Website - DIY or have someone do it
- Thread starter RLitwin
- Start date
The Great Oz
Member
No to all.
The cost of a good looking web site is low enough to have someone put it together, unless you want to take on a new hobby. Basic editing will require some software if you don't want to learn HTML.
If you want some hands-on but don't want your site to look like it was painted with a broom, there are plenty of people that will sell you nice, basic-box web site for very little money. You can fill in very easily.
Captain Morgan
Supportive Member
build your own website
I found a pretty good do it yourself internet website company. www.networksolutions.com
They can help you with domain names, hosting, and a bunch of different basic site templets and stock photos you can use to design your own sight, or you can upload your own photos, graphics, text, etc. to really personalize and tailor your site. I'm thinking about using them but I don't have the coin just yet. It's been brutally slow the last 6-8 weeks.
I'm not very computer savy, but the site building process is very user friendly. They recently lowered their "best package" price from $15.99 to $12.46 per mo. They give you up to 1000 pages for your site.. you'll never need that many but it's better than some site packages that only give you 5 or 8 pages.
If you don't have the time to do it yourself (which I'll admit, can be labor intensive if you don't have text documents you can cut and paste into the site) you can hire them to do it for you.
You can go to the site yourself and they have a 30 day trial.. that's how I know so much about them. When you get to their home page, scroll down to "solutions to get online" and click the link "web site builder" and they give you 3 package options to choose.
I reconsidered looking around a little more while I saved up some more money because I just plain like doing business locally whenever I can... but for a better than average site and starter presence on the web their prices are hard to beat!
Just some info for you to consider.. as with any decision, there are pluses and minuses with each option, call around, ask lots of questions and then pull the trigger to you don't get caught up in all the analysis paralysis.
Best of luck with your quest!
I found a pretty good do it yourself internet website company. www.networksolutions.com
They can help you with domain names, hosting, and a bunch of different basic site templets and stock photos you can use to design your own sight, or you can upload your own photos, graphics, text, etc. to really personalize and tailor your site. I'm thinking about using them but I don't have the coin just yet. It's been brutally slow the last 6-8 weeks.
I'm not very computer savy, but the site building process is very user friendly. They recently lowered their "best package" price from $15.99 to $12.46 per mo. They give you up to 1000 pages for your site.. you'll never need that many but it's better than some site packages that only give you 5 or 8 pages.
If you don't have the time to do it yourself (which I'll admit, can be labor intensive if you don't have text documents you can cut and paste into the site) you can hire them to do it for you.
You can go to the site yourself and they have a 30 day trial.. that's how I know so much about them. When you get to their home page, scroll down to "solutions to get online" and click the link "web site builder" and they give you 3 package options to choose.
I reconsidered looking around a little more while I saved up some more money because I just plain like doing business locally whenever I can... but for a better than average site and starter presence on the web their prices are hard to beat!
Just some info for you to consider.. as with any decision, there are pluses and minuses with each option, call around, ask lots of questions and then pull the trigger to you don't get caught up in all the analysis paralysis.
Best of luck with your quest!
Mine is homemade. Originally I used a site builder but since have been learning some basic html for editing. It just gives you more options than using the templates. It did take time but as we all know in the beginning of a business many of us have more time than money. It costs about $65 per year including the domain name and more web space than I'll ever use. I generally get several jobs per week from directly from the web.
alazo1
Member
I'd pass if you're doing it to save a few bucks. I do my own but I enjoy it. You'll have to learn seo as well if you do it yourself or for that fact pay someone to do this part for you. You can have the best looking site but without it being optimized it isn't worth much for new customer acquisition.
Wether you end up doing your own or not start bookmarking your favorite sites if you haven't already.
PS: I wonder if Wayne does websites?. Or at least do basic layouts. From seeing his ads I'd bet he'd design a killer site.
Albert
Wether you end up doing your own or not start bookmarking your favorite sites if you haven't already.
PS: I wonder if Wayne does websites?. Or at least do basic layouts. From seeing his ads I'd bet he'd design a killer site.
Albert
Blue Monarch
Supportive Member
I'd like to see someone sell basic layouts for carpet cleaners. Something we could customize ourselves.
If I could just get a site like toads, I'd be set.
P.S. I know my site sucks, deal with it.
If I could just get a site like toads, I'd be set.
P.S. I know my site sucks, deal with it.
Kevin B
Member
I think they have prebuilt stuff..http://www.andrechelle.com
i made my own...very basic..only 1 page. being that i'm owner/op and do mostly commercial only, i dont have a huge need for a fancy schmancy site.
i get about 100 hits per year...mostly junk from ppl in other countries for some reason (anyone know why that might be??? :shock: )
very basic html was necessary for me.
def needs to be updated.
if i was mostly into resi CC'ing, i'd have some1 make it right.
thanx --- Derek.
i get about 100 hits per year...mostly junk from ppl in other countries for some reason (anyone know why that might be??? :shock: )
very basic html was necessary for me.
def needs to be updated.
if i was mostly into resi CC'ing, i'd have some1 make it right.
thanx --- Derek.
ILSWebDude
Member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2008
- Messages
- 3
You might look at www.gimmemydomains.com "website tonight". It's a DIY website package that runs from ~$4/mo. for a 5 page site, to ~$10/mo. for unlimited pages. Cheap domains too.
