# Few questions about creating a website



## SuperB (Dec 11, 2009)

Hello all, I am currently working with graphic designers in designing the layout and banners for our future website. I am not too familiar in what comes after this.

Usually you hire a website design freelancer or company to design the layout and write it all up in code right? please correct me if I am wrong. So if our company has taken care of the design factor would hiring a web design person be cheaper? or should I be looking for a different type of computer specialist? 

The website we have designed is pretty simple and is about 20 html pages total.


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## madscotsman (Jul 6, 2008)

It all depends on what you are looking for as an end result.
If you have designed a 20 page simple website then the graphics should be easy enough to fit in your template, However if you are looking for an E-commerce site then once you have chosen the software to run it on, there are set templates that come with each one that are customisable with your own graphics for banners and general look to the site. Remember you also need to look for the payment side of the business too. (paypal pro interaction etc)
Freelance webdesigners will cost more and probably give you what you are looking for, they will also make a simple website look that bit more punchy.
All you have to do is look at websites at templatemonster and you will see how wonderfully colourful these sites may be, generally a designer can take one of those templates , add your graphics and give you decent looking website. 
If it was me, i'd decide on the shopping cart software then get a web designer to design the skin or template from my graphic ideas. It would be completed a lot quicker and therefore out there for all to see and possibly purchase the shirts you are looking to sell.


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## SuperB (Dec 11, 2009)

So are you suggesting I purchase a template off templatemonster, then hire a web designer to further customize the template. After i purchase the rights to fully customize the template. Instead of hiring a web designer and building a website using the layout that we have designed on photoshop? sorry a bit confusing.


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## madscotsman (Jul 6, 2008)

No. 
What i am saying that a webdesigner may use a template to make your site by substituting your graphics into it, This could be done by yourself but involves a lot of work with flash. the majority of webdesigners out there do have lots of templates they could easily adapt like this.

You never said if you were going to be using e-commerce, if so, you could do the website yourself and add your graphics into the template that the software uses to make your website.
Most shopping cart softwares are really easy to install and use, and a little html knowledge can help gett he look you want.
Most of the free carts (which are excellent) have forums where other users can offer advice and possibly help design what you want. which saves on a web designer.


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## Leesfer (Feb 23, 2010)

madscotsman said:


> No.
> What i am saying that a webdesigner may use a template to make your site by substituting your graphics into it, This could be done by yourself but involves a lot of work with flash. the majority of webdesigners out there do have lots of templates they could easily adapt like this.
> 
> You never said if you were going to be using e-commerce, if so, you could do the website yourself and add your graphics into the template that the software uses to make your website.
> ...


I am a graphics and web designer and I have never used a template to create a site for a client, nor have any of my coworkers.

If you hire a reputable or skilled web designer, he or she will design you a one-off site that is specific to your needs and style.


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## SuperB (Dec 11, 2009)

I see what you mean madscotsman, but I would rather not restrict myself to a template or a specific ecommerce program, I believe there are many shopping cart sites that would let me link their system and cart program to my website with full customization. But I will definitely take your advice and look for a template similar to what I had in mind. You are 100% correct, freelancers are expensive and can charge a lot. 

I think I found the answer I was looking for. I need to find a coder, who will write my designs in code. Any ideas on how much they usually charge? or any specific people who you know that are a skilled trustworthy coder?


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## msnowman (Dec 12, 2008)

SuperB,

Prices will vary I suggest posting what you want on one of the freelance websites and let coders bid on the job. You will find that some (depending on what country they are in) can be much cheaper then others.


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## EddieM (Jun 29, 2009)

If you designed your website in photoshop you can buy a program called Site Grinder that will turn your photoshop design into a full website that looks just like your PS design.
Ready to upload and use right away.


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## TeesForChange (Jan 17, 2007)

Does your website have a shopping cart? If you want to sell your shirts on your site, then make sure to have a shopping cart functionality.


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## SHIROINEKO (Mar 31, 2010)

You can read some books about Shopping Cart before making decision.


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## pdpatch (Aug 30, 2009)

SuperB said:


> I see what you mean madscotsman, but I would rather not restrict myself to a template or a specific ecommerce program, I believe there are many shopping cart sites that would let me link their system and cart program to my website with full customization. But I will definitely take your advice and look for a template similar to what I had in mind. You are 100% correct, freelancers are expensive and can charge a lot.
> 
> I think I found the answer I was looking for. I need to find a coder, who will write my designs in code. Any ideas on how much they usually charge? or any specific people who you know that are a skilled trustworthy coder?



since you don't want to restrict your self to any ecommerce platform but want a coder to make something. Your looking are maybe $5,000 minimum for that with a decent coder.

A decent coder will suggest a ecommerce package they have worked with. Doing that will reduce the cost to well under $1,000. 

A better approach is going to several ecommerce site and looking over what they offer to at least narrow what ecommerce package you may use.

The look for some coder with experiance with those packages to convert you design into the packages code.


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## aminkarim (Mar 30, 2010)

don't forget to work on the website from the grassroots level working your targeted keywords and having it SEO for google etc


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## Daniel Slatkin (Jun 25, 2008)

SuperB said:


> I see what you mean madscotsman, but I would rather not restrict myself to a template or a specific ecommerce program, I believe there are many shopping cart sites that would let me link their system and cart program to my website with full customization. But I will definitely take your advice and look for a template similar to what I had in mind. You are 100% correct, freelancers are expensive and can charge a lot.
> 
> I think I found the answer I was looking for. I need to find a coder, who will write my designs in code. Any ideas on how much they usually charge? or any specific people who you know that are a skilled trustworthy coder?


The skilled trustworthy coder we keep on staff makes $63 an hour. To build a complete custom system is very expensive, and very time consuming. Plus then you have to deal with the beta/bug fix period.


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## Hoodietees (Oct 18, 2008)

Rather than go the route of a web designer, you could use something like Yahoo Sitebuilder. You can import your own templates or use their templates and customize the pages to links, add pictures, paypal tabs, etc. I bought Microsoft Expression (not long after it came out. Got it at a discount at a computer show so it was cheaper than buying at Staples, but still expensive non the less) and was confused as hell with trying to do everything as instructed in the tutorial. I downloaded Yahoo Sitebuilder and it was very easy to setup my website. I can't complain.


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