Cost of web site - InspectionNews

Rick Cantrell · #1 (**permalink**) 12-15-2008, 07:37 PM

I am talking with someone about making a web site for me.
I have no knowledge in this area.
I would not know a good site if I stepped on one.
What should a site consist of?
5 pages, 10, 15?
$500, $1000?
You experiences are appreciated.

Ron Bibler · #2 (**permalink**) 12-15-2008, 08:43 PM

You need to look around at web sites for information... Thats the first place to start. A web site can be full of info and not help you get any inspection... and then you can have the best web site and not be listed with Google and your great web site is like a flyer in a real estate office trash can.

This my site Santa Rosa Termite and Pest Control
put you pages of your web site together one by one. if you do all your own lay out that will save a bunch of cash. then ask your web site guy for advise... Rick if you want you can call me at 707-570-2000 and i may be able to help.

Best

Ron

Bruce Ramsey · #3 (**permalink**) 12-15-2008, 10:22 PM

Costs vary greatly.

I agree that you need to draft all of the text for your website. The tech person knows less than nothing about home inspecting and will not be able to write the meaningful words. Look around to find out what you like in a webpage and what you dont want. Let your page designer know how you want the overall page to look like.

I would also recommend that you review at least a dozen different home inspector websites to get an idea of what others are saying, and what you will be competing against. If everyone in your area is advertising free estimates, you probably need to also offer free estimates. Some people post their rates while others don't. If rates are not posted, they have to contact you and you get a chance to sell them. If the rates are posted, they already know what they will be charged and can decide to select you based on price.

Many have FAQ pages. Once you have read 3 or 4 HI sites, the FAQ and the answers are basically the same. When I built my FAQ, I copied the FAQs from about a dozen web sites. Then I sorted the questions. Some of the questions were worded differently but were basically the same question. Then I put all the answers from all the other FAQs for a single question together. Based on the compliation of answers, I drafted my own answer for each question. My FAQ is larger than many and clients have commented that they liked all the information on my page. I am sure others were turned off by all the stuff.

I was spending $3-$4000 on yellow pages at the time I built my page. I spent about $1000-1500 for my webpage and canceled my yellow pages. Now it costs me about $100 a year to renew my domain. I spend about $200 a year adding new pages or updating information on the website. Search engine optimization can run $2-300 a month to chase the first page. Pay per click can run $200-$400 a month. I got more jobs from my website in six months than I did in two years of yellow pages for much less money.

How many pages is based on what you think you potential clients would need to know to select your company. Commonly there is a Home page, Qualifications/Certifications/Training page, Price List, Sample Report, Links to SOPs Licensing Board and Assoications, Bio & Photo, FAQ, Contacts page (email, phone, fax), Survey page, Schedule an appt, testimonals, Types of Inspections, Services Offered, Links to accrediting bodies for Radon, Septic & Well, IR, etc.

You don't need to post all your pages at once. I would recommend you get a home page up and then add additional pages as you have time and money.

Matt Fellman · #4 (**permalink**) 12-15-2008, 10:44 PM

IMO... there's two ways to do your website:

A - As a 'Yellow Pages' ad. Basically, it's a place to advertise to people who are generally looking for you. Mainly, people who are looking for you specifically. This site should cost you little to setup and maintain but won't bring you much business that you wouldn't get otherwise.

B - This would be a site like 'A' listed above + the potential to be a whole lot more. It uses tools like search engine optimization and pay-per-click advertising to route 'shoppers' to you. Of course, this costs. The more competion the more it costs to get your site noticed. Think of it as you standing in a room with all your competion and you can pay money for a louder voice to get noticed.

Personally, I have an 'A' site. It's worked so far. I've chosen to put my advertising money elsewhere but sooner or later I'll likely jump into the internet 'game'

For comparison sake.... I pay $600/year to Web design for Contractors and Home Inspectors | Web Design Real Estate Agents - they design and host the site. I've been told I'm paying too much (and I likely am) but it's super easy. I just email them with any new info I want on the site and it's there pretty much instantly. I can send MS Word files, pdf files, jpegs, etc, etc.

Unless you're super tech savy and able to design and manage your own site plan on spending some money to have it bring you business. In the meantime if you just want a presence on the net for prospective clients to be able to 'find' you just go for a design and host package....

Joe Taylor · #5 (**permalink**) 12-16-2008, 08:52 AM

I work in the marketing industry and do home inspection on the side. A good website is something different for each client. Before you begin talking about pricing or how many pages you want, you need to decide what the purpose of the site is and how you will market it to drive business.

