How much should a good website cost?

**flnazrael** · 08-06-2008 10:23 AM

Just curious about some of the responses to the question, "How much should a 5-10 page website cost?"

This assumes high quality graphic design, search engine friendly HTML coding, and a content management system allowing the user to change text whenever they like.

**rogercbryan** · 08-06-2008 10:36 AM

Have you written an RFP or done a Flow Sheet for the proposed site? You can get a template off of eBay for $49... you could also spend $10K on a site like this depending on what features you want. I've been down this road before. There is no simple answer to how much a site should cost. You need to write a good proposal and then send it out to three (or more) developers... see what you come up with

**Jay Brass** · 08-06-2008 11:11 AM

I never pay more than 10x monthly revenue for a site.

**flnazrael** · 08-06-2008 11:24 AM

Hi guys,

I do own a development firm, what I'm trying to gauge is perception among small business owners and/or prospective business owners on what they feel a fair price for web design is.

**cdeneire** · 08-06-2008 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by flnazrael

Hi guys,

I do own a development firm, what I'm trying to gauge is perception among small business owners and/or prospective business owners on what they feel a fair price for web design is.

That's odd that this question is asked now....? Do you already have clients?

**flnazrael** · 08-06-2008 01:11 PM

Yes, we're involved in roughly 20 projects at this time. Just doing a bit of market research I guess. It's never too late for that.

**RLorenzen** · 08-06-2008 01:17 PM

I have seen quotes ranging from $500 to $8,000+. Personally, I would go with a higher price firm because they're the ones that tend to have a track record and higher quality services. I also look at who their clients have been in the past. I'd rather hire a firm that has done work for well known companies than off the wall websites I have never heard of and can't find anything about. Web design is one of the last places I would penny pinch on...

**flnazrael** · 08-06-2008 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by RLorenzen

Web design is one of the last places I would penny pinch on...

I cannot agree with you more. We have been fortunate enough to deal with a few companies that understand this, but in large part, a lot of people just seem to not want to pay anything for a website.

I ran across a quote I liked so much I added it into our sales material - "A bad website is like a grumpy salesperson."

People also don't realize that not all websites are created equal - there are differences in cross browser compatibility, accessibility, search engine friendliness, etc.

What really blows me away though are some of the companies we've talked to who will literally spend thousands of dollars a month on billboards, commercials, etc., but think $1,500 or so is too much to spend on their website. Not all companies I've talked to are like this, but there are some...

**RLorenzen** · 08-06-2008 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by flnazrael

I cannot agree with you more. We have been fortunate enough to deal with a few companies that understand this, but in large part, a lot of people just seem to not want to pay anything for a website.

I ran across a quote I liked so much I added it into our sales material - "A bad website is like a grumpy salesperson."

People also don't realize that not all websites are created equal - there are differences in cross browser compatibility, accessibility, search engine friendliness, etc.

What really blows me away though are some of the companies we've talked to who will literally spend thousands of dollars a month on billboards, commercials, etc., but think $1,500 or so is too much to spend on their website. Not all companies I've talked to are like this, but there are some...

Yes, exactly. The problem is that web property and web businesses are probably one of the most undervalued assets in the world.

Sometimes I'll talk to business owners outside of the web 2.0 business world and when they hear a website for $x,xxx or $xx,xxx their reaction is "What?!?! Who in their right mind buys a website for that much?!?". Most of the world doesn't yet know the value of websites or how much websites go for on a regular basis, so paying upwards of $1K to have one designed is often beyond what they can comprehend.

I can totally relate to you here because my firm sells SEO services and some of the clients we deal with are very resistant to spending over $500 on anything web related...not all of them, but some of them.