“How Much Does A Web Site Cost?” and “Can you Quote Us a Cost to Build (Rebuild) Our Web Site?”
Questions involving “How Much” are the most frequently asked types of questions we get from new and existing customers.
We certainly understand the nature of the requests, but it is a challenge to address such questions without knowing more: expectations, goals, availability and source of materials, stylistic standards, and so on. In many instances of new site builds, rebuilds, or re-designs, the customer will not convey a budget and may not have a handle of their needs, other then to state; “We want more inquiries and more sales.” Or, they direct us to a larger competitor’s web site and say; “We Like That.”
There is little going in the designer’s / developer’s favor other than past experience of projects and efforts to empathize with what the developer might anticipate the scope of the project may entail. But such scope is often not articulated, or articulated well enough, by the potential customer.
Today’s web projects are more involved than in the past. A web site can certainly be as simple as a page of text and a graphic, but a web site from of a customer usually entails covering a lot of aspects of site creation that are also associated with page rank, marketing, branding, uniform messaging, design continuity, feature functionality, project scaling, and so on. Each aspect can be it’s own expenditure of time and costs. ie. logo design, copy writing, photo management and editing, messaging, reputation management, content management, and a lot more.
In other words, a reasonable estimate should be given some forethought to where the project and customer may try to be heading – even if they may not have shared such views. It’s easy to under bid and to over bid an estimate. It is very difficult to formulate an estimate without some communications concerning expectations. Even then, expectations may be so broad as to dilute the accuracy of the project estimate.
But Gatman does present estimates and we qualify the considerations that brought us to the figures we propose.
Request For Proposal – RFP
Such a document can be of assistance to the process of cost estimating – if they are realistic and properly articulated. What we generally find is that the RFP is an excessive request, formulated by a committee, and includes a request for a kitchen sink of possible services and features. Generally RFP’s are broad in scope and use description’s of design and functionality that are subjective. A good RPF should be detailed and include specifics where there is subjectivity.
The Costs of a Web Project
Most projects do not need an RFP. Many projects will have be straight forward enough that an experienced designer/developer will ascertain the needs of the project and the ability to make reasonable changes during the build process. But the customer should provide the basic criteria, assets, and building blocks (branding kits, target market, elements of style), or be prepared to leave these choices to the designer / developer.
In requesting an estimate for a web site redesign, it is to the customer’s benefit to try and convey, in the most specific manner possible; the expectations, features, and budget range. Leaving all that to the designer / developer is an outcome of chance or a high confidence in the team that will address the project. There must be a discussion after any proposal to reinforce understanding, establish confidence, and establish a shared ground of expectations.