The world of website building is one of the grayest and most confusing markets for the clients.
For example, it is possible to upload a tender for the development of a website in the arenas Such as “XPLACE” and receive many bids in a very wide range. For instance, requirement to develop a mock up basically website, the bids you going to receive can be between 100$-30,000$ and even more.By weighing dozens of different offers, it will be difficult to know which of the bidders does adjust to all of your requirements and what is the real cost of developing the website you wanted.
First of all, to identify the right offer for you, try to answering the following questions:
What the average cost to develop a website just like yours?
How to identify the bids that are too low for your desirable website?
How to identify the bids that are too high for your desirable website?
What if you accept the lowest bid?
But the considerations that affect the pricing of websites are deeper than these questions, and also we need to take in consideration the market situation. Therefore, I will elaborate on who the various players are in the area of website development now, what the considerations are for choosing, or not to choose each one of them, and for what you should pay attention.
Why it is not always a good idea to agree to take the cheapest offer
Many clients seek to minimum spend minimum money as possible, but those who take this route may come out when they lose.
On one hand Websites with low cost the design are low and they not functioning well.
On the other hand in a highly competitive market suppliers who need work will also accept less attractive jobs.
Requiring such a low price, which is no longer economic to the service provider, can lead to a state of unwillingness and patience towards the client and it’s never a good start.
Any person who feels that the clients trying to exploit him and doesn’t respect his work, would work with lack of desire at best circumstance and in the worst circumstances wouldn’t even finish the job.
In the worst event when the service provider didn’t finished his job would you try to sue him over 500$ or 1000$? Obviously, no, its money that goes into the trash!
Many of the desperate clients who came to us complained that they ordered a project that was supposed to take a month but it lasted more than a few months or even years and sometimes the end is not on the horizon.
In the end, the desire goes down and the viability with him together. So a cheap website becomes a costly one.
Why it is not always a good idea to agree to take the highest offer
if you are rich enough, you may be able to afford to skip the Clarification of prices and even pay more. But in my opinion, everyone is supposed to get exactly what they deserves – no more, no less. Just as a rich person will not buy a TV that costs 2000$ at the same store for 20,000$, so there is no point in spreading your money for a product or service that needs to cost less.
Unless you only need a website that costs only $ 500 you do not have to pay him $ 20,000 since a high investment amount will not give you a higher added value.
Types of service providers
In order to make some order, I decided to categorize the service providers into groups and to define profitability in each of them.
Freelancers Supplementary Income
These are the freelancers who have a main job or they need more experience in their job so they supplementing there income with side jobs. Typically, the fees for this freelancers will be significantly lower than other competitors because of the simple reason that they already have income from their main job and they take another projects as a freelancers for a bonus income.Usually, only freelancers of this type will agree to accept the job without a down payment
How to spot a freelancer?
Of the 40 bids you received, they will usually be at the lowest threshold, with a significant difference in price from the highest or middle bids.
The benefits and risks of working with such freelancers?
The benefits is substantial savings in money. The risk of that is typically freelancers of this type are not really professional enough to pick up a smart project that will bring money to the owner. And it’s like a lottery ticket – maybe you’ll earn a quality product for less money and maybe you’ll lose time and the money. Another equally significant disadvantage is the timetables because freelancers of this type usually work alone and they have a major source of income, they often do not preform your project at a reasonable time or even close to the time period you set aside for your project.
Who should take their services and how to behave?
If you only need a website as a business card and your profits don’t depend on it? The project is not urgent for you? This would probably be a good option for you.Just try to close the payment terms that the payment will be made only when the whole project will be done. Also it’s a good idea to sign the freelancer on an orderly work agreement with a fine for unreasonable deviation from the schedule planned for the project.
How much would it cost to build a WordPress website with this type of freelancer?
Usually the average price range would be between 1,000$-5,000$ for a basically website. There is no any logical Mathematical calculation.
Full-time freelancers
Freelancer who works in area of developing sites and it’s his main job- usually the level of these freelancers is much higher than the Freelancers who work for supplementary income.
This type of freelancer has accumulated a lot of knowledge and experience and they no longer need additional income and they are working in full time in the web development area.
How to spot a freelancer?
First of all you going to feel it in the price (There is a mathematical calculation that can be followed I will elaborate later on it). A freelancer of this kind will present a rich portfolio, chances are that he will not agree to bargain and of course will refuse to start working without an advance of 30-50%.Small tip, if you will try to make appointment with this type of freelancers you should be doing this at the morning hours. There prices range would be at the middle.
The benefits and risks of working with such freelancers?
