How to choose a good Web Design Company?

everest · 07-09-2004, 05:08 PM

At work I’m faced with a decision to choose a web design company, to redesign our web site, which is quite archaic now. Some time ago, when faced with a similar task to look for web hosting firm I’ve looked at top rankings of hosting directories. So I chose the top host which later proved to be worse then we expected. At the same time for our family web site my daughter found http://veghost.com - a cheaper host which proved to be much better. So the question is how to choose a good web design company? I wouldn’t like to pay more money for worse services again.
What are the focus points to look at when choosing a web design company?
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/web-design-discussion/38108-how-choose-good-web-design-company.html
How to make sure that service is not overpriced?
Thanks for your help.

iDeviseFlash · 07-09-2004, 05:25 PM

hmm, that is a hard one. Look around there folios, talk to people who have used them. You could conisder us, and there are many other good design firms here. Good luck!

Mr. Websites · 07-09-2004, 05:30 PM

Yeah, looking through portfolios would be your best bet. There's more than enough amazing designers around here. Post your requirements in the "Web Design and Templates For Sale" and let's see the response you get. There's more than enough creative folks over at DesignOutpost, as well. I would recommend you go through our forums prior to looking around any further, I'm sure we have a designer that fits your needs.

Ethan · 07-09-2004, 05:41 PM

Portfolios are good, but here are some design firms I know are good as I know the owners and their work is great:

http://whitehillstudios.co.uk/
http://entailstudios.com/
http://www.elusionstudios.com/ (have to contact, no porfolio)

I also do web design and probably the same with many other members here, so ask for some work here and you probably can get someone good right here, but ask around before hiring anyone.

Spiral · 07-09-2004, 07:30 PM

I think the best thing to do is to get in contact with the designer. If you find someone very helpful and courteous, you may be more inclined to employ them than if you get a automated response from a design firm.

Ethan · 07-10-2004, 03:38 AM

I also say buy it from someone that you know as you can get in better contact with them and have an idea of what the turn out would be.

iDeviseFlash · 07-10-2004, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Spiral
????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/showthread.php?t=38108
I think the best thing to do is to get in contact with the designer. If you find someone very helpful and courteous, you may be more inclined to employ them than if you get a automated response from a design firm.

best advice so far, prolly, good job spi!

GodSpeed · 07-10-2004, 07:31 AM

The devise guys are good designers and good people.

There also easy to get ahold of

jstep · 07-10-2004, 08:08 AM

Also look through the portfolio for the style

See if theres something similar to something you want

if they can do it once they can do it again

n3m · 07-11-2004, 08:35 AM

do a search for designers and have a look thorugh their portfolios
our can been seen here

Mr. Websites · 07-11-2004, 08:47 AM

I would recommend neo3media!

iDeviseFlash · 07-11-2004, 09:45 AM

grr, lol. You have just one partner? Well, technically i do, but together, all out team has somewhere over 10+ Yeats experience in programming, design. N3 are good, they'll treat ya right. Dont really matter who you choose, lol, as long as they dont scam you or stink terribly.

n3m · 07-12-2004, 03:46 AM

there are 3 of us in the office.
im responsible for all the print design, marketing and promotion work (all this web stuff is beyond me!!!)
my partner does all the techy web, flash, audio and multimedia work (i think he is a demi-god)
and theres number 3 he does a bit of everything

VyzeR · 07-13-2004, 01:16 AM

neo3 portfolio is pretty nice they look like a good choice

everest · 07-15-2004, 08:05 AM

Excuse me, but what about price? How to see that price is appropriate?

darksk8er · 07-18-2004, 04:12 AM

1) Is the designer/team nice and interested
2)Are they reliable? check for testimonials, costumer reviews
3)Am I being ripped off.
4)how long have they been doing it.
5)Portfolio, portfolio, portfolio

That's 5 things to look for.

edit: pricing depends upon project size and quality, so I can't give you an estimate, you have to ask for quotes on different places.

will7 · 07-20-2004, 01:02 AM

Exactly. I offer package deals designed for basic sites but even these are customisable. I offer a fully custom design also. Each web site is individual - some people need different things and different prices. I wouldn't charge £1000 for a 3 page site with no graphics - but I would for a corporate site, with shopping cart and database e.t.c. You get the picture...

