How much should I charge?

[twells22]

This guy owns a Sign Company and wants me to build a website for him. He has been trying to get a site built for him for about 3 years but nobody around here builds websites. He wants me to design a site, build an online store for it, help with the SEO, and train his guys on how to update it. He wants me to build it with a design tool so that I can train his guys on how to update it without needing a designer. This is quite a bit of work. How much should I charge for work like this. He makes about $100,000 for himself with his company and thinks the site will add anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000 more a year.

 

[Hitch]

This guy owns a Sign Company and wants me to build a website for him. He has been trying to get a site built for him for about 3 years but nobody around here builds websites. He wants me to design a site, build an online store for it, help with the SEO, and train his guys on how to update it. He wants me to build it with a design tool so that I can train his guys on how to update it without needing a designer. This is quite a bit of work. How much should I charge for work like this. He makes about $100,000 for himself with his company and thinks the site will add anywhere from $25,000 to $50,000 more a year.

Depends.
Will you be designing and using a script, or designing and coding your own script?

I would possibly charge about $200, if it's a custom script, with advanced features. (Possibly less)

 

[twells22]

Depends.
Will you be designing and using a script, or designing and coding your own script?

I would possibly charge about $200, if it's a custom script, with advanced features. (Possibly less)

Well it will be my only script and I know I will be charging more than that.

 

[kleszcz]

For companies website over $20,000 and continuous support/training $1,000 p/m is easily acceptable. You should prepare financial detail plans for them. But depends on your skills. Good luck.

 

[orange]

Depends on how much your time is worth to you. Looks like a huge project to me. Should be a $10,000+ job. But make sure you describe to them in a invoice on what you plan on doing and how much each part of the site will cost them.

 

[mr.tyro]

It all depends on complexity of the site and is it a custom coding job. How long it will take to train the people. I say its in the region of atleast 4000-10,000 USD.

 

[acronym007]

First off, it doesn't matter what he makes, your product and price should be based on your quality and output. Your not a welfare provider with a sliding scale, correct? Your time is worth X regardless of what Y can afford. If they want you then they pay X amount, if they want you competitor then they pay that price. Let's think logically, here some figures. They could be broken down further or switched but again, let's get the big picture. One other thing, he could use Guru.com or something but your providing a personal face to face service which is worth a dollar figure alone.

$5k estimate, not final, just some rough numbers.

$2k design time, coding efforts. He may want things changed before final product.
$2k training employees (40 hours at $50 per hour) this is a modest figure, this could take longer.
$500 Seo work, this is ongoing and will cost more time and money but basic start-up.
$500 Custom CMS work using script, designing your CMS should cost much more.

All of this above = $5k

Cheers,

Acro

 

[Albino]

$5k?

ive been charging too little for websites!

 

[Hitch]

Lol, your prices are really high.

Just because it's for a company, doesn't mean the price has to go up nearly $5k.

 

[twells22]

I got about $1000 for the job. Thanks for your replies guys. I don't see the need for charging $5,000 plus for such an easy job.

 

[acronym007]

Are you people kidding me, it's not just a website. He wants a consultant, he wants training to employees, he wants SEO work. Go ahead give your services for free. Consulting is one of the most expensive services in business where no actual goods are exchanged.

By the way, if you only want to charge $1k I would seriously consider using you too.

 

[twells22]

Are you people kidding me, it's not just a website. He wants a consultant, he wants training to employees, he wants SEO work. Go ahead give your services for free. Consulting is one of the most expensive services in business where no actual goods are exchanged.

By the way, if you only want to charge $1k I would seriously consider using you too.

Well I'm at your service. :tu:

 

[Zeeble]

Are you people kidding me, it's not just a website. He wants a consultant, he wants training to employees, he wants SEO work. Go ahead give your services for free. Consulting is one of the most expensive services in business where no actual goods are exchanged.

By the way, if you only want to charge $1k I would seriously consider using you too.

I agree.

Particularly as he's been looking for someone to do it for a long time.

A local company here charges $4k for a 5 page website with a CMS!

 

[Albino]

wow, seems really pricey (no offense)

CMSs are really easy to script, and the training (if I am reading correctly), would be teaching the staff how to use a cms? surely that wouldnt take that long?

I don't know, Maybe I am naive, but I wouldn't charge more than 1k for that.

well done on getting and doing the job though!

 

[acronym007]

No offense taken on my end. I read allot more into it. Surely, my price structure has allot to do with the quality of the website, the hours involved in training, etc... In any case, mine is just one man's opinion. Either way I wish twells22 the best. Congrats on the gig and hope you get a ton more just don't short change yourself, web design is a great talent and worth it's price.

 

[CrazyTech]

Acronym knows his stuff. The problem is that forums water down the prices and people are shocked when they find out that the average website design contract is roughly $40k. If you're happy with $1000, go right ahead, but you undersold your services considering all the work involved. If he's expecting an ROI of $25-$50k then he'd pay more than $1k. I'm not saying jack up your prices, but Design + Development + SEO + Consultation adds up in hours.