Any web developers here?

[Arkitech]

I'm thinking of hiring someone to design a website for me, but I have no clue about what it will cost. Anyone here with experience in that area? What can I get for a few hundred bucks?

 

[joinT]

purpose of the website?

would you be maintaining content? or would you want dynamic content?

for a couple hundred - you won't get too too much. My suggestion if you want to have articles, forums, and the ability to post your own content, you could probably pay someone a couple hundred to install and configure a CMS (content management system).

 

[Arkitech]

Originally posted by: joinT
purpose of the website?

would you be maintaining content? or would you want dynamic content?

for a couple hundred - you won't get too too much. My suggestion if you want to have articles, forums, and the ability to post your own content, you could probably pay someone a couple hundred to install and configure a CMS (content management system).

My goal is to maintain a really expansive enthusiast/special interest site so I would definitely be updating massive amounts of content.

 

[joinT]

You could probably pay someone to install a good CMS for you.

What kind of content for the site?

RSS feeds?
Locally related content? (like your local hockey team/club)

And what type of content?

Articles?
Graphics?

 

[joinT]

you can play with various CMS's here

 

[ThePresence]

My Portfolio

 

[djheater]

You will never recoup the cost of having someone do it for you. I charge $50 an hour for that type of work and suck. Your best bet is to do it yourself using stuff you find on the web. If this will be for profit you'll need a lot more money to get it setup.

advice: don't try and make it 'artistic' Keep it simple, like AT or google for example....

 

[joinT]

Originally posted by: djheater
You will never recoup the cost of having someone do it for you. I charge $50 an hour for that type of work and suck. Your best bet is to do it yourself using stuff you find on the web. If this will be for profit you'll need a lot more money to get it setup.

advice: don't try and make it 'artistic' Keep it simple, like AT or google for example....

Doesn't really make sense. Why would he look to recoup the cost of something he personally wanted.
If you want a new dining set - can you recoup the loss?
If you want a new paint job for your car - can you recoup the loss?

If it was for a business, that would be different. But if it was a business he's starting, he should have some initial capital, & if the website is an integral part of that business - it would be well worth it to pay a good web developer (or dev co.) to make sure things get done right - the first time. Instead of spending weeks/months researching and implementing a solution as you go - where there would still likely be issues unresolved that will hamper business.

 

[MoobyTheGoldenCalf]

I do web design for a living. I work for a big hospital corporation and do all of thier internet and intranet sites. Occasionally, I will do side work. I will charge a base cost (usually a few thousand) plus $60~80/hour. So a few hundred will not get you much if anything by a professional. Of course there are a million people out there who will claim to be able to do a website for you. But be careful, you get what you pay for.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: MoobyTheGoldenCalf
I do web design for a living. I work for a big hospital corporation and do all of thier internet and intranet sites. Occasionally, I will do side work. I will charge a base cost (usually a few thousand) plus $60~80/hour. So a few hundred will not get you much if anything by a professional. Of course there are a million people out there who will claim to be able to do a website for you. But be careful, you get what you pay for.

I did freelance design for about 5 years until I got a real job as a graphic designer for a NYC publishing firm. It can be a bitch at times.

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: joinT

Originally posted by: djheater
You will never recoup the cost of having someone do it for you. I charge $50 an hour for that type of work and suck. Your best bet is to do it yourself using stuff you find on the web. If this will be for profit you'll need a lot more money to get it setup.

advice: don't try and make it 'artistic' Keep it simple, like AT or google for example....

Doesn't really make sense. Why would he look to recoup the cost of something he personally wanted.
If you want a new dining set - can you recoup the loss?
If you want a new paint job for your car - can you recoup the loss?

If it was for a business, that would be different. But if it was a business he's starting, he should have some initial capital, & if the website is an integral part of that business - it would be well worth it to pay a good web developer (or dev co.) to make sure things get done right - the first time. Instead of spending weeks/months researching and implementing a solution as you go - where there would still likely be issues unresolved that will hamper business.

I didn't spend enough time, perhaps to clarify my thoughts on the matter.

OP states:
"My goal is to maintain a really expansive enthusiast/special interest site"

The implication is that it's a hobbyist or fan site. I made the mistake of putting myself in his shoes. I would not make a large investment in that because I do not personally value it, e.g. I would not recoup the investment either monetarily or emotionally. Fan/Enthusiast sites are generally labors of love, personally I feel that if you drop a wad of cash on something like that from the get-go you're setting yourself up for dissapointment.

That being said, if OP has set aside a lump of duckets for this purpose go ahead and blow it, my impression though is that he'd have to spend a lot to get something barely acceptable. Additionally it's my experience that a design usually takes numerous rewrites before the client likes it, in which case you might as well do it yourself.

Granted if OP is technically icapable it might be easier, and he might be satisfied to pay someone else to do it.

I'm not certain if I've cleared things up or not but I really gotta get back to work.