FMS · 07-24-2004, 03:03 PM

1. Portfolio/Reviews

2. Is there a phone number where you can call directly?

3. Is there an address?

4. Are they pleasant through e-mail/and or phone?

5. When you email, do they forget who you are, or do they recognize you as a valuable client? (example)...you send a few emails...or pm..then a week later you contact them again to discuss the deal further..and they say"who are you again"? This is a big- No-No!

6. Will they allow you to contact clients for references? (this is usually a good one, that can show a companies true colors-quick)... You may just want to ask and not actually do it...but a reputable company will not take issue with this.

7. How does the firms website appeal to you? If someone tells you "don't judge us by our website, its being redesigned right now: RUN"

***I think a nice example of legit company looks like this:

http://www.designoutpost.com

All the info at your finger tips....
hope this helps out...

everest · 07-30-2004, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by darksk8er

edit: pricing depends upon project size and quality, so I can't give you an estimate, you have to ask for quotes on different places.

But we’ve asked different companies and price range is quite different.

e39m5 · 07-31-2004, 07:01 AM

there is no set price, you can charge however much money you want, there even people on namepros selling custom templates for 25-50 NP$ (less than a dollar), some of em are pretty good and some are horrible. what I would od is pick the companies whos stywle you like. Then out of all those companies you picked, find the cheapest one and use them

jonathannrj · 05-18-2005, 08:13 AM

Choosing a website design company ...interesting.

I know this is a very late reply, but here goes anyways. Here is what I would say:

1. How long has the website design company you contact been in business?

2. Does their portfolio differ from site to site - or do they look similar?

3. Does their designs appeal to your taste?

4. Don't be afraid to get their clients feedback. Look throught the design firm's site to see if they post client testimonials.

5. And most importantly, find a firm that have good rankings and offer some SEO services. Why good is a site if its badly designed for search engines?

And of course, take a look at our site, www.nrjdesign.com . We have a large portfolio, years of experience, and very satisfied clients

.

If you want some good articles on these topics, or even some how-tos, then check our resource section on our site as well: http://www.nrjdesign.com/website-design-articles.html Enjoy!

StudioWorks · 05-18-2005, 10:13 AM

Hello,

Well there are many different opinions on this issue.

If I had to choose a company I would choose a company that can provide professional services, great support, and affordable prices to me.

And of course a company that doesn't want me to pay until I see what im getting, what im paying for ( a demo site or something like that ).

Testimonials don't have any effect on me - most of them are fake

digidogstudios · 05-18-2005, 11:27 AM

Yes, as a web design company your portfolio should speak for itself.

check out my company if your interested: DigiDog Studios Web Design and view our Web Design Portfolio

will7 · 05-18-2005, 01:09 PM

Nice little bit of "subtle" self advertising there, Steven

07-09-2004, 05:08 PM	THREAD STARTER #1 (permalink)
everest New Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 6	How to choose a good Web Design Company? At work I’m faced with a decision to choose a web design company, to redesign our web site, which is quite archaic now. Some time ago, when faced with a similar task to look for web hosting firm I’ve looked at top rankings of hosting directories. So I chose the top host which later proved to be worse then we expected. At the same time for our family web site my daughter found http://veghost.com - a cheaper host which proved to be much better. So the question is how to choose a good web design company? I wouldn’t like to pay more money for worse services again. What are the focus points to look at when choosing a web design company? ????: NamePros.com http://www.namepros.com/web-design-discussion/38108-how-choose-good-web-design-company.html How to make sure that service is not overpriced? Thanks for your help.

