# website prices



## Greatwhite (Nov 6, 2007)

OK...time to put up a webpage....I want a very clean one, no gimmiks, or such, no ads.....

I can have a custom site made for me....about $1000, includes 8 pages and a year of hosting, set up, etc....

Good? too high?  

Thoughts?


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## Sideburns (Nov 6, 2007)

way too high.  making a webpage is pretty simple...cheaper to take a class in html, and host it yourself...lmfao.

Ummm..
get one of those smugmug.com sites...way cheaper and easy to use.


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## Alpha (Nov 6, 2007)

What will you be using the site for?


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## ahphotography (Nov 6, 2007)

Too high... find some kid that know his/her stuff - there are lots out there that are willing to do it for cheaper. Try some computer students or whatnot. Also check into GoDaddy.com - they have it all there - domain name, hosting and website tonight (non-flash) website - kind of basic but it's free and a do-it-yourselfer, all you have to pay for is hosting to get ads off and purchase a domain name. They have good support too if you get lost.


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## smcaskil (Nov 7, 2007)

I used to design websites for folks and I charged around $200 for the entire site.  I then charged a small amount for updates but I quickly got away from even that and built sites that everyday users could update easily themselves so they became zero administration sites as far as I was concerned.

If you want a simple site, let me know and I will work with you to get one designed for free.  I can also help you get the Domain and hosting done with companies that won't rip you off and have good, quick service.

Just send me a PM and I will help if I can.  If you want something that is over my head or ability I will also let you know.


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## Renair (Nov 7, 2007)

www.clikpic.com

My site with unlimited pages, up to 400 images, easy to use templates and domain name cost £92.00 sterling a year.  If you have a credit card, you can set up a paypal account and sell direct off your site.  

My site is: as a sample for you, www.themidwesternphotographer.com


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## Greatwhite (Nov 7, 2007)

THX for the replies.....

The site is to be used for a gallery, no sales, but rather a place publishers, editors, etc, can be directed to see my work in several categories/galleries....no flash, no music, no fluff, just images that stand out.

I have seen alot of the free and template websites, but all seem to have a little advertising, even if just the host or temlate maker (fusion, etc)....

I want it professionally clean, which is why I am looking at custom setup.

Decisions, decisions....


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## Greatwhite (Nov 7, 2007)

I guess I should add, that the designers looking at doing my site, looked at my portfolio, and want business cards so they can give them to other clients who are looking for photogs for thier sites.....

SO, if I let them do it for a grand, it may lead to more referral/network oppourtunities....

That should have some value....

But either way a grand is a grand....and I am not a rich man...


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## Chris of Arabia (Nov 7, 2007)

Greatwhite said:


> But either way a grand is a grand....and I am not a rich man...


...and you never will be if you pay that for an 8 page website.

What everybody else said on the rest...


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## smcaskil (Nov 7, 2007)

Greatwhite said:


> THX for the replies.....
> 
> The site is to be used for a gallery, no sales, but rather a place publishers, editors, etc, can be directed to see my work in several categories/galleries....no flash, no music, no fluff, just images that stand out.



If you aren't going to sell things on the site (e-commerce) then there is no reason at all to pay $1000 for the site.  All you need to run a site like that is either straight HTML or a PHP-based site.

PHP-based will give you more flexibility and can be made so you can update / upload more pictures easily without having to keep talking to / paying the designer to update the site.


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## wildmaven (Nov 7, 2007)

I agree with smcaskil. My PHP site was designed for $200 and it allows me to change anything I want. You just need to find someone to design it for you, and find a hosting site, such as http://bluehost.com so that the designer will have a place to upload the files. Most hosting sites will also do the domain name registry, too. 

Marian


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## raider (Nov 8, 2007)

photoshop does some clean looking galleries - then just use godaddy to host it


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## JerryPH (Nov 8, 2007)

A thousand is at least 50% more than the going rate for most pros to set up an 8 page site.  Learn to do it yourself and save yourself some big bucks... spend it on something useful... like a lens! (lol)


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## Alpha (Nov 8, 2007)

Find someone who will do it for half of that and pay them. The learning curve for a good, clean, well functioning and not full of sloppy code website is steeper than you'd think.


