Price range for high-end website

[Weblamer]

Hello, I have a question for webmasters, particularly for those in web development companies.

Our company has grown to the size where we need an outside company to give our website a complete redesign. We deal with high technology products and have something like 30,000 items in our database. We will require a precise database-driven website, with control panels to allow the company to log in and change and update product information. Search engine optimization is naturally a plus.

We are looking for a highly modern website, with customers ability to log in and track purchases and well as the ability to serve large amounts of information to our customers in way such as PDF files.

What price range are we looking at here? We had one company quote us something like $12,000, but that seems a little on the high end?

[jtara]

There is no way to estimate this given the information you have provided. Nor is it likely that you CAN provide enough information within the constraits of a WebmasterWorld posting.

You need to write a specification of just what you want, and then get bids. You might want to hire a consultant (probably on a hourly basis) to help you write the spec and evaluate the bids. You may (sounds like probably) need some help with deciding on the technology used, whether to build from scratch or use purchased components, etc.

$12,000 sounds awfully cheap. That would MAYBE pay for one programmer for a month.

Sure sounds like more than a one-programmer-for-a-month job to me. But, again, there is so little information here that there is no way to tell.

[rocknbil]

$12K is not high, but as said it depends on things that can never be fully outlined on a message board, depending on YOUR requirements.

Did they fully outline what you're getting for that price, and how many hours of labor are involved?

[LifeinAsia]

Given the specifications you listed, I would say $12K is *extremely* cheap.

When you say "give our website a complete redesign" I automaticlaly think 2 months worth of work minimum, especially when you talk about being database-driven, needing customer logins, and having e-commerce. Oh, and SEO on top of that?!

You're basically talking 3 different sub-sites at this point: basic site with products, shopping cart system with checkout, and an admin backend to manage content, products, sales, and users.

Do you think Amazon only spent $12K for their site? And before you try playing the "But we're not Amazon" card, remember that you're basically asking for the same functionality that they originally offered.

[le_gber]

Weblamer where are you based? This can have an impact on the hourly rates and overall cost of the development (i.e. if you were in India or Eastern Europe you might get more for $12,000).

Given the specs you gave, I would second the other opinions: i.e. it appears at the bottom end of the scale for what you want.