Forum Moderators: LifeinAsia
This is what they had to say even though their service was poor.
<snip>
UMM 800 dollars to transfer a site? Am i getting screwed?
[edited by: digitalghost at 8:51 pm (utc) on May 10, 2005]
[edit reason] no email quotes [/edit]
I am a web designer, and I also host client sites. A site going down that often is inexcusable, and that fact it continues to do so may give you a reason to switch web designers if they're that careless with their hosting.
If they didn't host your site and you needed to move I would say that's a fair price for the amount of work involved - assuming all of it is truely needed and you have a substatially large site.
Where it gets into the gray area a bit is the fact that you have to move your site because they can't keep the server up. You may want to consider asking for all web site files, databases, scripts, etc. on CD and then get a reliable web host separate from your newly hired web designer.
<added> If the host InterMedia doesn't support the latest version of PHP then find another host. Web hosts should have the latest stable version.</added>
as johnkelly said, those things need to be done in order to transfer a site but it can be done for a lot less than $800!
If I were in your position, I'd find a host with a good reputation. There are site's dedicated to discussing web hosts - sticky me if you want url's or ask google.
Once you've found a host, post a project on elance. Mention that you're looking for someone to migrate your site and put the details that your web designer sent you - I'm guessing a project like that can be done for $150 on elance, maybe less. You'll probably have to give bidders your username/password for the current host so they can log in to the backend and give you an accurate quote - so make sure you only pick providers with solid feedback and references (check them) - and once they've given you the quote *change your password*
Don't agree to pay any more than 50% of the bid amount up front, the rest payable on completion of the project - those are pretty much standard terms on elance. Once you've picked a provider, pay for one month's hosting at your new host and ask them to begin the work.
If all goes to plan, your site can be migrated to the new host for less than $200. as long as you pick a provider who has solid feedback + references, and has been on elance for at least 2 years, a small project like this should go smoothly.
If it doesn't work out as planned then you've paid about $100 in deposit and hosting fees and your current webhost/designer won't even know you tried to change host so you can avoid any awkwardness if you do end up having to go back to them.
good luck
If it was me in such a situation I would first shift to a better host. Pay whatever these freaks want and get out of the deal [To avoid any disruption on the website]. Once on another host I would look for a good designer/web programmer [interview a few and choose the best consultant] and start work with him/her.
YOU HAVE TO learn the basics if you want to live on the web. Many of the topics mentioned [other than the code change - which I am not sure why.. cause if you need a newer php version you shuold ask the client to get a better hosting company] [sticky me and I'll show you the way to the host I use and many others who are pretty good.]
Lord! They even mentioned setting up email accounts! :-D this is funny.
I don't think this is so. The domain is controlled by a separate service and it CAN be given as a value added service but surely the hosting company is NOT creating the domain itself.
One domain obviously can't point to two hosts, so he can leave currentdomain.com running as it is, and set up the new site at newdomain.com - once everythings working as expected, currentdomain.com can be changed to point to the new host and newdomain.com can be dicthed/parked/whatever. This way, there's minimal downtime.
Can you try this trick...
Find the most reliable and trust worthy host for hosting your website.You will have to find it after lot of reading testimonials...
Ask your new host that i will sign up for this much of time but you will have to transfer my website from this to this....
Then just pay your new host some extra fees for transfering to new host
I dont know much about transferring so may be this idea may not be good that much...any way i would pray for your easy solution.
Be aware though that a host *may* not be able or want to change php scripts etc, it depends on whether they are a pure hosting company or not.
HTH.
Get a good hosting company and they probably moving your site free.
But they surely not suppose to care about some path
setting in files. Even if you have very complex site,
so many details to set may cost a little more than "0" USD, but this is not as hard as they showing the transfer procedure.
Most of the described transfer steps even you able to do.
A "pure" hosting company wouldn't touch this. A development/hosting firm might, but it's not going to be done for free (or cheap).
You Picked The Host:
If they didn't pick the host, you can't hold it against them. In that case, if it were me, I'd probably charge time and materials and feel fully justified and morally right about it. Is the price in the ball-park? Depending on the specifics yes, that has the potential to be a reasonable quote.
They Picked The Host:
If they picked the host, it's another thing entirely. Granted, I'd feel justified in charging SOMETHING if the version of php was older on the host you picked and recoding was required...but why pick a host with an older version of PHP? At worst, I would not charge anything even close to my normal billing rate if the host was one I picked, and you have that much documented downtime. At best, I'd do it for free. All depends on the specific situation.
I moved my site last week.
12,000 entry DB.
1,000+ pages of site.
New paths to new DB and necessary files (includes)
This took less than 2 hours. Down time 0. I left the original site where it was, backed it up, uploaded to the new location by IP, switched the name servers and watched the change populate.
Why would anybody ever take a functioning site down when you can do anything necessary by IP or upload, and have it all tested and ready to go... before you ever switch the name servers.
As far as changing the php files. I think you should re-think that too. Even if there are a bunch, someone with experience making the chages and knowing what you are going from and too should be able to make most changes with either a script or a simple find/replace. (I wrote the bulk of the php that drives my site less than 15 hours.)
Maybe there's something I'm missing, but I think fishy was the best description.
Justin
BTW I would not let them near my site for any reason.
We've touched on this once before in the discussion above about possibly needing a new (temporary) domain name. It all boils down to whether the new host gives you a unique IP address for your site. If so, you can upload it and test it prior to changing the DNS, without affecting the on-line domain. There have been several threads here recently on the importance of a unique IP address, and this is one big advantage...
I also agree with JohnKelly's post above. The price quoted can be criticised by the hourly rate -- that's fair game, since prices vary by region and capability. But as to whether the old host/designer is "screwing" you, it's good to remember that they are intimately familiar with the site, and know better than anyone here what really is involved. So, while some here might find their hourly rate to be high (I don't), I'd be suspicious of any blanket pronouncements that you're being cheated. So far, they are only proven guilty of not providing reliable hosting service. Any criticism of their moral character here is unfounded, suspect, and unprofessional, IMO. You know the details, so you decide.
It looks like you can save quite a bit of money on the project and possibly save a lot of problems by looking for a hosting company that provides a comparable version of PHP plus a unique IP address, in addition to the main goal of better reliability.
Jim
A more appropriate IP question may be:
Why would a company, allow you to take your site down for an extended period of time, and not at least present you with the opportunity/value of a dedicated IP to streamline the process and eliminate the need for taking your site off line, if they value your business?
A more appropriate response to time/charge may be:
Many of the processes necessary can be easily estimated for time involved, as they are very standard, and even a high estimate of those, leaves substantial time for the single process of updating *some* php.
IMO, it is very unprofessional to let a customer make a decision when they are not fully informed of what is possible, and not indicate where amounts of time will actually be spent.
Justin
Just point your domain to the proper servers on the new host. It may take a few hours to a few days to propagate.
If your desinger also has control of your domains, I'd do a bulk transfer out and free yourself.
I am a designer, developer and host. I have had a client move their site to another hosting company and all it took was an email to me asking for the domain to be transfered.
If you own the domain (assuming you paid for it, you own it) You have exclusive rights to that domain and can have it hosted any where you want. Just ask your developer for the files. Do you have ftp rights? If you do, find someone to ftp into the site and copy the files. If you don't, chances are there is an anonymous account that could be used. Most hosts, do not disable the anonymous accounts...
just my $.02
