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Saving Money on Custom Website Design -- Article II by Dustin Schwerman
I believe that one of the greatest difficulties about saving money on website design comes from the proliferation of web developers who charge based on entirely arbitrary cost-inflating techniques. Website design isn't cheap, no one expects it to be, but I should think that the ideal method of charging is based on a system of fair but professional rates predicated on the overall complexity of the services rendered. It is for this reason that I cannot stand the notion of payment by the page, a point that I addressed in a previous article. In this document, however, I will instead analyze a more practical method of payments.
Similar to web design packages offered by some sites, the foundation of this system is a group of services of escalating complexity, organized into a series of levels that each have a range of pricing. The level will be determined by how advanced the website will be. A site that requires simple html, basic stylesheets, and maybe a touch of low-end Javascript will be at the minimum price level, while sites with elaborate graphic design, complex coding, Flash animations, intensive database work, and other specialized functions and additions will rank higher. Within the given range of the pricing level, the final cost is determined based on the amount of work required.
What separates this system from a typical package is that the cost is given as a range, not an absolute value, and the options within each level are intended on an "all, some, or none" basis. A mid-level site that requires only limited work in one of the options made available at that level will likely cost at or near the minimum for that level, while one that makes extensive use of most or all of the available options will likely cost near the maximum.
As a customer in need of a website, systems such as this should be actively sought out, as they cover what I feel to be some of the major factors that lead to overly expensive websites. First, the system used can be provided on the designer's website, allowing you to see the general rules of pricing and determine what aspects of your website will cause you to incur what costs. Unlike a package deal, however, you don't wind up paying for options you will never need. Likewise, the options that you do pay for are those that will actually be of use to your website. Used properly, the higher pricing levels offer truly superior options for graphic design, content creation, and web programming, giving you more options and technological muscle for developing your site to its fullest. Better still, since the pricing levels are inclusive, you can add things you might not have considered previously, improving your site at little to no additional cost.
If you are seeking truly affordable custom website design it is my belief that a system of level-based pricing is the ideal method to look for. In the end, affordability is based less on cost than on value, and systems such as this, when used properly, are optimized for just that. It is, in essence, the full benefits of the package system, but with a reduced cost for those who don't need everything the package offers. As I explained in a previous article, the goal of saving money on website design, as with any purchase, is getting the things you need most for the best price, adding in other options as your budget allows. And level-based website pricing is the system that is designed to allow for just that.
About the Author
Dustin Schwerman is the head web designer for Truly Unique--Affordable Custom Website Design. Truly Unique specializes in creating highly customized, visually impressive websites at affordable prices. To read more of Dustin's work, visit Truly Unique for more website design articles.