07-09-2004, 05:25 PM	#2 (permalink)
iDeviseFlash Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,030	hmm, that is a hard one. Look around there folios, talk to people who have used them. You could conisder us, and there are many other good design firms here. Good luck! __________________ ~~ SIG FOR SALE ~~ Click here...

07-09-2004, 05:41 PM	#4 (permalink)
Ethan Sheriff Of Nothing Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 220	Portfolios are good, but here are some design firms I know are good as I know the owners and their work is great: http://whitehillstudios.co.uk/ http://entailstudios.com/ http://www.elusionstudios.com/ (have to contact, no porfolio) I also do web design and probably the same with many other members here, so ask for some work here and you probably can get someone good right here, but ask around before hiring anyone. __________________ Lowter.com - Webmaster eZine and Community Interactive eZine, Articles, Blogs, and More Norics.com \| Cascading Design \| Blue Programming

07-09-2004, 07:30 PM	#5 (permalink)
Spiral NamePros Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: British Columbia, Canada Posts: 61	I think the best thing to do is to get in contact with the designer. If you find someone very helpful and courteous, you may be more inclined to employ them than if you get a automated response from a design firm. __________________ trust.me \|\| spiral.alchemy

07-10-2004, 03:38 AM	#6 (permalink)
Ethan Sheriff Of Nothing Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 220	I also say buy it from someone that you know as you can get in better contact with them and have an idea of what the turn out would be. __________________ Lowter.com - Webmaster eZine and Community Interactive eZine, Articles, Blogs, and More Norics.com \| Cascading Design \| Blue Programming

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07-09-2004, 05:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
Mr. Websites Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,308	Yeah, looking through portfolios would be your best bet. There's more than enough amazing designers around here. Post your requirements in the "Web Design and Templates For Sale" and let's see the response you get. There's more than enough creative folks over at DesignOutpost, as well. I would recommend you go through our forums prior to looking around any further, I'm sure we have a designer that fits your needs.

07-10-2004, 07:31 AM	#8 (permalink)
GodSpeed NamePros Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Florida Posts: 73	The devise guys are good designers and good people. There also easy to get ahold of __________________ http://www.v0d.com/sigs/siggodspeed.jpg AIM: PimpShizzleness MSN: rcornell1919@hotmail.com EMAIL: GodSpeed.GFX@Gmail.com

07-10-2004, 08:08 AM	#9 (permalink)
jstep www.SportsConvo.com Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 2,623	Also look through the portfolio for the style See if theres something similar to something you want if they can do it once they can do it again

07-11-2004, 08:35 AM	#10 (permalink)
n3m NamePros Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 123	do a search for designers and have a look thorugh their portfolios our can been seen here Last edited by neo3media; 07-30-2004 at 03:19 AM.

07-11-2004, 08:47 AM	#11 (permalink)
Mr. Websites Senior Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,308	I would recommend neo3media!

07-11-2004, 09:45 AM	#12 (permalink)
iDeviseFlash Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,030	grr, lol. You have just one partner? Well, technically i do, but together, all out team has somewhere over 10+ Yeats experience in programming, design. N3 are good, they'll treat ya right. Dont really matter who you choose, lol, as long as they dont scam you or stink terribly. __________________ ~~ SIG FOR SALE ~~ Click here...

07-12-2004, 03:46 AM	#13 (permalink)
n3m NamePros Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 123	there are 3 of us in the office. im responsible for all the print design, marketing and promotion work (all this web stuff is beyond me!!!) my partner does all the techy web, flash, audio and multimedia work (i think he is a demi-god) and theres number 3 he does a bit of everything

07-13-2004, 01:16 AM	#14 (permalink)
VyzeR New Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 10	neo3 portfolio is pretty nice they look like a good choice

07-15-2004, 08:05 AM	THREAD STARTER #15 (permalink)
everest New Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 6	Excuse me, but what about price? How to see that price is appropriate?

