3 Suggestions For Avoiding the Web Design Rip-Off
By David Golding
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Today I met with a client that has already paid out more than $5,000 for a site that is getting them nowhere and looks sub-par. They asked me why things cost so much for web development work, and I said, “I don’t know what you mean…” One of the core values of David Golding Design deals with giving honest price quotes that meet market level expectations. Unfortunately, so many designers jack up rates.
Another client already spent $7,000 on a site, and while they were keeping a lot of the back end work, they still were not satisfied with the design. They’re writing off over $1,000 in design expenses simply because the designer billed them for the work, regardless of how poorly the client was satisfied.
The dynamic that I’m talking about is pricing for customized web design and development work. This problem is more prevalent among freelancers and full-service web design firms. I find that publishing companies and other types of online services that specialize in a broad range of print and offline publishing media have more competitive rates. But those confined just to the internet seem to have outrageous fees for the littlest things.
Here are my 3 suggestions for avoiding getting ripped-off for web design work.
First, beware the hourly fee structure
Designers want to be compensated for the work they do–all work they do. They know that their design is either going to hit or miss, and that so many design reviews are dependent on subjective opinions of inexperienced folks. What do you do when you put together what you consider a well-thought-out design with lots of time and creativity, only to have it shot down after ten minutes in someone’s board room? The hourly wage protects them from getting shafted, regardless of the client’s tastes (or lack thereof).
I say to beware of this because of the potential for really high rates, not as permission to demand from the designer millions of revisions. Be fair with them. They are trying really hard to capture the most effective representation for your business or organization. Demanding lots from them without expecting to pay out in cash for it is still pretty rude. Just ask the designer if you can negotiate a per-project fee. I find that this is the best for both. I’ll tally up how many hours I expect the project to take me, then fix a rate for that and quote the client with that rate. If I go over, that’s my fault. If I really botch it up, that’s mine as well. The client in these cases doesn’t have to pay for my mistakes. But, if I do a sweet job, there’s a great incentive for me and I get to enjoy the reward, knowing that it’s at a rate the client agreed to up front.
Second, beware of “expert,” narrow-minded advice
When you have a clear vision of what needs to be in the design, make it known. But beware if you never see it come to fruition. Many designers have one way of getting it done. You want someone who can get it done in the way you want. So be alarmed if you’ve asked for a certain style, and they couldn’t deliver the first time (provided, of course, that you gave out detailed descriptions of the project). I’ve seen so many endless rounds of revisions simply because the designer is unable to really get it right. End it early if you have to. It will save you time and money, especially if you didn’t heed the first suggestion.
Additionally, take some responsibility if you haven’t been all that clear for the designer. Give him or her examples of what’s good and what’s bad in your eyes. The more the better. I’ve never heard of a designer receiving too much examples prior to development. The relationship does go two ways. Make sure that you are clear in your descriptions and objectives.
Finally, beware of narrow time expectations and viscious cycles of revising
This one is for the clients out there. Some projects just take time, period. Be careful you don’t assume that you can have a site designed overnight and that it will impress your superiors. Give a good cushion to be able to get the project done well. All too often, a middle manager is given the assignment to get the site fixed, redesigned, or created, and wants to impress by going for something quick. Either the quality or the quantity will suffer, and it’s usually the quality. The designer is anxious for business and has a hard time quoting the time frame accurately sometimes. So shop for time as much as price. Whatever the designer says, add a couple days onto that just to be safe. So many times there are revisions that need to be made or problems with the design that need to be addressed that will take more than an hour to work out. Or, heaven forbid, the senior manager doesn’t like it, so the middle manager goes back and this turns into a viscious cycle. While the designer needs to be clear with you and deliver the product on time, realize that there really are other things that can interrupt the process that are out of his or her hands, like your own boss. Save yourself the grief and the money by getting a good idea of the time limitations from multiple sources.
Color Schemes
By David Golding
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Another great site for locating great color schemes is Net Cocktail. Not just for finding good schemes, but for finding well-designed sites as well, Net Cocktail allows talented designers to post their work and have it reviewed in terms of color. For all you Web 2.0 enthusiasts, this site should make a good destination for sifting out the cutting-edge from the mundane.
