One of the key components of selecting the right website design company is negotiating the right price before finalising the contract. It needs to be within the budget while still maintaining all the elements of corporate design and development. Although there are no hard and fast rules, we can provide you with a loose guide which you can then adapt according to your requirements and preferences.

The Basics

One of the most important things you need to know is the market price for specific solutions.

You start with the basic ‘web site package’ where web development firms usually offer a 4-6 page template design. For a customised design, the rate will go up and vary between $800-$1500.

However, if the work is higher-end, firms usually charge on an hourly basis since it is difficult for them to ascertain how long it will actually take them to finish. The price can range from $40/hour for basic HTML websites and $140/hour for higher end work. A medium sized web development company can easily charge between $5000-$10,000 for customised design, a content management system and high-end functionality, and up to $50,000 for very complex applications.

For e-commerce applications, these are usually an entirely separate package and are treated as such although you can find development costs varying between $500-$1000 at the very least. In addition to that, you may need to pay an additional $15-$20 as monthly fee for any online store depending on the number of products on display and options involved in the ordering process.

If you are considering hosting as part of your contract with a specific web development firm (ie inhouse hosting), know that within the same development firm you may get a discounted rate and are generally low. These costs can range from as low as $5/month though $10/month, $15 and $25/month fees are common. However, dedicated hosting where only one server is entirely dedicated to your business costs a little more at $150/month.

Making the Deal

None of the above charges should come as a surprise and are part of doing business with a professional website design company.

However, when negotiating a contract, be clear about your budget and get a breakdown of exactly how much the firm is charging for each element of your website. This is important because instead of dishing out a lump sum, you know exactly what you’re paying for.

Ensure that there is a fixed price that includes all elements of the project as well as the time taken to achieve them. The last thing you want is an incomplete website and things spiraling out of control budget wise.

Again: make sure you get a ‘break it down’ version of the pricing to ensure you get the most value for money.

Always consider the legal side of things – intimate to the other party that if the work is not done within the budget agreed upon or within the time agreed on, there will be consequences. Although instead of sounding like a baddie from the next Hollywood flick, actually ensure that you have specific consequences in mind.

If you follow these guidelines, you’re in the safe zone and again, there is not hard and fast rule in the field of negotiating contract prices so if this works for you, that’s great but we’re not guaranteeing a fool-proof plan.