Hi guys

 

Could u please have a look at my latest site.

 

It's not finished (needs more photos). Comments appreciated. Be gentle with me.

 

http://www.grafnic.com/Lear2/index.html

 

 

 

Thanks

 

Nic

Well considering its not too attractive and doesn't validate i'd be a little worried. You should be showing this to your client and asking him what he/she wants, not us.

I think that's a bit harsh Donny. Ok the site doesn't validate, but it's not finished yet! I quite like the combination of green and greys - they work really well together. I also like the simplicity of it. One thing I think you need to watch out for is the liquid layout - it would be advisable to give elements a minimum width as they all shrink into each other when viewed on a smaller screen and the design also breaks when shrunk down.

 

You could easily do this kind of design with a fixed width...it might be better to do so, but that's just my opinion as I prefer fixed width sites.

I think that's a bit harsh Donny.

 

If it sets him on the right path then it will benefit him. He should be aiming to please the client, not a messageboard audience.

I think its good. Actually its pretty darn similar to one of the templates I made when I first started learning CSS. I was wondering on the gallery page, why not leave the 2nd table area an image just like the other pages and when the visitors click on an image, it would change that image. That would look cool.

He should be aiming to please the client, not a messageboard audience.

He's not aiming to please people of the forum, but wanting to get some opinions / constructive criticism. Everyone needs to do that from time to time - I often show work on here or ask friends opinions on work before showing it to the client - it's a way of gauging the work you've done.

Ok my bad. I prefer to show only the client until the website is launched. But thats just the way i've always done it.

Thanks for the comments everyone. I will deffo look into the min-widths Eskymo.

 

It isn't finished yet but will be checked for validation.

 

Always appreciate comments good or bad.

 

Nic

 

 

Thanks for the comments everyone. I will deffo look into the min-widths Eskymo.

 

It isn't finished yet but will be checked for validation.

 

Always appreciate comments good or bad.

 

Nic

 

BTW I have already shown it too the client and he was happy.

He's not aiming to please people of the forum, but wanting to get some opinions / constructive criticism.

I also do the same for every project I have. On forums such as this, there are many professional designers around who can give you a hand when you need. Most of the non-experienced viewers only care for the look and the content, but webmasters can look more into that and find out problems that they may have encountered while reading their source code.

 

BTW I have already shown it too the client and he was happy.

For the 2nd column images you used, why not use a image rotator script. I have a very simple but effective one if you want to use. Click here to view the tutorial for a rotating script

BTW I have already shown it too the client and he was happy.

 

Thats what counts, right!

Thats what counts, right!

 

How much do you normally charge for a site like this?

How much do you normally charge for a site like this?

 

- I would normally charge 1-2 days for design, but this is quite a simple layout so lets say a day - at £210

- then a couple of days build - £420

- then another day to finish stuff off - adding meta info / validation / cross browser testing / and all that stuff - £210

 

so in total about £840.

 

But that's off the top of my head as a ball park figure - it would probably be less as it's not a very large site and might not need 2 days for the build.

 

Hope that helps.

How much do you normally charge for a site like this?

 

For a site like that i'd charge £200. Wouldn't take any longer that 2 days to design, build and optimize.

 

so in total about £840.

 

You must be insane. £840 for a design like that is daylight robbery.

£840 is not only for the design - it's the design, the build, the validation, the optimisation, making it accessible according to W3C standards, browser testing on all the main PC and Mac browsers and making sure it works cross platform, the follow up support, sorting out the hosting + domain, setting up email accounts - it's the whole bundle.

 

It's not insane at all, when you also add in your overheads and time dealing with the clients over the phone and via email etc. You get your money's worth for £840 - I'm not ripping anyone off in the process and it's not insane or daylight robbery - ask my clients, they're all very happy with the service I provide and I wouldn't be in business and doing very well if people were put off by my prices.

 

If you want to do it for £200 so be it, I have no probelm with that. Fair enough if clients can find the work for cheaper too, but I doubt they'll get the whole bundle for that price. They may get a site for £200, but is it a good site? Is it accessible? Is it well desinged and well built? Does it work in every browser cross platform? I think you get what you pay for.

 

But hey - that's just my opinion.

If you want to do it for £200 so be it, I have no probelm with that. Fair enough if clients can find the work for cheaper too, but I doubt they'll get the whole bundle for that price. They may get a site for £200, but is it a good site? Is it accessible? Is it well desinged and well built? Does it work in every browser cross platform? I think you get what you pay for.

 

Of course its accessible, of course its well designed and well built and of course it works in all modern browsers. The only difference you've stated is setting up the domain and hosting. But hey, if the client already has that it makes my job easier. Sorry, but I don't know how you can sleep at night charging that much.

this is insane, £200 for a website! this is the sort of thing that makes the industry what it is...

Kids making website in their parents bedroom while someone is cooking for them...

