how much per site?

what is the going rate for site design and development?

[beaglechick]

I'm returning to doing some design and development after a few years of being otherwise occupied. I have been maintaining my own site but I am pretty new to everything really. I've gotten some offers to do a few websites but I have no idea what to charge.

I'd like some feedback on just basic static sites generally. Say, maybe four pages, static. I'd design them and do everything from the ground up. Once I had a base price I could figure out what to charge for add ons like flash or embedded stuff.

Also.. what do you guys charge for ongoing maintenance of a site? Just basic updates, et. What about simple custom graphics and logos?

Thanks

[lavazza]

I have no idea what to charge

I think that one prerequisite for being a professional developer is the ability to quantify what a project is worth, including:

1. development costs
   
2. maintenance costs
   and
   
3. 'opportunity' costs:
   
   • the potential benefits of investing the $$$ in 'other' media
     AND
     
   • the potential losses from NOT investing in teh interwebs

I find that once the actual worth is quantified, both to the developer and the client, figuring out how much to charge is quite straightforward

[beaglechick]

Web site development is a sideline for me. I do good work, but I only work with people who know me or are referred to me through people I know. These are just students, artists, musicians or maybe a few people who own a small business or something of that nature. They ask what to expect and I do not have an answer. An artiist friend is meeting me for coffee this week, he needs a website and has asked me to do it. There isn't any investment in other media.. or potential losses.. these sites are more like business cards.

Can someone tell me what they might charge for what I described?

[lavazza]

I think, if it's for friends/acquaintances/etc who aren't motivated enough to shop around and do the maths themselves, you simply do your best and charge 'em at a 'fair' $/hour rate - fair based on what they can realistically afford AND how much you could earn doing something else

:)

[StoutFiles]

An artiist friend is meeting me for coffee this week, he needs a website and has asked me to do it.

Most people don't comprehend the time and effort to put together a website. Unless you have a lot of premade templates w/ backends setup, it'll take a while.

I normally don't advise making websites for friends. I personally won't want to charge them that much and the time involved just isn't worth it.