My prices for custom website design range from $250-$600, which I believe is very reasonable. Clients can talk with the designers and comeup with exactly what they have pictured for their site. Around these forums we (designers) find many clients who aren't willing to pay alot because most of them are just starting out. That is why I create alot of pre-made templates for around $100-$250. So in my opinion, anywhere from $200 upto $1000 is a very reasonable price for a quality website design. Just have to find the right designers.

I like webprosys alot... I also like alot of the larger companies like 2advanced.com and flashlevel.com . I talk to some of these guys on a regular basis, but their prices are high because they are the best you can get.

For me, it really depends on the client. If I were to get approached by a big company, I would charge alot, $800+ ... but if the average host contacts me, I am willing to go around $200, more or less. Always start high with your price and work your way down in my opinion. Can always go down, but never up.

Hm... I really hope the higher price is for a higher quality design because I don't think prices should go up that much just because you're dealing with a big company who can afford it. I would find that rather unfair.

know who you are dealing with , set your own prices this is for freelancing atleast

I was merely expressing my view on the matter. Do as you know best. Who am I to interfere with your business? Now that I think about it, a big company might not like the idea of a $300 website design. They might fell that $800 sounds a lot better. The "too good to be true" theory...

If you're talking just the "shell" of the site, then that can range anywhere from $300-$20k

Now, get in to the integration, backend, and all sorts of extra's and you're going to need a lot more than that.

As it stands, our website (+ support site) has cost well in to the 5 figures region, and spans 9GB of information, not including SQL databases

Simon

LDCDC, I meant "know [client wise] who you are dealing with..." not "you" dealing with "me" sorry for the misunderstanding.

Thanks,
Robbie

I'd like to call myself a professional website designer, depending on what other people think of me this may or may not be correct...however I'm yet to have a complaint.

I charge anywhere between $200 (basic template) to $800 (basic website). Since I am unable to programme any database languages or utilize flash this limits my pricing quite strictly. However if the customer agrees upon it, outsourcing will be made a necessary measure.

What about the time it takes to create the clients web design? Does that have an affect on the pricing? Just wondering...

Yup, time usually reflects how large or intricate the project will be

Hmm, bumping up an old topic, since I have noticed it is one of the hugest discussions in every forum around...


There are many things to consider in designing a webpage, which is why pricing from companies such as 2Advanced, Flashlevel, WDDG, WA007 and more is so high. I have interned at Flashlevel before I actually began my design studio, Mindless Studios. One thing I definately learned from them, is serious deadlines, serious clients...

When you are designing for a client, they hire you to become their voice. Make them stand out from their competition. It's not necesarily the layout and whether it looks pretty or not that determines the cost. Instead, it's how the layout connects with the name, and how they both make you feel. Does it leave you wanting to come back for more? Saving it into your favorites? Do you look at it and go "Wow"?

When you are paying 2Advanced - which yes I know their pricing, along with Flashlevel, BillyBussey, and others - you are paying them to not only create a "pretty design." but to have your company name become represented online in a way that catch YOUR clientbase, increasing your clients %20 - 70%... You are simply paying quality pricing, for not only quality work, but a quality prescense. No offense to those out there who yell that anything over 800 is dumb, but almost %70 of users who only designate a budget of around $1k or less for a company that could compensate for that in less than 3mo, are usually companies that don't last very long, 1-2 years possibly. Companies that pay $10k+ are the ones who notice a huge increase in their clientbase from initial launch of their new site, to specials and deals they are offering.

Hosting websites pay $40k for a site, but even the smaller companies alone make a minimum of $1k a month. If you are making less than one thousand a month and you are a hosting company, quit it...

At Mindless, yes when we started we had to unfortunately charge only $100-300 because we were just getting up and running, but our work is far above that pricing, we on average, display work that is far above the $2,000 mark, and become very skeptical for clients who have set a budget anything lower than that, but we still accept them and deliver work that would be $10k anywhere else.

Keep in mind that these guys are crafting you an online voice from scratch! Yes, pay 70$ for a template that 70 other websites have, and study html a while to allow the pages to work out. Or simply pay $5,000 to get an amazingly decent (hmm oxymoron possibly?) webpage that will not only look nice as well as make your audience feel welcomed, but the security issues and securness of your webpage will be done just as well, having a great backend database thats secure and high on security. How many of you have actually sat and untilized Macromedia's software that focuses on backend data and having it communicating between flash, the client, and the company. It's actually as big as Macromedia and many other design studios make it out to be...

Excellent post FlashEng1

FlashEng1, very nice post.

As a partner in MicroVisuals, Anthony and I have discussed this numerous times.

The one thing I believe you're leaving out is that 2A, etc typically develop backend applications for the sites they create. It's not simply a design....anyone with a vision and some skill can do that, it takes knowledge to develop an entire presences from the backend to the front.

I really enjoyed and appreciated your post however....and you've hit the nail on the head on more than one topic.

I've started up my own design business recently and am so glad you guys started this thread up...Thanks so much!

We usally don't charge a flat rate ($29.95 per hour worked).
That way, both the client and designers both feel good about the amount paid for the design..
If the client isn't picky we can keep it inexpensive, if a client is very picky the cost will climb with changes..
Does anyone else charge this way?