Web Design Prices/Contract?

[bash]

Does anyone have any ideas or templates on how a possible contract can be drawn up for a potential client to sign before a web design job is carried out?

Or what kind of prices can be charged and how a price list can be drawn up?

Hope someone can help?

Thank you.

[Cricket]

You can do some searches for pricing and print them out. Do the comparison thing if you want. I don't know how to write up a contract, but remember to set your limits. Explain specificially what you're going to do. That's all.

[Khalid Ali]

Cricket?????

do you play ??

[pyro]

Originally posted by Cricket
Explain specificially what you're going to do.I agree. Give them in writing what you'll do for them (be specific) and how much it's going to cost them.

[Aronya1]

Pricing is all over the map. There is no standard of any kind that I can point to. I've seen 3-page website design quoted for $1000. Others, for as little as $50 per page. You have to figure out how much work is going to be involved for you before you can begin to put a price on it.

Be aware (and do your best to make the client aware) that what they want & expect from the site is going to change, once you start in. In my experience, the client ALWAYS wants to make the site bigger and better than your original layout, so include situations like that in your proposal. Educate them at every step of the process on what their changes will require, and you will find it easier to get more money from them.

Get a non-refundable deposit up front. You do not want to put in a lot of time, energy and effort, just to have them tell you that they changed their minds, or have decided to wait.

As far as contract templates, I purchased Proposal Kit a few years ago. Based on what I received, I would say stay away from that particular product. Hard to use. Poorly documented.

Just my 2cts.

[James L.]

Here's what I do:

I meet with the client, for free of course, and have an initial consultation. During this I explain the way my design process goes VERY clearly. My basic rates (and keep in mind these are Canadian dollars), are:

Graphic / Flash design: $40 / hour.

Page design: $100 / page.

So, I will discuss with the client what they want as far as content goes. Let's say it is a retail business. They want a home page, about page, main product page, 7 actual product pages, an ordering/purchasing page, and a contact info page. I will lay out the site map with the number of pages, how the linking structure occurs, etc. In the above example there are 12 pages. I give this to them to look over and ponder on.

Once they agree on the number of pages and site map, I look at any special stuff I may need to do (Flash, excessive Photoshop, etc), then quote them a price on it based on the number of hours I think it will take.

Now, we have a quote: $1200 for the 12 pages, maybe some special graphic costs, maybe not.

Once this is agreed upon, I request a 25% deposit from the client, and have them sign off on the site map. Now, what they have agreed to pay for, is set in stone. They have signed off on it. If there are any additional pages added, restructuring of the site map, etc...there is an additional cost. The client is made aware of this and it is on the agreement they sign off on.

Finally, I code the page. Once it is done, and live, I give them a 30 day period to look it over and request small changes... wording, an image swap, etc. After the 30 day period is over anything else is an additional cost.

The key is CONSTANT communcation with the client. No grey areas, no confusion.

One last bit of advice I can give you is this: However long you think it will take to complete the project... ADD TIME. Never oversell yourself to a client and then come up short. You are far better to exceed the clients expectations by finishing early than to finish late and let them down.

...hope this helps.

[Sux0rZh@jc0rz]

wow. 1200$....that's like 800$ US? I would kill to do that little amount of work and get 800$ out of it. (poor little 14 year old kid=/)

[Sux0rZh@jc0rz]

course for you it probly is work... for me it's tons of fun. so'd get a hoot out of doing it, then i'd waste most my time just making their site better and better for free=P

[pyro]

Now I have no idea about your talent, so this is a general statement. While yes, a 14 year old kid would be tickeled pink to get $900 bucks ($1200 CAD) for creating a website with a bit of Flash, I'd have to wonder if they (the kid) posses the knowledge and skill to create a site that is worth that. I know when I was first starting out, my prices are much cheaper than they are now (since my work was not nearly as good). When quoteing for a website, one needs to take their skill level into consideration, as well. Just because some other designer/developer (who probably has years of experience and training under his belt) is charging $100-$150 per page, does not mean that it is the going rate for all webdesigner wanabees. Just something to think about... :)

[James L.]

Very true Pyro,

When I started, I did about a half a dozen sites for free to build up a portfolio.

Then, I started out charging $25 per hour for Graphic/Flash work, and $75 per page for site design. Keep in mind these are Canadian dollars, so probably more like $17 per hour and $55 per page U.S. Dollars.

Once I completed my schooling and felt more comfortable with my skills, I began charging the rates I do now.

In a way, paying per page protects the client too when you are newer to the industry. If it takes an experienced person an hour to do a page, but an inexperienced person 3, the client shouldn't have to pay for the inexperience. By charging a flat rate per page the client pays the same rate no matter what.

[tylerdog]

Boy, there are all kinds of ways to skin a cat. Heres another:

I don't do proposals. I show a perspective client my portfolio, and tell them a single page can cost anywhere from $100 to $200. And that my hourly rate is $45 - so, depending on how intensive there site is, the cost can vary.

It's usually nice to give them a figure that you definitely know you won't go over (say, $1,500) and the client will be happy when the final price is less.

But I do stress to the client that I get paid by the hour. So for future updates, they know what they are in for.

And 25% down isn't a bad idea. But in reality, my company is also a hosting company. So if they don't pay, their site goes down. So I don't ask for a deposit.

Anyway, it's been working for me.


Good luck!

[Sux0rZh@jc0rz]

My flash skills = Beast.(yes beast = Excellent)

My other skills though are less experienced. So I wouldnt charge per hour cause i'd probly spend time researching different ways of doing what i want and learning from it. so that'd be my payment. I'd just charge for the layout, then 10% of the layout cost for each page i do. updates for free(for 30 days).

But yeah your right... it most definately would take me longer to do that work, but i'd get it done for the same/less amount of money cause it'd be something for me to put into my portfolio.