Website Design

[Eric Russell]

OK...I'm looking for some advice on website design. I've got a site, but I'm not happy with it. I'm looking for a semi-custom design with the ability for me to make changes as I need to, plus a video plug-in and photos. I've received a quote for $2800 for the design, then $4.95 per month hosting. I've also had a verbal quote for considerably less, but more per month for hosting. I can't get anyone from Inspector Pages to call or email me..(Thanks NACHI), so I need your help.

[Markus Keller]

I'm definitely no expert so don't put too much weight on what I say. I originally had my site built in some format I could not alter myself at will. Didn't think I needed to make changes regularly so I thought it was no big deal. WRONG. In the process of switching it over to Wordpress completely now so I can alter and add anytime. I would suggest going that route.
Price seems a bit steep, I paid less about 1/2 that, maybe less. Look up some of Dominic's posts about website info here on IN. That should provide you with some good pointers. He had a seminar recently in Chicago that provided lots of good info. Good luck.

[John Kogel]

If you use MS Office, you may have MS FrontPage in your computer.
Download a page or template off the internet into your Documents folder.
Now open it with FrontPage.
Start changing it, Cut & Paste, and save your changes.
When you're ready to publish, try GoDaddy or I use Netfirms. $10 per month for a business website.

[Scott Patterson]

OK...I'm looking for some advice on website design. I've got a site, but I'm not happy with it. I'm looking for a semi-custom design with the ability for me to make changes as I need to, plus a video plug-in and photos. I've received a quote for $2800 for the design, then $4.95 per month hosting. I've also had a verbal quote for considerably less, but more per month for hosting. I can't get anyone from Inspector Pages to call or email me..(Thanks NACHI), so I need your help.

Dominic with HIP as Markus noted would be a good person to contact. Also, Brian Hannigan who owns Inspection News/Hann Tech Marketing would also be a person who I would contact.

Dominic helped us with our chapter website for about a third of what you were quoted. This is our chapter site Mid TN ASHI | (http://www.midtnashi.com)

[Eric Barker]

I use LazrWeb SEO Services Web SEO Web Design SEO Optimization Services (http://lazrweb.com/) . Rick Patrick will be glad to talk with you. Rich has done every single thing he told me he would do when I started with him. I have learned that there are many pitfalls in managing your own site and it's easy to think that your website is in good shape when in fact it isn't. Rich uses a server that several large corporations such as Kraft Foods uses. For that reason he doesn't permit clients to make their own changes to their site. Certainly you can find cheaper ways to manage your site but just as you tell people who are price shopping for an inspector, you get what you pay for. Knowing what I have learned about websites I'll never manage my own.

[Nick J. Alati]

Caution
Stay away from Carl Ross he works with Ken Compton. I paid Ross for two web sites, the one word press site the Ross finally posted after almost 6 months of excuses crashed after 45 days, the 2nd site never was finished (18 months). Please stay away from this guy and the people who support him! BIG Rip off!
:mad:

[John Armstrong]

Thats about 2x what you should be paying for a wordpress backed website. We tend to charge $1400 for this sort of work.

You also should be able to host anywhere, building and hosting do not need to go hand in hand..


OK...I'm looking for some advice on website design. I've got a site, but I'm not happy with it. I'm looking for a semi-custom design with the ability for me to make changes as I need to, plus a video plug-in and photos. I've received a quote for $2800 for the design, then $4.95 per month hosting. I've also had a verbal quote for considerably less, but more per month for hosting. I can't get anyone from Inspector Pages to call or email me..(Thanks NACHI), so I need your help.

[John Armstrong]

...that is, unless:

1. The host is providing an editable template as a condition of hosting for free or at a reduced cost


This is built into wordpress.



2. The template is not licensed for your ownership and must remain on the host's server

Any custom work you do should be work for hire. If your doing anything else you are getting ripped off.




3. You prefer the convenience of the host and developer being under the same roof

Sure, I was just commenting that its not a requirement to have this.



Your statement is akin to saying one should be able to get their site's markup written by one company and graphics created by another. "Should" is an obvious thing. Whether it makes sense for a client to separate services between services providers should be based on the client's preferences.

No, I am commenting on the fact that the OP is getting ripped off. It has nothing to do with markup vs graphics.



In some cases, it is far better for a client to hear, "We can do everything for you from hosting to development all under one roof," than for them to hear, "We just build the Website, but I don't know anything about that hosting company's services that you chose, so I can't consult on that level...good luck."

Yes, I have done this for years, I get it. I was just commenting that the OP is getting ripped off and _if_ he is being told that having his devs host it is a requirement, well, thats not true.



To each his own.
-

I suppose. Or we could just take my comment in the spirit it was meant, to be mildly informative for someone who was asking a question.

[Michael Derrick]

OK...I'm looking for some advice on website design. I've got a site, but I'm not happy with it. I'm looking for a semi-custom design with the ability for me to make changes as I need to, plus a video plug-in and photos. I've received a quote for $2800 for the design, then $4.95 per month hosting. I've also had a verbal quote for considerably less, but more per month for hosting. I can't get anyone from Inspector Pages to call or email me..(Thanks NACHI), so I need your help.

there are alot of software programs out there that are drop and drag easy to make your own web site exactly the way you want with very little training. and web hosting is as cheap is 10.00 per month . some host sites even have do it your self web designs but they are limited.

[JB Thompson]

Dominic with HIP as Markus noted would be a good person to contact. Also, Brian Hannigan who owns Inspection News/Hann Tech Marketing would also be a person who I would contact.

Dominic helped us with our chapter website for about a third of what you were quoted. This is our chapter site Mid TN ASHI | (http://www.midtnashi.com)

I agree with Scott. I have two websites with Dominic and am very pleased. He's always there to help you.