As a website designer, one of the most important parts of my job is giving quotes. This is also one of my least favorite parts of the job. The reason? Nobody knows what web design costs. One person will be ecstatic at the "low price", and the next will be shocked at how how expensive it is. Everyone wants to know "How much does web design cost?" This article will explain some of the factors in pricing out a website, and will give you (the potential client) the knowledge of how to adjust the quote and still get the website you need.

Why does one web designer charge $2000, and another charges $500 for the same thing?

This question is perhaps the heart of the article. And the answer is- they are almost certainly not charging you for the same thing. If web designer "A" quotes you at $2000 for your website design, that may be because he's going to spend a lot more time on organization, developing the visual side, getting it SEO ready, and generally making it a great site. It easy to get someone to design a website, but it may not be easy to get a website that visitors enjoy using. Now for $500 you may get a quote for a similar project from web designer "B", but they will likely only put a fraction of the effort into it. My advice here is to look at their portfolio. Be sure to view the live sites. Do you like them? What don't you like? A designer with a bad portfolio is most likely not going to surprise you with something amazing.

$2000 is too high a quote. Should I go with another web designer?

When asking for a quote, no client wants to say "I have X amount of money, give me a website", because they don't want to be taken advantage of. But frankly, some quotes are too high. This doesn't mean that you should immediately run for the door. Especially if you've done a little shopping around, and really found a portfolio that you like. Try to work with the designer to get the quote into your budget range. Now personally, when I quote for a website, I include a lot of time to develop the best site that I can. There are a lot of different aspects of web design, more than I will list here, but essentially less time can go into a site, and the price can be lowered. Talk to your designer, and see exactly what he is thinking when he quotes you $2000. Is he including a CMS system, so you can make updates yourself? Is he doing a completely custom design? Is he adding SEO elements? Are there flash elements to the site? What does the designer feel is least important, and could be cut back? Talk to him (or her) and get him to slim back on unnecessary features.

What are "expensive" features?

These vary, but here are some things that might be costing you a bit more than you would like:

• E-commerce (especially e-commerce sites with custom designed layouts)

• Slideshows

• Flash elements

• Music players

• CMS

• User interaction (commenting, ability to write reviews, etc.)

The most expensive elements above are these: E-commerce, Flash, User interaction (depending on the level of interaction).

I just need to get my business online, I don't care what it looks like.

This is an ill-advised approach, and here is why: your website may be the only impression that online viewers get of your company. If it looks like it was made in 1990, doesn't load correctly, looks dated, or looks otherwise "unprofessional", you won't be doing much business online. This is extremely important if your business intends to sell products online. Nobody is going to buy products on a site that doesn't look like it has been updated regularly. They may not get the product they pay for. With search engines, people are looking for the company that looks the "best". They want to deal with the most trustworthy business. In the online world, that means having a professional website, and then providing content that furthers your message to your clients.

So what should I do?

Shop around. Look at portfolios. Find a designer that fits your style. Find a couple, and talk to them. Tell them you're shopping around, they won't be offended. They'll probably be more inclined to lower their price, or at least explain what they can do for you. Not all web designers are created equal, and neither are websites.

With that said, you don't always get what you pay for. I've seen companies literally charge $30,000 for a website that could have been done for $5000. You should always be careful, and find a company or designer you can trust. Find out what is essential to your business. What do clients need to get from your website? If you cannot accomplish those goals with your budget, you may need to adjust it. If you can, but your designer wants to do more, slim it back. Don't get sold on a blog if it doesn't apply to your business. Stick to the core of your business, and keep the message simple. Customers don't like to be overloaded. Make the site easy to navigate, easy to load, and easy to find.

I hope this article gives you the knowledge to negotiate for the exact site you need.

-Matt Powers