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

07-18-2004, 04:12 AM	#16 (permalink)
darksk8er Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,606	1) Is the designer/team nice and interested 2)Are they reliable? check for testimonials, costumer reviews 3)Am I being ripped off. 4)how long have they been doing it. 5)Portfolio, portfolio, portfolio That's 5 things to look for. edit: pricing depends upon project size and quality, so I can't give you an estimate, you have to ask for quotes on different places. __________________ http://www.HiDefinition.net HiDefinition Web Solutions. David Gomez \| CEO

07-20-2004, 01:02 AM	#17 (permalink)
will7 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 2,725	Exactly. I offer package deals designed for basic sites but even these are customisable. I offer a fully custom design also. Each web site is individual - some people need different things and different prices. I wouldn't charge £1000 for a 3 page site with no graphics - but I would for a corporate site, with shopping cart and database e.t.c. You get the picture... __________________ Will Narburgh \| Graphic design \| Twitter \| Email me

07-24-2004, 03:03 PM	#18 (permalink)
FMS NamePros Regular Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: USA Posts: 367	1. Portfolio/Reviews 2. Is there a phone number where you can call directly? 3. Is there an address? 4. Are they pleasant through e-mail/and or phone? 5. When you email, do they forget who you are, or do they recognize you as a valuable client? (example)...you send a few emails...or pm..then a week later you contact them again to discuss the deal further..and they say"who are you again"? This is a big- No-No! 6. Will they allow you to contact clients for references? (this is usually a good one, that can show a companies true colors-quick)... You may just want to ask and not actually do it...but a reputable company will not take issue with this. 7. How does the firms website appeal to you? If someone tells you "don't judge us by our website, its being redesigned right now: RUN" *I think a nice example of legit company looks like this: http://www.designoutpost.com All the info at your finger tips.... hope this helps out... __________________ Just returning to the forum and wow how much the site has evolved over the years...amazing** Last edited by FMS; 07-24-2004 at 03:11 PM.

07-31-2004, 07:01 AM	#20 (permalink)
e39m5 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,189	there is no set price, you can charge however much money you want, there even people on namepros selling custom templates for 25-50 NP$ (less than a dollar), some of em are pretty good and some are horrible. what I would od is pick the companies whos stywle you like. Then out of all those companies you picked, find the cheapest one and use them

05-18-2005, 08:13 AM	#21 (permalink)
jonathannrj New Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 2	Choosing a website design company ...interesting. I know this is a very late reply, but here goes anyways. Here is what I would say: 1. How long has the website design company you contact been in business? 2. Does their portfolio differ from site to site - or do they look similar? 3. Does their designs appeal to your taste? 4. Don't be afraid to get their clients feedback. Look throught the design firm's site to see if they post client testimonials. 5. And most importantly, find a firm that have good rankings and offer some SEO services. Why good is a site if its badly designed for search engines? And of course, take a look at our site, www.nrjdesign.com . We have a large portfolio, years of experience, and very satisfied clients . If you want some good articles on these topics, or even some how-tos, then check our resource section on our site as well: http://www.nrjdesign.com/website-design-articles.html Enjoy!

05-18-2005, 10:13 AM	#22 (permalink)
StudioWorks no one lives forever Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NamePros Posts: 8,075	Hello, Well there are many different opinions on this issue. If I had to choose a company I would choose a company that can provide professional services, great support, and affordable prices to me. And of course a company that doesn't want me to pay until I see what im getting, what im paying for ( a demo site or something like that ). Testimonials don't have any effect on me - most of them are fake __________________ epagini.com mexicorealty.net softwarepit.com yadasoftware.com

05-18-2005, 11:27 AM	#23 (permalink)
digidogstudios NamePros Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 143	Yes, as a web design company your portfolio should speak for itself. check out my company if your interested: DigiDog Studios Web Design and view our Web Design Portfolio __________________ DigiDog Studios Web Design \| Web Design Blog \| Web Site Design Reviews \| Web Design Portfolio \| Professional Website Design

05-18-2005, 01:09 PM	#24 (permalink)
will7 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 2,725	Nice little bit of "subtle" self advertising there, Steven __________________ Will Narburgh \| Graphic design \| Twitter \| Email me