What does "web designer" really mean?

[aj_nsc]

I'm about to embark on my first contract. I am quite knolwedgeable in the area of design and can come up with nice CSS-based layouts which work cross-browser and can both XHTML and CSS can be validated without a problem. In other words I think I'm a pretty good designer, but how far does this extend?

I would like to offer my client a choice of what he wants me to do depending on how much of a stickler he wants to be with $$$. I have said this is my first contract so I know the the price tag I am putting on developing this website is extraordinarily cheap, but I'm not going to charge a lot when I have no references/real portfolio.

Ok, the point is I would like to offer the client my website design (+ all content etc) for $xxx.xx. Basically, what i will do here is design and build the site and hand him all the files that I've created and say so long if he wants to take care of the hosting on his own. If he chooses to allow me to take care of the hosting, I'll add the cost of the host I will use plus a little pocket money for myself and this means I will upload all the files, make sure everything is working online and properly, and then say so long. Maintenance (everything short of a re-design) will cost extra (I will charge per year) and if he decides to pay me fore this, then I will take care of his website for one year fully, all he has to do is tell me when he wants a picture to be added/description to be updated.

Is this a good or bad way to go about it? Can I leave the client 'out to dry' if he decides he will take care of his own hosting and maintenance (there's no way he will be able to do this properly)? Does anybody who has been doing this for a while have any opinons/suggestions?

Thanks

[KDLA]

My clients use separate hosting because I choose not to do it myself. I actually like it that way, because I don't like being available 24 hours a day for support.

As to maintenance, if you set them up with a CMS, then it isn't a problem. If you're talking about them going in and writing in HTML code, they'll never do it. (Mine don't even like using the CMS.)

If you do the maintenance, I suggest an hourly wage. It's more appealing to the client because the payment is on an "as needed" basis. Also, it protects you from having to do tons of stuff for a small fee.

KDLA

[aj_nsc]

Thanks for the response KDLA

As regards with hosting, by them going through me, I don't host the website, I just set them up with a company I know very well and I can trust.

As for creating a CMS, I am more into building CMS' that are custom to the websites I design, which, I have done before, however they require quite a bit of work on my part and will thus drive the price up A LOT.

The hourly wage is probably a good idea rather than the yearly wage, I'm sure I could potentially end up working for pennies an hour if I give them a yearly rate and they get me to constantly make little changes.

Thanks again.