[UK] Small Scale Freelance website design question

[Heners_UK]

---Taken from this post---

 

Ok, in an effort to rake in some cash, add some poxy shit to my CV and just do something with my life, I have considered taking up a small scale, website design for local small businesses. I will not attempt to singlehandedly construct microsoft.com or create a better google for them, however, some buisnesses may well want an informative "online catalouge" of thier products - thats what im aiming to attract, rather than someone wanting Amazon.co.uk.

 

A few questions about this, the first being important:

1. How should I charge?

So far I have thought about:

a. Charging per hour. However, some businesses may dispute that I actually worked that ammount of time, and some may be put off because they think I will add an hour or two.

b. Fixed price for X pages - although all the problems of the above are avoided, someone could theoretically put the content of 90 pages on 10. Also, it doenst seem to professional to approach with a package price mesured in pages. However, I can be swayed on that opinion.

c. Price per page - Again, can be abused. However, it allows clients to feel they arnt being over charged. I would charge a reduced price for "small pages" i.e. popup descriptions etc...

d. You suggest some (this would help a lot)

 

Sub question: should I charge for extras? like mind boggling photoshops... which I cant do.

 

2. Any advice from people who have done similar?

Should I offer a maintancence package on the site?

Etc.. (im loosing my will to type)

 

3. What webhosting companies should I recomend to small businesses?

Asuming they dont have thier own hosting already.

Remember, most will want domains, however, most wont need 113 gigs of bandwidth a femtosecond.

MAKE SURE THESE OPERATE IN THE UK. Companies that operating both countries are ok, but most clients will want a UK operation to deal with.

 

Thanks

 

--- ADDITIONAL ---

 

That helps a lot, I think I should add something

 

For pretty basic sites throw in a few example prices EXCLUDING WEBHOSTING COSTS

 

--- ADDITIONAL ---

 

Just an example site of what I can be expected to do (probably a bit better now):

 

http://www.photonotions.co.uk

 

That is my work

 

---What KTF recomended on SA---

?500 + Hosting Fees

[Beyonder]

where is the goatse option

[Heners_UK]

please kill yourself

[JFK]

okay, here are some notes from one of my lectures in my CS295 class which deals with website design and starting a business...etc...etc.

 

Website Lifestyles and Cycle's

 

1. Planning

 

- Communicate and Educate your client about website design.

 

- Ask yourself... "Do they want a high-end site?" or "What type of site layout they have in mind?"

 

- Get whatever you discuss with them (or once you've reached a contract) on paper and signed.

 

- Whatever "high profile/timely" (photoshop l33t work, flash) work they want on the site, charge them extra for it...since the more time you spend on it, the more it's going to cost.

 

- Identify the purpose of the site they are looking for.

Examples: inform, sell, train, entertain, services

 

- Figure out the target of what kind of audience that will view the site... ?

Examples: site for moms, students, older people (thus you would have to incorporate a site that is for disabled people) etc etc

 

*important note about planning...don't make viewers of your site rely on a back button*

 

2. Designing-Layout before content

 

- Plain Text on a site is dull, but gets the point across, but consider tossing in some flashy graphics etc etc.

 

Ultimately we look for content and judge the site as unsuccessful if that content has an unfulfilled template.

 

3. Authoring

 

- Produce a fast page.. i.e...download speed/layout.

 

- Provide easy navigation.

 

- Layout text in mangable chunks.

 

- Language/Tone of writing should fit the "target" audience.

 

4. Testing (of your rough draft site)

 

- Make sure it (your site) looks right on all screen reso's, since a lot of people still are using 640 x 480, but now people are developing sites to 800 x 600 standards...and slowly that will increase, but keep the site design slim or you'll end up asking yourself "That's not how it looked like on my monitor!!"

 

- Basically like the last thing said... test your site on multiple platforms, browsers, reso's, multiple connection speeds, and screen gamma.

 

- Try to get other people's critique of the site and welcome their criticism, that's something you have to thank them for because it helps you make a better site.

 

- When you get to the point of saying "i'm finished testing?" blah blah, you'll be wrong......yeah right...testing/publishing is never over, so get back to work lazy fucker.

 

- Find an easy to manage upload/download mechanism...i.e...ftp...etc....

 

"Updating" your finished site

 

- Set a maintenance schedule.

 

- Verify all links.

 

- Check Spelling.

 

- Proceed to remove old shit (delete) or....archive it.

 

 

hopefully that helped a little....i'll go back and answer your questions now on blah etc etc

[JFK]

A few questions about this, the first being important:

1. How should I charge?

 

it all depends, if you want, just go ahead and charge them for the final product and/or maintenance fee's.

 

Sub question: should I charge for extras? like mind boggling photoshops... which I cant do.

YES!!! charge for extras since they take more time to do...

and if you can't do them, you better learn fast because some companies like high profile looks/graphics.

 

2. Any advice from people who have done similar?

Should I offer a maintancence package on the site?

 

yeah, either a) do it yourself or b) give them all the templates and what not, so......they can get a webmaster to update and etc

 

3. What webhosting companies should I recomend to small businesses?

 

honestly...all i can say for this is www.google.com and search or call up another web design company/professor and ask him his opinion.....

[pikacheney]

- Make sure it (your site) looks right on all screen reso's, since a lot of people still are using 640 x 480, but now people are developing sites to 800 x 600 standards...and slowly that will increase, but keep the site design slim or you'll end up asking yourself "That's not how it looked like on my monitor!!"

 

- Basically like the last thing said... test your site on multiple platforms, browsers, reso's, multiple connection speeds, and screen gamma.

LOOLLLOOLOL whenever i design sites i only make sure it works on 1024x768 on a PC running whatever OS i am at 32 bit color max contrast moderate brightness.  if someone can't view it they can suck a cock

[pr0kch0p]

 

the girl on the left is HOTTT

 

BTW, make sure they pay you.  ive designed several websites where the assholes never payed up.  that sucked.

[pikacheney]

 

the girl on the left is HOTTT

 

BTW, make sure they pay you. ?ive designed several websites where the assholes never payed up. ?that sucked.

this one time i spent fucking like 40 hours a day working on this company's site and they were gonna give me a measely 800 bucks and i'm like whatever money is money even if i'm being supremely underpayed.  so i work my fuckin ass off goni through like 409313089 revisions and on the last day i'm like "this site is a fucking masterpiece" and i show it to htem and they're like "here we changed our mind we want to completely throw away everythin we have and start over, take a look at this powerpoint presnetation it shows you what we want" and so naturally i ask for more money and you know what HE SAYS NO.  so i'm like FUCK YOU COCK POLISHER and i took the site design and reworked it for my own site and didn't let them have shit.  assholes.

[mr_lee]

been there done that ;)

 

what i did to start my freelancing, was designed a couple of sites pretty cheaply - first for 200, second for 300, then charged about a grand / site. (all prices in uk sterling).

 

as long as your portfolio isn't a empty you'll do ok. word of mouth was my best advertising too. if you're nice, go out of your way etc, they tell their friends that you designed their beautifully crafted website :)

[Heners_UK]

 

the girl on the left is HOTTT

 

BTW, make sure they pay you. ?ive designed several websites where the assholes never payed up. ?that sucked.

SHES MY COUSIN YOU SICK FREAAAAAAK!

 

Also, she is 6!

 

ALSO, I WILL BILL YOU FOR THE BANDWIDTH