Web site development cost?

[Tuckerman]

I have been asked to submit a price for a local restaurant to make them a web site. I do not do this as a living and have never really charged. My question is how much I should charge for a site with under 10 pages they supply the text, pics, and graphics as well as hosting and just grant me access. I have been told that they have gotten prices around $4000.00 and that seems like a lot to me is that what I should charge anyway?

[skitoolong]

4k?
Pick me, pick me. I could find time in my schedule to squeeeeze that one in.
Charge what you can get. As far as market value? Depends on the complexity, script, flash, graphics work etc. I can't imagine a basic site under 10pp going for more than a couple hun tho.

[dbp]

You sound a little like me. I don't do web stuff for a living either, but I have built some sites for friends. $4000 seems like a lot, but whenever I see web development quotes they always seem high.

I really can't offer much help on price, but a few questions that may help someone else answer...

- Is this a static or dynamic page? In other words, are you going to be doing plain html/css or are you going to be doing some PHP/ASP type coding?
- You said they are giving you access. Do they expect you to be the webmaster, or will you be done after you make the site? Maintenance is the real pain and would justify a high cost.
- Are they really supplying every bit of content, or do you anticipate doing some graphic work and writing?

Sounds like a fairly easy gig. I would be tempted to undercut everyone else to make sure I got the job. Of course if you quote too low, it can look bad too. Good luck.

[Tuckerman]

No flash I hope I can do a little ASP and or PHP because I like to but I don't think it is necessary. All content will be provided. How about $1000 - $2000 it will only take me a week or so. Oh I will offer 6 months of updates and showing them how to update for themselves.

[edg]

If you're going to take the time to do ASP/PHP, you may as well include a simple updating system for them to use. As this keeps paying, $2-3k would likely to be fair - depends on how much they're willing to pay.

edg

[hev]

usually pricing is based on a development fee and a monthly maintenece allowance. the actual number can vary hugely.

[mattitude]

Take everything they can put on the table. That will allow you to put some time in to it. I would estimate the amount of hours you think it will take you to build what they are expecting and multiply that by what you think you are worth per hour.

My firm does high end web stuff and we don't even start talking to clients unless the budget is upwards of $25k so $4k is not too much.

[Baconzoo]

At a corporate level my boss paid an ad agency 3K for 10 pages of HTML and a creative spin. I told him never to do that again.

[Shaggy]

You've got some good advice here, and you have a competitive advantage knowing what others have bid on the project. I'll caution you to take measures to prevent scope creep though. Make sure you list what your price includes and that changes to the plan will cost extra in writting. Nothing worse than being 3/4 done, only to have them spring a pile of changes on you.

[Tuckerman]

Hey thanks all good advice I'm charging $2000 I guess its not going to hurt me if I don't do it so what the fuck.

[TomK]

Hey thanks all good advice I'm charging $2000 I guess its not going to hurt me if I don't do it so what the fuck.

Tuck,
That's not the best attitude to take into a job.
Work hard to make sure to deliver quality & on time, because thats what counts in the end. With this approach, so many opportunities will get tossed your way you'll end up picking and choosing the jobs instead of settling for something nasty just to pay your bills.

This is your first paying gig as a service provider, right? It will HELP you in so many ways going forward if you can point potential new clients back to these folks as a reference.

[fez]

Tuck,
That's not the best attitude to take into a job.
Work hard to make sure to deliver quality & on time, because thats what counts in the end. With this approach, so many opportunities will get tossed your way you'll end up picking and choosing the jobs instead of settling for something nasty just to pay your bills.

This is your first paying gig as a service provider, right? It will HELP you in so many ways going forward if you can point potential new clients back to these folks as a reference.

I think what he is saying is he is setting his price and isnt going to worry about not getting the job because it is too high

[TomK]

Upon rereading the whole thread, I think you are correct sir cylindrical red hat. Tuck - I appologise for misinterpreting.

Good luck and let us know the URL of your efforts.

[Tuckerman]

Yeah I have a job already this would be for fun after skiing, and work.

[jonesy]

I charge 25.00/hr. That way if they and they will start changing stuff in mid stream no worries it's still 25.00/hr. I keep a timer on the desktop and a running account on a notebook pad of my work. Sometimes it is a good thing to get half the money cause people tend to drag there feet once the pages are loaded up. I usually load a template page on a server so they can decide if they like the design.