There are a wide range prices charged for web site design these days, especially in the south of Boston area. This post attempts to clear up some on the confusion and bring clarity to the many options.
The reason you’ll see a wide range of prices is twofold:
- The use of templates / non-original work
- Hourly rate
The reason you’ll see web site packages for lower prices (below $1,000) is the designer is likely re-purposing work he/she had done in the past (or using someone else’s work) and making adjustments to the design. In other words, the design is likely not original and some kind of template is being used. While this type of web site can be good for small startup companies that just want to get something up on the web, it is probably not a long term solution, although some templates are fairly good.
It takes about 30 to 40 hours to create a 7 to 10 page web site from scratch, including industry research, competitive analysis, programming, and testing. Normally the design company will create an initial web site map based on the competitive analysis and industry research as well as one-on-one consultations with the client – this phase can go back and forth several times to make sure the “foundation” is set.
The designer will then create 2 to 3 original home page designs based on the site map and analysis of the competition. A meeting with the client will take place to determine what design elements they like, don’t like, and agree on the basic layout. The designer will then merge the designs into a final design and present it to the client. Often, the final design will also need some adjustments.
The next phase is to create some of the interior pages based on the finalized home page design. This phase can vary depending upon the level of customization needed for each page – some web sites have similar interior pages, while others require a good deal of unique design. For example, a page listing a company’s services will look different than one that presents employees and bios. Also, ecommerce functionality can drive the number of unique pages as well.
The other element that impacts the number of hours to design a web site are the images. Original images from the client will often need to be adjusted in photoshop and made web ready. Or, stock photos could be purchased for the site (there are many free stock photo sites that have high quality pictures, which is why you often see similar images on different web pages). We’re a big fan of original photos of the company, employees, workspace, etc. because it brings a high level of personalization to the overall presentation.
Once the design is set and images are selected the designer will begin to create each of the pages and begin programming the pages for the web. Depending on the kind of functionality on the site, including Flash animation, this stage can also vary widely in terms of hours spent.
Once the number of hours are projected the hourly rate then determines the overall price of the web site. Lower level designers with little experience could charge $20 to $50 per hour, mid-range designers charge $50 to $60 per hour, and the higher end design companies charge $150 to $250 per hour.
Our designer has worked in design houses that charge in the higher range, including the creation of web sites billed out at over $100K. While this may seem like a lot to a small to mid-sized business, large companies need higher end design to compete in their marketplace – a low-level / template design would kill any kind of credibility with prospective clients.
While our work is on the higher end in terms of quality of design, our hourly rate is currently $65. If you have any questions about south of Boston web design or marketing feel free to request a free consultation from our corporate site: www.sinatraco.com