Professionals, what's the going rate for building a website?

[gonzoateafly]

Hey y'all,

I've had a couple of folks from work approach me asking if I would build them a website. In spite of my suggestions that it would be cheaper and probably more convenient for them to do it themselves (after suggesting some tools), they really just want me to do it for them.

The problem is, I'm not at all sure what to charge for my services. In one case, I really think all they need is for me to track down a nice wordpress theme and set up a server/domain with wordpress. In the other case, they're wanting a gallery for their photos, so I'll likely just build some custom set up for them.

While I'm on the subject, is there anywhere I can hire out a template for relatively little money? I don't have an eye for design, but I can do all the backend and coding nonsense.

 

[Genesis]

Hi Gonzo. I'd check out your local IT newspaper classifieds where people advertise Website building services, phone them and ask them what they do and what they charge. You'll probably have to look at a maintenance fee as well, as usually building a Website is easy, but it's the trouble shooting afterwards, particularly with WordPress sites that gobble up your time.

For templates, I'd Google CSS templates and check out the sites you really like. Then ask them if you could list your template with them for a fee.

 

[gonzoateafly]

Hi Gonzo. I'd check out your local IT newspaper classifieds where people advertise Website building services, phone them and ask them what they do and what they charge. You'll probably have to look at a maintenance fee as well, as usually building a Website is easy, but it's the trouble shooting afterwards, particularly with WordPress sites that gobble up your time.

For templates, I'd Google CSS templates and check out the sites you really like. Then ask them if you could list your template with them for a fee.

Great ideas... I will have to follow up on both of those. I also thought about seeing if I could get a relationship started with a designer on a freelancing website for custom work.

 

[GigaGreg]

It depends on where do you live in most of the csses.

 

[cswrobert]

As many customers got to know many function of websits. The rate actually twisted. I have seen ads for website design including shopping cart, CMS, blog etc just for US7500. Also solving a little problem in WordPress for US250. What do you want then? Business is always customer first.
That is the reason why many e-commerce want CMS function but of course they arent expert. Some CMS want e-commerce but they arent expert also.

 

[TerminalVoid]

[No message]

 

[Genesis]

WOW! :shock:

From free to 2100quid is a HUGE leap. Totally out of my range. If you do have a chance and it is relevant to you, can you give us a breakdown of the 2100 budget?

 

[jaran]

Are you sure? Its very big money for me.

 

[nobodyspecial]

No Thing here

 

[Genesis]

I build a dataset for the online shop in under 2 hours of 90 000 products from almost 15 diffrent suppliers
with zero conformity between each and some of the data looks like the wedding page disaster.
now the trick i still need to master, is to get the other system to accept the entire dataset in the same time or less it takes to create.
but that is one of the things i like to do with the systems, abuse them badly, now all i need is a good makeup artist and a few other skills.

How do you do that? Like where do you get the data for the 90000 products from the 15 different suppliers? And how do you incorporate them into a single dataset? What tools are you using?

 

[strokerace]

I don't know where you guys are getting such outragous prices. Most websites set ups cost about $150. If you are using wordpress, chances are its less then that. If you want one design from scratch, then most charge about $35. Those are the going rates from around the world. 99% of all websites are just cookie cutter sites and use a prefade layout. Its very rare that someone actually codes from scratch these days as majority of the web devs don't know how to code well.

 

[CHT]

I don't know where you guys are getting such outragous prices. Most websites set ups cost about $150. If you are using wordpress, chances are its less then that. If you want one design from scratch, then most charge about $35. Those are the going rates from around the world. 99% of all websites are just cookie cutter sites and use a prefade layout. Its very rare that someone actually codes from scratch these days as majority of the web devs don't know how to code well.

Uh nope. I don't know where you are getting your data from, but I assure you that most websites do not cost that little, especially since you are paying for the skill and knowledge. It's like a plumber, the good ones cost a lot but the job is well done.

 

[strokerace]

Its all over the place. Its one of the things I specialize in. I also know several coders so the data is factual. On top of that, its the price that most hosting companies charge to set up and install your website.

If people are charging the stupid amount that is posted, then I will start a business up tomorrow and get my friends to help and charge 1/3 that amount to put those pretenders out of business.

 

[jipol]

Ugh, what do you mean by a website? Simple Wordpress themed "about us/contacts" site? Of course it's cheap and the $200 seems legit. No skill is involved and the result is mediocre. But if we talk about custom thems, CMS and some additional back-end logic the price will go up, up and up. Imagine the web site for a local healt recreation facility. Besides standard information about the facility, it should provide means for clients to see their health records and tools to check availability and book beds. Also it should be a work portal for medical personnel with the following feature: easy to use site content managing with different localizations, booking managnig, keeping customers database with their clinical records and so on. Since we talk about sensetive information, the site should be reasonable secure. I doubt you can buy that for $150. But if you or your pals can do that for $200, PM me with your contacts.

