Ten Thoughts on Creating a Website: 2. What’s The Going Rate?
Some developers operate on an hourly rate and estimate project totals based on the number of hours involved. Others provide an overall bid. Either way, make sure you understand what you are paying for. When you say that you want a photo slideshow of your facility, how many photos do you want to show? What size? How do you want the slideshow to play, straight through like a movie or with buttons the user clicks to proceed? Getting these details in writing is important to winding up with what you want at the agreed upon price.
From what I’ve seen, the hourly rate for web design varies widely based on experience. With 10 years in the industry my hourly rate is $60. I have spoken to folks who charge $30 but outsource their coding to India. I have also talked with studios who charge $175/hr but offer services including php or asp.net programming and other specialties. Expect to pay more for an experienced developer but keep in mind that this should save time in the long run as these providers should offer support, reliability, and high quality work. Understand that you may need a few different technologies. A site can be built in html or css and then have some Flash animation, a database, some forms, etc. Be aware that while web design costs one rate, specialty animation, video, and database integration can cost a different rate. Again, an itemized estimate is key to understanding what you are getting and at what price.
If you are willing to be patient and understanding to save some money, hire a student! I am grateful to my friends and first clients who hired me while I was learning. Students are often willing to work at a discount to gain experience. If you can weather a bumpy or slow development process, it’s a way to save money.
