our business website version .03

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Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
3
81
Originally posted by: dullard
I like the simple layout, but it needs lots of work still.

[*]I agree with others. When I clicked on "our work", I wanted to see your work. That is, unless you manufacture screws.

[*]Address is not spelled adress.

[*]Message Sent: To: $recipient Subject: $subject Message: $msg"); else echo "Message failed to send"; } ?>

[*]Text boxes are far too small on the contact us page. Plus the label takes up 3 lines:
"Please specify what type of
information you are
requesting"

[*]Where's the I need a Quote button?

[*]Needs work on the text. "When we started two years ago, this was our defining principle..." What is "this"? There is nothing in that paragraph that "this" refers to. Founding principle/defining principle is redundant. This is a run-on sentence:
"We have continuously developed great relationships with our customers, and hope that you will let us, as our slogan says, "make your home more livable."

[*]The blue font begs me to click on it. But it isn't a link.

[*]"Fax: Not Currently Available" is a negative comment. If you don't have a fax, don't say anything.

thanks
 

cKGunslinger

Lifer
Nov 29, 1999
16,408
57
91
Look pretty decent - nice and simple.

Loaded for me in FF.

It's kinda small with my 1600x1200 resolution, but I'm used to sites like that by now.

It scaled pretty well with increases in font size, but the "who we are" text eventually did a carriage return and overlapped with the "contact us" text - but that was at really large fonts.

"Solutions" is mispelled in the browser's title bar and FF's tab.

"Message Sent: To: $recipient Subject: $subject Message: $msg"); else echo "Message failed to send"; } ?>" shows up on contact page.

Title graphic started to repeat (tiled.)

Not a lot on info on the site yet.
 

DrVos

Golden Member
Jan 31, 2002
1,085
0
0
I'd consider moving away from the silver gradients. They look very web2.0'ish and do not thematically gel well with a home rennovation business. I'd suggest going for warmer colors and killing the gradients. A good photo of the crew on the front page header would do alot to make the site more personal and less template-y
 

wyvrn

Lifer
Feb 15, 2000
10,074
0
0
You mentioned that your clients are very happy, so I would suggest getting their permission to put references or quotations on your website. For example, "HSR did such a great job on our kitchen remodel. They were very reasonable and it looks great. - Kathy Smith...'.

Second, I would put pictures of your work. Take 3 or 4 projects, and make a page for each. Give before and after photos if possible. Add a paragraph and some captions to explain what you did.

Check out a site of a contractor that I used to paint the exterior of one of my investment houses.

You want your site to speak of your professionalism and reputation.

Good luck!

edit: I'd concentrate less on the look and feel and more on the substance, for now. When people look at your website, they want to know what you have done, and if other people recommend you.
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
3
81
Originally posted by: wyvrn
You mentioned that your clients are very happy, so I would suggest getting their permission to put references or quotations on your website. For example, "HSR did such a great job on our kitchen remodel. They were very reasonable and it looks great. - Kathy Smith...'.

Second, I would put pictures of your work. Take 3 or 4 projects, and make a page for each. Give before and after photos if possible. Add a paragraph and some captions to explain what you did.

Check out a site of a contractor that I used to paint the exterior of one of my investment houses.

You want your site to speak of your professionalism and reputation.

Good luck!

edit: I'd concentrate less on the look and feel and more on the substance, for now. When people look at your website, they want to know what you have done, and if other people recommend you.

Thanks. We defintiely will.

We needed it up immediately, and I just wanted some basic info. We have loads of pics and reviews. We just have to put it on there.


I also realize that web 2.0ish might not be the best route so I'll defintiely consider that.
As for photos, once again, Will get to that.

For now, everything is up and running. All that is left is to beautify it and add more content:D

don't even think about spamming my contact page..please..my dad will see it:eek:
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
3
81
Originally posted by: Mucho
Loaded for me in FF for me as well, BTW whats the point of that screw?

I wanted to show detail:eek:...not a great metaphorical example..I know..I got chastized by my dad this morning for it quite a bit :(
 

snoopdoug1

Platinum Member
Jan 8, 2002
2,164
0
76
* Hmm, home page still has only 3 menu items.

* Contact us page is definitely broken for me in IE. There is no form to type in :p
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
3
81
Originally posted by: snoopdoug1
* Hmm, home page still has only 3 menu items.

* Contact us page is definitely broken for me in IE. There is no form to type in :p

I fixed....damn dreamweaver rewrote paths so my CSS file path pointed to a loacl directory;o
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
3
81
What's really cool is the quote page now that I fixed it up.

Here is the input:

pic

Here is the ouput that I get via email:

subject: Message from Info@myhsr.com

Message from potential lead Ned Flanders.

Ned Flanders's phone number is 909-845-7584 and their email address is frankgrimes@aol.com. A good time to reach them is in the afternoon.

Here is the message that they sent you:


I want to learn how to kill him...



Not bad for a n00b;)
 

Injury

Lifer
Jul 19, 2004
13,066
2
81
The menu needs to be even with the content.

The picture in the header should not change size from page to page.

Your assignment for today is to go to home depot/lowes, go to their "Howto" books and look at the colors that those books use. Use colors like that. Not silver.

There is a lot of missed opportunity for images and graphic features to the site. You need to show pictures of happy people in their houses and beautiful designs and stuff. Even if you use stock photography for that, it's better.

The "logo" needs to be something a little bit more flashy than a regular sans-serif font giving the name. Even varying the font weight would look better. (make "Home Solutions" bold, "and" non bold, "Renovations" bold and a serif font... or something to that effect.
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
3
81
Originally posted by: Injury
The menu needs to be even with the content.

The picture in the header should not change size from page to page.

Your assignment for today is to go to home depot/lowes, go to their "Howto" books and look at the colors that those books use. Use colors like that. Not silver.

There is a lot of missed opportunity for images and graphic features to the site. You need to show pictures of happy people in their houses and beautiful designs and stuff. Even if you use stock photography for that, it's better.

The "logo" needs to be something a little bit more flashy than a regular sans-serif font giving the name. Even varying the font weight would look better. (make "Home Solutions" bold, "and" non bold, "Renovations" bold and a serif font... or something to that effect.

i'm on it like men on Paris.
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
3
81

gallery

It's very basic right now and I simply set it up to see what people think of it in terms of navigation. I have always loved simple viewer and decided that that would be the way to go.

We have many pictures left to add, but I wanted to get something out there for the feedback
 

Mo0o

Lifer
Jul 31, 2001
24,227
3
76
That galary thing really is unnecessary. You should avoid flash on actual content as much as possible
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
3
81
Originally posted by: Mo0o
That galary thing really is unnecessary. You should avoid flash on actual content as much as possible

Really?


That wasn't the response I was expecting:(


I guess I have to rethink what I will use if not that.


Originally posted by: tfinch2
It took too long to load the images because they are so huge.

i fixed that
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,775
3
81
Originally posted by: Mo0o
That galary thing really is unnecessary. You should avoid flash on actual content as much as possible

I realize that in many cases you want to remove as many active elements as possible due to supprot, but practically everyone has flash nowdays (it installs automatically) and it makes the entire set of galleries available on the same page without having to navigate from our "what we do" list