How are you advertising your business now and how much are you spending? What is the size of the market you serve? What are your strengths and how will you differentiate yourself from competing businessess?

Just for reference, the initial year of having a site will be more expensive than the following years due to the initial domain and hosting purchase. Following those initial outlays you will be paying for renewals of hosting/domain & the maintenance of your site. Most projects of this type that I develop are in the $595 range + the initial purchases.

Joe

Scott Patterson · #6 (**permalink**) 12-16-2008, 10:28 AM

Talk to Brian (he owns Inspection News) Hann Tech Marketing Links

Brian has made many home inspector websites and they are not typical "cookie cutter" type sites.

I designed my own site and it shows!

But, it pulls up very good in the various searches for the areas I work in. I have not seen the need to pay anyone to do the work when I can do it myself. Yes, it takes time and the proper program but it can be done.

I just had a large site redone for a not for profit organization that I'm over, and we paid dearly to have it done. It is not a simple site and has some complicated pages on it.

Before I did anything I would give Brian a chance to see what he can do!

Jerry McCarthy · #7 (**permalink**) 12-17-2008, 05:52 PM

If not Brian, who is an excellent web-master and knows what home inspectors are about, take a look a 1&1.

Ron Bibler · #8 (**permalink**) 12-17-2008, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jerry McCarthy

If not Brian, who is an excellent web-master and knows what home inspectors are about, take a look a 1&1.

Posting my Web address on Inspection News from time to time has been a big help with my listing google.

Thanks Brian...

Best

Ron

Jon Randolph · #9 (**permalink**) 12-18-2008, 07:21 PM

My site ( link at the bottom of my signature) hosted through Yahoo is less than $15 a month and they provide the fairly easy to use web designing software. I created my site and can make changes whenever I want to. Check it out

#10 (**permalink**) 12-19-2008, 11:01 AM

You can get prices all over the place for website development. From thousands of dollars for profession marketing companies - to a few hundred dollars from students of foreigners who advertises on craigslist.

Truth is, since your website will be more 'brochure-ware' instead of an ecommerce site, you shouldn't pay more than $2000 and you might be able to get a quality site for much less. I would probably try to find a qualified developer for $500-$750 if I was willing to live with a website that is not fancy.

On going fees should be trivial unless you're making changes to the website content. A domain costs $15/year and a hosting contract costs $120/year.

Find a couple of websites for inspectors that you really like (that you wouldn't be competing with) and show them to your web developer.

Ask for a list of functioning websites your potential developer has made to make sure you like his work.

Provide him with any content and pictures that you want on the website.

Google adwords is worth checking into if you need more leads.

Homer Berry · #11 (**permalink**) 12-19-2008, 11:38 AM

I found a great web site builder program on line. My wife did most of the work. It cost a little over 150 for a year and that includes the hosting... everything. You might want to check it out. We can make changes anytime we want. Its Homestead. They have 1,000's of designed pages or you can start from stratch. Take a look at mine Home.

Nick Ostrowski · #12 (**permalink**) 12-19-2008, 11:38 AM

Google Adwords can get very expensive, especially during down times like these. You get large monthly per-click bills but not a lot of work to show for it. The clicks are most likely coming from other inspectors who are sitting around and checking out other inspector's sites.

I used to use Adwords but the monthly bill was getting out of hand and my work load was not increasing. You can try it but don't expect a lot from it.

Stephen M Jones · #13 (**permalink**) 12-19-2008, 11:56 AM

From my experience and point of view there is no better Home Inspection
web-site firm than InspectorSites.com, I tried "all of the above", wasted
lots of time and money. My website DSQualityHomeInspection.com is
exactly what I wanted, I can make changes as necessary, and have found the "customer service" to be flawless.

Brian Hannigan · #14 (**permalink**) 12-19-2008, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Patterson

Talk to Brian (he owns Inspection News) Hann Tech Marketing Links

Brian has made many home inspector websites and they are not typical "cookie cutter" type sites. ...

Before I did anything I would give Brian a chance to see what he can do!

Thank you Scott!

And consider web development and hosting fees as a way to contribute to InspectionNews.