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## Snyder (Nov 8, 2007)

I pay $12 a year for my web hosting and I design my site myself.


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## nossie (Nov 8, 2007)

Just out of curiosity to you all how many hours do you think a pro would need to make a site and how much do you get paid an hour?

Sites have come a long way from bald basic HTML. There is a huge learning curve for anyone starting out now regardless of what route you take. Content Management Systems are easy to maintain but a major pita to learn. Personally I hate them and prefer to code straight ASP.NET from templates. But then what's your prefered language?.. ASP, java, ajax, flash, php. What about a data driven site? What database?.. MySQL, SQL Server.

I don't think a grand is dear if you get a grand's worth. Sure you can use MS word and do a website with that or use an online site builder and to be fair to you I think that's what you should do but just know that when you pay man to do a site a grand isn't really that much when you balance it against his time/hours. Any chance any of you think it might take him a week?

Here's a site I'm working on www.upkeepers.ie it takes 20-30mins to add a single product and it's utterly mind numbing but it's my time and it has to be paid for. So if I've to faff about on an image for an advertisement/logo/photo then that's my time too.

Then there's the search engines, that's more work, then there's the domain registration, then there's the hosting account setups, then there's the email accounts, then there's the client/customer support.

Here's my recommendation for you to get started. Read about Coppermine http://coppermine-gallery.net/ then subscribe to the super cheap but with good support webhostforasp.net http://www.webhostforasp.net/ (I'm not affiliated) they have coppermine installers built in to the service to get you started in minutes.

I'll help you if you want when I can but you have to learn plenty first. Feel free to PM me.

Good luck.:thumbup:
Ray.


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## Alex_B (Nov 8, 2007)

a really well designed and custom tailored webpage for professional use easily costs several 1000 USD.


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## Vmann (Nov 8, 2007)

Alex_B said:


> a really well designed and custom tailored webpage for professional use easily costs several 1000 USD.



Agreed.

If it was as easy to do as everyone else is saying companies like Ford, Citi, Pepsi wouldn't pay markting advertising firms large sums of money when just any old college student will do. Yes you can find someone to do it cheaper but in the end money talks. Ex. ( Why pay a professional photographer upwards of $2000 to take a wedding when you can just make due with finding a $500 college student to due it. Not saying sometimes that works to your favor but count on one hand how many for you. )

I develop and design pages myself and I don't ever ask for less than $500 and any lower its not worth my time unless you want something so basic that a template would have worked for you to begin with.

Ask yourself before you take the plunge is thier work $1000 work. Most proffesional designers you can figure get around $60-$100 a hour when it comes to figuring in all the work.

But to answer your question just a simple page no flash minimal design elements clean and simple should be between 350-750. For a thousand I would think you should be getting something with some flash or interactions, buttons, pics that do something w/ rollover, nice introduction page and maybe the design they have for you in mind is worth $1000


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## martyn (Sep 25, 2008)

not sure if you are still looking, but try Picaholic - they are $180 a year including hosting.


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## SpeedTrap (Sep 25, 2008)

I just want to use something that was said in this thread and use it in a way that we have all seen before and are usually not too happy to see.

How much for photography???? $1000.00
&#8220;Too high... find some kid that know his/her stuff - there are lots out there that are willing to do it for cheaper&#8221; There are lots of college students out there that can do it for next to nothing.


I know plenty of photographers that have heard very similar things from other people. If you are hiring a professional based on their portfolio and you are happy with what you see it is good value. It is always good to check competitive prices, but if you want custom designs and a turnkey site built to your specs, be prepared to pay for it.


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## foreverflirty (Dec 18, 2008)

I agree that $1000 seems high, but I also agree with Speedtrap. An old saying "pay the nice man" is something I kind of live by. I do photography but I also do web design as well. Most of my sites are around $500 for a custom built site and a year of hosting. 

The difference you get when getting a real designer can really make a difference in your site. Having your logo instead of text saying your name for starters. There is also coding for being found by websites and getting traffic to your site. 

