[eternaloptimist]

Imagine you are in the market for a suit. You can go to Mr Price (for suit that looks like a million other ones and probably terrible material), go for something okish at Woolworths or maybe get a bespoke one.
Same applies. Go for cheap and look like this : http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php/806211-Every-Bootstrap-website-Ever

If you are going to sit down with a client and design something specifically for their business then you should charge what you want. This process is usually lengthy. UI, Wireframes, Logo e.t.c

 

[kb1987]

OMG!!! I used that exact theme for a new client of mine hahahahaha . . . . I changed the colours though ( at least )

 

[Zarkon]

I'm already seeing a problem here in your learning workflow. U started a thread recently were u wanted to start learning web development,so u are very new to it all,and now u are using templates and trying to make money as quick as possible.

Firstly,leave the templates alone for now. Do u know how to code the "click scroll" in javascript from scratch? If not,there is your first problem.

Secondly,do a couple of website for free,nothing fancy just plain and neat looking for organisations(non profit/small bussiness owners) that can benefit from a website.Helping them,helps u. Building a portfolio and expanding your knowledge in learning is key.

How well do u know javascript/jquery. Jquery will get u going on doing things fast,but knowing how to do it in javascript is a must as well. I'm also a newbie in this field,learning in my downtime,but i read a lot and take in and listen what the more experienced people say on forums and articles.

So scratch that template and design it from scratch.

 

[kb1987]

Excellent advice Gonzo . . . The template I designed was for the locksmith who helped me when car was broken into, so I use the term "Client" loosely. He didnt need anything fancy and still has to sign off the final revision.

I guess the temptation I face is . . . " If I can design it, surely I can make some spending money from it "

Javascript is definitely challenging, but exciting . . . . I got started on codewars and I find myself browsing Github more and more. Suddenly I find myself thinking in code all the time

The other day I was in a lift thinking about the way that I would code the program that knows when and where to stop the lift and which floors would take preference over the others.

 

[kb1987]

**On a completely different note, I recently installed XAMPP on my local network at home . . . and I am using that as my "Design Lab " . . . it is so cool being able to test what a layout looks like on a phone and tablet as well as a PC before deploying it to the Web

 

[netstrider]

**On a completely different note, I recently installed XAMPP on my local network at home . . . and I am using that as my "Design Lab " . . . it is so cool being able to test what a layout looks like on a phone and tablet as well as a PC before deploying it to the Web

It's a nice way to share files from your PC to your phone as well since you can just copy whatever you want to have on your phone to your www index and download it from your local server on your phone.

 

[rward]

Greetings

I would like to touch on a hot topic, that I feel is very relevant at this stage of my learning/career. What would be the correct pricing to charge a client for Web Design? I see some really really low prices and then there are some pretty high costs.

This is the "How long is a piece of string" question.

How much do you value your talents?
How good are you?
How much experience do you have?
What are you providing?


To be more specific:

What would be the market value for 5 page HTML sites or even 5 page Wordpress sites?

What do those 5 pages do?
What message is the client trying to provide?
What extra's are you providing them?
Are you setting them up an analytics account with automatic weekly reporting as well?
Do you have a monitoring solution that you're hooking them into so you/they know if their site goes offline for whatever reason?
Are you doing the updates for plugins that they may be using?
Is it based on a template or are you getting an artist in to provide some infographics?

Do you have a dedicated designer involved, someone that know's what font's to be using, what images to be placing, why the images are being used, what reaction they should provide and not just "Durpa, I used the picture of the pretty girl becasue it's pretty." but "This is an insurance website so I've used that image there because it makes the user feel safe. The background colour is associated with comfort and nurturing. The borders aren't aggressive, the user is feeling harmonious. We don't want them on our insurance selling site feeling aggressive."


Each project you do should be considered on it's own merit. You can't say "I'll do a 5 page wordpress site for R 15 000" because you don't know what functionality the client is looking for. You don't know what message they are trying to get across. You know nothing.
With experience you'll develop a "base price" where one day you may be able to say "I start a 5 page wordpress site from about R15 000" and then take it from there.



Anyone can kick out a 5 page wordpress site in a day for R2000 and say "Look, I'm a developer and designer" but it's not design or development, it's customising a template.

Last month I did a quote for a 5 page wordpress site was about R 45 000. I feel that my experience, my ability and what I offered the client justifies the amount.

If I get the job it would be great, if the client thinks that's too high then that's their problem.
I've grown in my life and I know what I am worth - I'm not going to sell myself short.

Find your value.

 

[rward]

Web design is another thing.

Do not put the 2 together.

Serious designers charge serious money for their designs. A 5 page wordpress site design can take 5 to 10 days to create.
R500/hour * 8 * 5 = R20 000 to R40 000

Again, it all depends on what the client requires, how serious they are and if their budget is as serious as they are.

(increase the R 500/hour to R800+ for more senior/talented designers)

 

[kb1987]

To be honest, it is easy to see how someone can be seduced by the figures out there and dream of being a millionaire in a year . . .

You know looking at what some people are charging out there, it can only be referred to as "Crackhead Prices" (lol!) .

For interest sake I contacted someone off gumtree and they mentioned R1000 for a 5 page Wordpress site. Now granted there may not be a high level of customisation, so it is so easy to see how the market can get over saturated with cheap designs and quick turnaround times.

Which begs me to ask the question. . . .

Do companies and businesses really fork out tens of thousands of rands for bespoke Web Designs/Development?

Or do you face a situation where you are constantly being outbid by someone offering "Crack Head " Prices.

 

[rward]

Do companies and businesses really fork out tens of thousands of rands for bespoke Web Designs/Development?

My experience is bigger businesses, companies that have been through this process before, companies involved in technology and companies in advertising are prepared to pay (R35k + on dev costs, no design).

The majority of other businesses think that a website costs under R 4 000 and pops out in a day or 2.

 

[mister]

The other day I was in a lift thinking about the way that I would code the program that knows when and where to stop the lift and which floors would take preference over the others.

Was the lift running javascript?

 

[[)roi(]]

Was the lift running javascript?

What would be an appropriate action for the lift when it's javascript object = undefined;
Deposit you in hell? right next to the cobol programmers

 

[[)roi(]]

My experience is bigger businesses, companies that have been through this process before, companies involved in technology and companies in advertising are prepared to pay (R35k + on dev costs, no design).

The majority of other businesses think that a website costs under R 4 000 and pops out in a day or 2.

Funny how many non programmers believe code self generates i.e. programmers are nothing but glorified typists. Pssst "typing pool" make me a website site that can sell X in your lunch break....

Guess even Michelangelo at some point in his career was compared to a stone mason........ How....ever... lets be honest some "programmers" qualify for this title.

 

[DJ...]

I guess the temptation I face is . . . " If I can design it, surely I can make some spending money from it "

1) Sounds like you manipulated a template, which is really not that tough, and does not make you a web designer.
2) You'll quickly find out that business relationships are predicated on setting the correct expectations from the outset, especially in your industry, and leads to a trust relationship which is important in your chosen line of future work. If you charge, the client will believe that he is obtaining the services of a professional. Face it - you're not a professional, and as anyone learning any new skill, industry, or career will tell you, you are going to bump your head while you learn and grow. All you're doing is setting yourself up to disappoint the "client" and make yourself look like a liar, and a conniving one at that. You have a choice to learn, build good relationships, and engender an honest mantra into your business principles. Or you can adopt your current stance, which reads as dishonest and of little positive benefit to anyone really...