 

[nobodyspecial]

No Thing here

 

[CHT]

Its all over the place. Its one of the things I specialize in. I also know several coders so the data is factual. On top of that, its the price that most hosting companies charge to set up and install your website.

If people are charging the stupid amount that is posted, then I will start a business up tomorrow and get my friends to help and charge 1/3 that amount to put those pretenders out of business.

I also happen to know coders, and a forum engine from scratch will set you back at least $500 USD. That's the kind of skill I'm talking about, specialized stuff. The stuff you talk about doesn't compare to what kind of work is required for the stuff that pays that much.

Sure. If you're successful, I would actually hire you to do the stuff instead.

 

[strokerace]

Its all over the place. Its one of the things I specialize in. I also know several coders so the data is factual. On top of that, its the price that most hosting companies charge to set up and install your website.

If people are charging the stupid amount that is posted, then I will start a business up tomorrow and get my friends to help and charge 1/3 that amount to put those pretenders out of business.

I also happen to know coders, and a forum engine from scratch will set you back at least $500 USD. That's the kind of skill I'm talking about, specialized stuff. The stuff you talk about doesn't compare to what kind of work is required for the stuff that pays that much.

Sure. If you're successful, I would actually hire you to do the stuff instead.

No body codes a forum engine any more. There a very little coders who know how to do it. I didn't talk about anything. You said coders made huge dollars for setting up a website or to code a web site. That is a very false statement. If people would pay a coder to code something from scratch, I would have stayed in the business. Last CMS I coded from scratch was over 10 years. Not many people work on website designs. Now if you want to talk APK's, or other android or apple apps. Then ya, they can make some good money coding them. But 80% of those coders don't know much about web site design or structure.
IT guys, security experts, etc make more money then a guy setting up and designing a website. My friend gave up web site dev and moved onto Android Apps as it in more demand and can make $30/hr for a good firm. But still, he will take my old out dated code and rewrite it for a few hundred bucks. This $1500 and up to build a website is way out to lunch.

 

[CHT]

No body codes a forum engine any more. There a very little coders who know how to do it. I didn't talk about anything. You said coders made huge dollars for setting up a website or to code a web site. That is a very false statement. If people would pay a coder to code something from scratch, I would have stayed in the business. Last CMS I coded from scratch was over 10 years. Not many people work on website designs. Now if you want to talk APK's, or other android or apple apps. Then ya, they can make some good money coding them. But 80% of those coders don't know much about web site design or structure.
IT guys, security experts, etc make more money then a guy setting up and designing a website. My friend gave up web site dev and moved onto Android Apps as it in more demand and can make $30/hr for a good firm. But still, he will take my old out dated code and rewrite it for a few hundred bucks. This $1500 and up to build a website is way out to lunch.

properly configured SSL sites, and more. Just because I gave a "shit" example doesn't mean that the cost can't run that high. Also, as a web SQL developer, you do need to know partially how the site will run with your stuff at the minimum.

If the $1500 includes 1U racks or blades, the cost doesn't seem high at all. In fact, I would say it's reasonable for a small business.

 

[nobodyspecial]

No Thing here

 

[strokerace]

No body codes a forum engine any more. There a very little coders who know how to do it. I didn't talk about anything. You said coders made huge dollars for setting up a website or to code a web site. That is a very false statement. If people would pay a coder to code something from scratch, I would have stayed in the business. Last CMS I coded from scratch was over 10 years. Not many people work on website designs. Now if you want to talk APK's, or other android or apple apps. Then ya, they can make some good money coding them. But 80% of those coders don't know much about web site design or structure.
IT guys, security experts, etc make more money then a guy setting up and designing a website. My friend gave up web site dev and moved onto Android Apps as it in more demand and can make $30/hr for a good firm. But still, he will take my old out dated code and rewrite it for a few hundred bucks. This $1500 and up to build a website is way out to lunch.

properly configured SSL sites, and more. Just because I gave a "s***" example doesn't mean that the cost can't run that high. Also, as a web SQL developer, you do need to know partially how the site will run with your stuff at the minimum.

If the $1500 includes 1U racks or blades, the cost doesn't seem high at all. In fact, I would say it's reasonable for a small business.

The post had nothing to do with server cost. It was about what it cost to set up a website. There is a big difference. SSL?? Dude, anyone who can point and click can set up SSL. SQL DB's. again, very simple and easy to set up. 99% of the people who set them up are not coders. Everything is point and click, cut and paste. There are a billion of templates for websites now. SQl db's are quick and easy. Look at wordpress. I would says about 30% of all websites use it for their layout. If you want to talk about web forums, then the use Vbulletin, PHPbb, Invison and others like it. They take less then 30 mins to install. Then you can customize them to your standards. Again, even a person with little knowledge can have them designed to what they want in a few hours.