No building a website is not hard. I can build a website in about 5 minutes. Making it look good however isn't easy and takes time and knowledge to do.


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## jakedoza (Dec 19, 2008)

I did mine myself.. though I do have some experience.. hosting, domain and everything ran me around 300... I would host it myself, but my upload speeds are way too slow. oh well..

JAM Session Photo


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## Chris Stegner (Dec 19, 2008)

For $100 USD I joined Zenfolio and love it. The interface is great, presents photos well, has all sorts of great things. You can sell later if you want. And they have unlimited number of storage and images.

My Site: Chris Stegner - BluegrassPhotography.Net

Zenfolio: Zenfolio | hosting service for photo galleries | a place to learn and enjoy photography


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## visualpoetry (Dec 19, 2008)

Ouch! I bought my template on bludomain.com and paid $100 - I also host thru them for another $100/yr.


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## Ndillon (Jan 3, 2009)

I use zenfolio plus i have a standard website... i get more traffic and sell more photos through zenfolio... sign up and use code 4MN-442-TA7 to get $5.00 off any package... Zenfolio | hosting service for photo galleries | a place to learn and enjoy photography



Greatwhite said:


> OK...time to put up a webpage....I want a very clean one, no gimmiks, or such, no ads.....
> 
> I can have a custom site made for me....about $1000, includes 8 pages and a year of hosting, set up, etc....
> 
> ...


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## rufus5150 (Jan 3, 2009)

Somewhere I envision a message board full of web designers that are mocking all of the people with a copy of dreamweaver doing it themselves (and just a few side jobs to make some extra money) and cutting them out of the bottom end of the business...


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## LarissaPhotography (Jan 3, 2009)

You get what you pay for.  If you want cookie cutter, then go for the cheapest package you can find.
The same goes for photography - Walmart will continue to get business for people who don't mind cookie cutter, non-professional photos.  If you want a quality product it will cost more - both with photos and websites.
You'll have to decide what works best for you.


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## SrBiscuit (Jan 5, 2009)

like all have said, it really depends on the level of polish you want done to the content.
you can get a straight basic HTML page or a flash heavy page with lots of fun actionscripting yadayada.

speedtrap gives good advice...check portfolios...and i think the comparison to photography is brilliant.
like any niche skill...you get what you pay for.

i freelance web design, and i go for $42.50/hr (whether it's just vomiting HTML on a page, or a totally flash based site)...and that's on the cheaper end for my area.


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## jmborkowski (Jan 6, 2009)

> Somewhere I envision a message board full of web designers that are mocking all of the people with a copy of dreamweaver doing it themselves (and just a few side jobs to make some extra money) and cutting them out of the bottom end of the business...


I was telling a friend the other day how much the web business is like pro photography.  Some people can't tell the difference and are happy to pay very little for something that borders on crap.


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## RyanWard (Jan 6, 2009)

You can use blog software from WordPress, WordPress &#8250; Blog Tool and Publishing Platform.

The software is free. You can buy a domain name from the vendor of your choise, ie godaddy.

If you know how to use FTP, you can upload it yourself. There are millions of free website designs to choose from and very nice ones for under $100. Google, "revolution themes" to see what you can get for example.

It's hands down the best way to go if you want cheap. It will allow you unlimited pages and there are some of the very best photo blogs in the world are run on WordPress. Check a button to convert it from a blog to a website.

It's extremely easy to use once set up.


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## jlykins (Jan 6, 2009)

I use my site for exactly what you are using yours for. I go through Go daddy and I use their website design (website tonight) and it looks good IMHO. Check it out if you want www.jlykinsphotos.com


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## Lostbox (Jan 7, 2009)

I'm updating my site at the moment using Iweb on a mac, the site costs nothing to design, the program is easy to use, and when you want to update your information or portfolio it takes 10 min and you dont have to go back to the designer and pay yet more money for them to do it. 

For hosting i use UK Web Hosting, UK Rails Hosting, UK Reseller Hosting. 

If you dont have a mac other companies make third party software for PC, it may cost you $100 for the program but in the long run it will save you money


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