Typically, their experience and knowledge only refers to a particular niche, mostly – developing websites on a template. There are a big Chances that they would not have knowledge about the code and experience in complex projects. The honest ones, will explain it to you and refer you to someone more suitable for your project. The chance is that you can get a good product at a very reasonable price and Project dead line times will usually be very fast (time is money).They will try to close project fast as possible again because it’s their only income.Also, freelancers of this type do not have Comprehensive customer base so they can provide good service and personal attention in some of the cases.Small tip, It’s not a good idea to set up sites from scratch with these type of freelancer unless his working with an external graphic designer (which will significantly increase the rate they ask for the job).
Who should take their services and how to behave?
If you want to build an image sit or shop on a template without too many iniquities and without complex interfaces or complex functions, it is a great trade off for money and speed savings.
Small tips and small warnings
Always come with a characterization of your project, signed on a work agreement with the characterization always need to be as a part of the work agreement. In the work agreement, it is recommended to add a clause that speaks about the situations which a technological limitation may arise in the middle of the road (always determine the type of compensation whether monetary compensation or an alternative solution will be given).In addition, set a schedule time for the end of your project, in the event of a deviation set a maximum range of 15%, of the total time of the project (submission date). It is also recommended to specify a reasonable response time for the various repairs required in the project.Be careful and stay away from a freelancer who says he knows everything and do not need any characterization, such behavior can attest to total lack of professionalism.
Mathematical calculation of site cost
Template Website of 5-10 design templates at a good level including: Ping-Pong’s, good service, explanations, analysis of product or service, matching graphics and images – can take about 2 weeks. For a freelancer who works only from home a reasonable minimum wage between 3,000$-5,000$. We take into account the lack of conditions, lack of sick days and other payments that do not exist for the self-employed, meddle range is between 5,000-7,000$.In order to obtain a salary at the middle range of the equation it is necessary to earn 3,000-5,000$ per month in a simple calculation of all taxes, pensions, personal insurance, advertising.At best a freelancer can close 3 template-based projects at a good level.In order to reach the specified numbers, each project must be priced (at the rate of 3 projects per month) at least 2,000$ or more. This is a reasonable price for a design website to be done by a freelancer who earns at the range of a lowest price. In order to reach the average wage level the freelancers must insert about 20,000$ and that brings the cost of one website to 6,500$ or more (This is a reasonable price for two weeks of work).A store project will take about a month, so the price will double. So the reasonable price of a template-based online store is about 5,000-10,000. Building a web store project will take about a month and therefore the price will double. The reasonable price of a template-based online store is about 10,000-15,000$. If you get a cheap offer from this range, you should raise an eyebrow and ask how? Because it probably comes at the expense of something you deserve.
Large or small digital marketing studios
How to spot this type of services?
These are usually companies whose revenues come from services such as: social marketing, organic promotion, campaign management, Google promotion and more.In most cases developing websites for them is an accompanying service. The website will be accepted as a bonus or for the price that will be similar to a freelance who work for large and small clients, with the expectation or agreement that the client going to purchase services worth several thousand dollars. The business model of the studios is based on retainers because they have to support 5-30 employees + office and other related expenses.
Who should take their services and how to behave?
If you do not have a website and you are looking for someone who will give you a comprehensive service and answer to all of your online needs in one place, if you intend to invest in promotion and advertising about 500$-2,000$ then you have reached the right place for you and you will probably get a quality product at a low market price.
The benefits and risks of working with such services?
The advantage for you lies in the lack of compromise. In most cases the studios see a long-term investment in every client that will bring cash flow over the years and even decades to their studio. So they cannot fall in the first stage of Filter service providers by the client and would prefer to lose money in order to provide quality product to the client. The disadvantage is that if you do not need a complementary package then it is not for you.
Mathematical calculation of site cost
It is difficult to calculate the cost of developing such a site because its cost or value will be more or less a function of the rider to be agreed upon with the supplier. A minimum retainer for month cost of 1000$ per month (10,000$ per year) and you will usually be required to commit to a minimum of one year (with the exception of the restrictions specified in the contract). Each SEO employee (a person specializing in search engine optimization) can manipulate 10 projects in parallel at the proper level as do the content feeders. In addition to the necessary manpower, Studio also needs to take into account the office expenses and promotion itself, which sometimes requires considerable investment. In the worst case the studio promotion would costs something between 50-60% of the budget they received, At best exaptation these expenses account will be 20% of the budget. This leaves them with a sum of 3,500$ from the above customer (in the case of average). In this case a normal and reasonable price for a good template design would be similar to a freelance, which will be 2,200-4,000$. Depending on the complexity of the Website, even 4,000$ is still considered a normal price for a company that spends a lot of money on business expenses.
Small tips and small warnings
Like in the case of freelancers it is very worthwhile to come to the contract signature (a contract that will cover all your rights (with ready characterization. Read carefully what you deserve and what exit conditions are in case of dissatisfaction. Always ask what will happen to the site in a year or at the end of your cooperation, do you actually “rent” the site or it is yours.