Here are some references:

The following links are google searches and sites that I have developed to rank well in a search.

thousand oaks home inspection
All American - Ranked #1

agoura home inspection
Crystal - Ranked #1

simi valley home inspection
Guyer - Ranked #1

pasadena home inspection
National 400 - Ranked #2

san louis obispo home inspection
O'Brien - Ranked #3

irvine home inspection
Guaranteed - Racked "C" in the google maps

huntington home inspection
Inspections By Steve - Ranked #7

Other site (taking to much time to do all the google searches)

Peninsula HomePro | Professional Home Inspection Services, Inc.

Home-Commercial Inspections Boulder Longmont Louisville Broomfield Denver Erie

Home Inspection Inspector Long Beach Lakewood Huntington Beach Seal Fountain

Advanced Building Inspections

Alvord Home Inspections

F.I.R.E. Associates Fireplace Inspection,fireplace consulting services, fire investigation, fire litigation support

Fireplace Investigation, Research and Education Service - Fire Technology Prefabricated Fireplace

Focus Inspection Services

Summit Home Inspection Fullerton Anaheim Costa Mesa Irvine Fountain Valley

Home Inspection Inspector Orange Irvine Anaheim Corona Tustin Placentia Yorba

There are many more.

I'm in the process of building sites for Kevin O'Malley (sold his school ITA to Kaplan) and Mike Casey (of ITA, Kaplan, past ASHI president, past CREIA president.)

So if you are looking for inspection related web site design references, I've got them.

Feel free to contact any of the above for references.

My fees start at $650 for what I would call the typical inspection site, designed to be user friendly and designed with web searches/placement in mind.

Hosting is $34.95/mo

If you have any questions please e-mail me directly

brian@hanntech.com

Thank you all for using and supporting InspectionNews.

boomer rbu · #15 (**permalink**) 07-30-2009, 10:02 PM

Greetings,

I am a new Home Inspector, I had my website done by: Online internet marketing | outsource web development | Website Design Home & Garden Directory - Web Development - Web Site Packages : Dotfront.com . this is not a typical website. It allows me to have my business on line create accounts, reports, send reports to my customers, I can also change add, delete, pictures, content. I heve been in this is industry for a year, I used to do all my reports manually, now I just use the website, and everything is taken care of my customers are organized and it is saving me a lot of time. I also get upgrades for free.

check it out, I recommend it.

br

Scott Patterson · #16 (**permalink**) 07-31-2009, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boomer rbu

Greetings,

I am a new Home Inspector, I had my website done by: Online internet marketing | outsource web development | Website Design Home & Garden Directory - Web Development - Web Site Packages : Dotfront.com . this is not a typical website. It allows me to have my business on line create accounts, reports, send reports to my customers, I can also change add, delete, pictures, content. I heve been in this is industry for a year, I used to do all my reports manually, now I just use the website, and everything is taken care of my customers are organized and it is saving me a lot of time. I also get upgrades for free.

check it out, I recommend it.

br

What is your website address?

Also we like to use our real names on this board. Fill out the information on your profile, it helps everyone!!

Erby Crofutt · #17 (**permalink**) 07-31-2009, 04:00 PM

If you have the skills to do it yourself, great. Find some software and go for it.

If you DON'T have the DIY skills, skip all the bullshit and just have Brian do it for you.

You'll be a lot happier.

Lot's of people promise great stuff. Brian just delivers it.

Richard Flores · #18 (**permalink**) 10-21-2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Randolph

My site ( link at the bottom of my signature) hosted through Yahoo is less than $15 a month and they provide the fairly easy to use web designing software. I created my site and can make changes whenever I want to. Check it out

John, you need to add meta tags to your index page. That is the one that Yahoo & Google hit more with there webcrawlers. I also use Yahoo Sitebuilder and it is the easiest thing to do... It is almost cut and paste.

Erby Crofutt · #19 (**permalink**) 10-22-2009, 05:42 AM

I doubt that an old thread like this gets much attention but here's a thought from "Stephen Jones" comment about the wonderful Inspector Sites . com development service.

It's a cookie cutter from so many other sites with a little bit of his stuff thrown in. Go to a back page, copy a random sentence or two and plug it into Google with quotes around it. See what comes up. Here's just one example:

Google Search results

It's a "good" site, but everyone of their customers get's pretty much the same site. Duplication sucks.

Don't fall for the cookie cutters who charge you a ton of money, plug your info into a few places, and then publish the same site they've given everybody else.

Just have Brian do it and be done with it.

daniel nantell · #20 (**permalink**) 10-22-2009, 07:40 PM

Most of your community colleges have courses on web design If you are interested in doing it yourself.