£200 is F*** all for a website I agree with E, it's not only about rushing a website in a couple of days but about providing a service, meaning advice and guidance as to what's best for the clients, planning building and testing. It's all good spitting 2 or 3 sites a week if the only thing the client gets a site that doesn't fulfill their needs. Remember, what we do is called web DEVELOPMENT, there must be some sort of thinking process behind the all thing....

3 x £200 sites a week or one for £600? I know where i stand...

 

Keep up the good work E, you rock miss

 

Oli

When I first started out in web design, I was charging small amounts like that, as I knew how to do them, but diddn't have confidence in my designs and also, I didn't want the fear of loosing clients by charging too much. After a few years your skills improve, so should your rates, as you learn alot of skills not just with design but with, as Eskymo mentioned SEO marketing and also implementing CMS systems so users can update the website them selfs.

 

When you are a skilled freelancer and have a mortgage to pay & a family to feed you can't get by only charging £200 for a fully blown website. You can argue rates for ever but I think what Eskymo is charging is a good rate for her level of professionalism, have you seen her portfolio..it's rather impressive! Also, how can you justify Big design firms charging £3000 just for a logo design...but people pay it, it's about a lelvel of confidence that the client is getting exactly what they want!

 

Perhaps you could start charging more Donny!

 

Back to the the topic, I always like to see the "Lightbox js" in action - I think it certainly sits well within Design/Photography websites. The Lightbox and Studio section are clearly organised. Nice one Nic.

Thanks for supporting me guys...Like Ben says - I've got a mortgage to pay and mouths to feed. If I was living with my parents, with no bills to pay and no food to put on the table I'd be happy to charge less. If it wasn't my main source of income and I was doing web design for a laugh as a sideline to my main career I'd be happy to pay less, but I'm making a living here and have been doing so for the past 7 years. When I started out I charged a lot less, but now my skillset has increased and so has my knowledge of the industry and so the price I charge reflects that.

 

Back to the topic - I love Lightbox and implemented something similar on my own site - I think it's great and should be used more definitely!!!

I like the design alot. I would only change 2 things thoug:

 

1: The green, I'd possibly make it a little more darker

 

2: The navigation boxes on the left, Id make the text stronger, maybe bolder.

 

But Overall, I like the design, as it has a clean, professional feel to it

Oh man, i'm not getting into an arguement with you guys. I'm new here, and don't want to make a bad impression. Olivier, we're all web developers regardless of our price.

 

Thanks for supporting me guys...Like Ben says - I've got a mortgage to pay and mouths to feed. If I was living with my parents, with no bills to pay and no food to put on the table I'd be happy to charge less. If it wasn't my main source of income and I was doing web design for a laugh as a sideline to my main career I'd be happy to pay less, but I'm making a living here and have been doing so for the past 7 years.

 

Riiight, I like how i'm the guy in my bedroom doing web-design. Totally wrong judgement on all your parts. I see web standards as something that (as a developer) you are required to implement into a design, not something you exploit and charge extra for to cover your "mortgage".

 

When I started out I charged a lot less, but now my skillset has increased and so has my knowledge of the industry and so the price I charge reflects that.

 

Exactly, so please be more understanding while I feel my way into the industry.

I didn't realise such a little question would cause such a fuss!

 

I personally wish I had the confidence to charge that sort of money Eskymo - I'd like to think I provide a damn good service! I think people should stop thinking about whether their clients like the price and start chargin what THEY think it's worth. Because it everyone was just thinking about what the client would pay - surely that price would be FREE. Remember all the time you spend on the project must add up to something? And the client choosing you isn't doing it for a favour, it's all about business.

 

Dave

Oh man, i'm not getting into an arguement with you guys. I'm new here, and don't want to make a bad impression. Olivier, we're all web developers regardless of our price.

Riiight, I like how i'm the guy in my bedroom doing web-design. Totally wrong judgement on all your parts. I see web standards as something that (as a developer) you are required to implement into a design, not something you exploit and charge extra for to cover your "mortgage".

Exactly, so please be more understanding while I feel my way into the industry.

 

Sorry didn't mean to be that harsh but E is spot on price wise... if anything, she could charge more and so could you! your work is good so don't underestimate yourself. You are skilled, skills come at a price

Hey - I don't want to argue with anyone - just justify why I charge what I do. I defintely think you could charge more for your work. I'm not exploiting enyone and what I do does come as standard not an additional things to charge for - I was just listing what is included in the price...and I think that's what I should charge for that.

 

Going back to the original post - I agree with repeat-x about the navigation - defintely make it bolder as it's doesn't stand out enough. I personaly like the green and think it goes well with the rest of the design - if it was darked, I think the whole sight would look gloomy - but try it and see - I might be wrong. I just like bright colours at the moment after doing a banana yellow sight for a client recently.

I agree...I think Donny should charge more, you certainly have a good skillset and it's shows in your website and templates you make.

Wooooooooo!

 

Things have been moving on whilst I've been away.

 

Any intersting discussion. I personally charged less than E coz i'm not that good, yet !