Development companies – software houses, branding companies and advertising agencies
How to spot this type of services?
Very simple – if you check their company page and the portfolio, typically, these companies have between 5-30 employees and their business model is based on branding and development.
The benefits and risks of working with such services?
The advantage of such suppliers is their economic back. This is a door that will always be open to you when you knock and in most cases you will get a service even if you do not deserve tithe name is most important to them because their income depends on their reputation. The biggest drawback of these providers is the cost of their services. A good design website in a company like this can reach 20,000-80,000$, there is no mathematical calculation here. The expenses of the software houses are very high – salaries, offices. A low price on a site in this case would be very suspicious.
Who should take their services and how to behave?
Large clients like banks, workshops, supermarkets who need a strong back behind them for complex and complicated projects. Mechanisms that need to serve thousands of people or sites that need insert millions dollars to the client.
Small tips and small warnings
Check the company’s record carefully. If there been claims against the company in recent years, and if so, how have they been closed? Try to find out information as much as possible friends, Facebook groups, forums. As in previous cases always come with your application ready for the website that you need. Do not sign on anything before a lawyer who specializes in this cases approves it. If you get a price that isn’t much higher than the price that was offered to you by Freelancer, probably your project will go to India or outsourcing.
Companies with overseas studio
Like our company, ANVI DIGITAL AGENCY, which owns a software house in Ukraine. There are many companies whose activities are divided over more than one country. How will you recognize them? It is usually difficult to identify unless they are clear enough to tell you about it.
Generally, the process works in the following manner: The owner of the company or person who representative is in the home country, provides service to customers and deals with the marketing aspect. Abroad, there is a representative or project manager who manages a team of designers and developers.
The benefits and risks of working with such services?
The biggest advantage of job appealing to this type of a company is the good value for your money. You will get a website designed and developed by the best professionals at a very convenient price. That is a higher ratio between cost and benefit. Why? Because a programmer at the level of senor (the highest level in the field) costs in Ukraine up to $ 1,500 per month, a super designer will cost no more than $ 2,000 per month. In addition, the cost of holding the office in a foreign country is very cheap. Designs templates for an image site costing $ 800-3000 per month and a medium designer for about $ 500 per month. All this gives a huge economic advantage against all the competitors in the highest quality work. The Risks are that the work sometimes transferred to countries like India, where the quality of work is not always sufficient. Of course, you will not be allowed to have any interaction with the programmer or designer. Of course, you will not be allowed to have any interaction with the programmer or designer. Therefore, if the project manager in a home country is not good enough and does not have the relevant tools to manage a project at the level of design and programming, it’s probably that the connection between them will be a basis for considerable frustration.
Small tips and small warnings
Check out the recommendations of companies of this type and the technical and design knowledge of the project manager. A long and deep phone call about the project, or better – a meeting, will symbolize professionalism and seriousness. Also, it is important to see that the project manager is really delving into the project and managing it and not just a mediator who will deliver it on and that’s that. Ask many technical questions. The inability to answer, or the answer of “I have to check with the programmers,” are not a good sign (when they exceed the reasonable level). Of course, all the other tips we have mentioned so far regarding an orderly contract and characterization are also valid here.
Mathematical calculation of site cost
A high-level image site will take about two weeks of work. A programmer of templates from abroad usually receives a salary about $ 2,500 per month. This is also the result of the expenses of the man of projects abroad (who will manage up to four projects simultaneously) with a salary of about $ 2,000 per month. A graphic designer, who will usually provide a professional opinion on the elements of the site and its design. Time and cost of work project manager in home land, office abroad and sometimes in home land and marketing. There is not exactly a math calculation for this, since it is like maintaining a software house in home land.
Also abroad there is much more them managing 3 image projects like a Freelancer. There are unexpected large and small expenses and projects of any size, from the cheapest ones to projects worth $ 30,000. That’s why we tend to stick to the threshold of feasibility and average prices, such as $ 7,000-8,500 for a high-level template image site, or $ 4,000-10,000 for a template virtual store. The price for a custom designed website and creating your own unique template will be an additional 30-40% for the price. These bring the pricing range from $ 3,000 to a designed image site and up to $ 5,000 per store site. If you get a much cheaper offer, the project will probably be done by Junior, or at most by a pre-programmed programmer. For example, the price of $ 500 per site will be very suspicious. Who is it good for? For those who want to get a good price for an image site or store, which should put a lot of money to the client pocket (for those with a suitable budget).
Summary
The process of building a WordPress website requires a little experience and a lot of motivation. Therefore, going for the cheapest options most often does not pay off and the expensive options are not required to expand. We were left with an examination of the fair price proposals we received. You need to emphasize that you are examining the professional level of each bidder. Good luck!