Jack May
That Kiwi
I priced a website back 4 or so years ago in New Zealand and was quoted about $2500-4500 for a 10 page with photos (supplied) similar to what I ended up with.
So my dicision to build my own was two fold, firstly because as a small business back then I could never have justified that sort of cost. Secondly I wanted to learn website building as a hobby and intend to build a number of them for various situations (none of them for billing).
I bought DreamWeaver and while it had a bit of a learning curve, I'm glad I did it.
If I was to do it today since prices have come down and since I'm always busy now, I'd probably pass on it and get someone else to do it.
It does mean I have the ability to build/edit/update my own as necessary without someone holding me to ransom like others have found.
Carpet Pro is my doing, no it's not as pretty as some, nor does it have the flash video stuff etc but it works for me and brings in a certain amount of enquiries that almost always get converted to jobs. I generally find the conversion rate for emails are much higher than for YP phone calls/
So if you have time on your hands, want to save a few dollars while your getting established and want to learn a new hobby, go for it.
A lot of the website hosting companies offer building packages as part of the hosting (some will charge extra) so you can put it together in a word doc and then upload it from any internet computer.
John
So my dicision to build my own was two fold, firstly because as a small business back then I could never have justified that sort of cost. Secondly I wanted to learn website building as a hobby and intend to build a number of them for various situations (none of them for billing).
I bought DreamWeaver and while it had a bit of a learning curve, I'm glad I did it.
If I was to do it today since prices have come down and since I'm always busy now, I'd probably pass on it and get someone else to do it.
It does mean I have the ability to build/edit/update my own as necessary without someone holding me to ransom like others have found.
Carpet Pro is my doing, no it's not as pretty as some, nor does it have the flash video stuff etc but it works for me and brings in a certain amount of enquiries that almost always get converted to jobs. I generally find the conversion rate for emails are much higher than for YP phone calls/
So if you have time on your hands, want to save a few dollars while your getting established and want to learn a new hobby, go for it.
A lot of the website hosting companies offer building packages as part of the hosting (some will charge extra) so you can put it together in a word doc and then upload it from any internet computer.
John
Bruce Humphrey
Member
Re:
I was going to say the same thing
Kevin Bunce said:
I was going to say the same thing
I've been there too thinking i could build a site. Well it was hard to find the time. Its nice i guess if you have all the software and time to put into it. But i found it better for me to let the pros do it.
http://www.andrechelle.com/
have a look around the different sites the Cermacks have put together
http://www.andrechelle.com/
have a look around the different sites the Cermacks have put together
Ron Werner
Member
I had someone put together my first 6 pages. $500 plus $100 of cleaning
Spent $300 on MS FrontPage, wanted to expand the info on my site, spent 2 weeks (during February) added 20 pages.
Found out Frontpage doesn't open well with FireFox or Safari, so I'm going to buy SiteSpinner for $50 and redo my website, keep it very basic, nothing fancy, easy to navigate.
Just have to remember all the pages that I have thought of during the past 6 months!
Spent $300 on MS FrontPage, wanted to expand the info on my site, spent 2 weeks (during February) added 20 pages.
Found out Frontpage doesn't open well with FireFox or Safari, so I'm going to buy SiteSpinner for $50 and redo my website, keep it very basic, nothing fancy, easy to navigate.
Just have to remember all the pages that I have thought of during the past 6 months!
rhyde
Member
The advantage with front page (which isn’t made any more it’s integrated into MS publisher) is the ease of use. Ron frontpage requires “page extensions” with web hosting company if your web designer used a different software than frontpage it’s not compatible and you can’t enable extensions with anything other than FrontPage
I have both frontpage & Dreamweaver wich is a way better program but much more complicated to learn particularly great integration of Photoshop, illustrator, fireworks and contribute which allows easy and quickly update/ edit existing published web pages.
Or you can save the head ache and have a pro do it
I have both frontpage & Dreamweaver wich is a way better program but much more complicated to learn particularly great integration of Photoshop, illustrator, fireworks and contribute which allows easy and quickly update/ edit existing published web pages.
Or you can save the head ache and have a pro do it
Loren Egland
Member
I don't have the expertise to build a website. I don't even know how to get into my two websites. I couldn't have afforded to have www.northlandakitas.com built since it contains about 180 pages and 2800 files and is not done yet. Fortunately, a person from Romania did if for me for much less than it would have cost in America.
She also did my cleaning website at www.deltasteamway.com . The new redo has a cool opening page with motion and sound.
Loren
She also did my cleaning website at www.deltasteamway.com . The new redo has a cool opening page with motion and sound.
Loren
Larry B
Member
http://www.siteground.com
Everything you could need to build a web site. Prices are low and they have great customer service.
Add ons that cost extra with other companies are free with site ground.
Check them out if your shopping for a domain and hosting because with the amount of bandwith, service, support & pricing you will find nothing better.
Everything you could need to build a web site. Prices are low and they have great customer service.
Add ons that cost extra with other companies are free with site ground.
Check them out if your shopping for a domain and hosting because with the amount of bandwith, service, support & pricing you will find nothing better.
