If you are new to the idea of having a website for your business, you probably have a lot of questions. The following should provide a reference for most of them, but if not, do not hesitate to get in contact with me and I will get back to you.

How much does a website cost?

This is a perfectly valid question and a very common one. As every client is unique in their needs, so is the pricing for their site. There is no concrete answer. Quoting a price range initially would be too vague. The best bet is for us to meet and discuss your needs and wishes. The elements that you want in your site will determine the final price. Once I know exactly what you are trying to achieve, then I can put together a time estimate which can then determine a more realistic range for the final price. I also tend to overestimate so that your final bill will be LESS than what you were expecting. My initial consultation with you is a no-fee, no-obligation meeting. I will come to you on your schedule. If you are out of town we can use phone, fax and e-mail.

What do I need to get started?

There are three things that you should get in order to start on your project. I can fulfill one of the requirements - a web designer. The other two necessities are a domain name and a hosting service. It is advisable to have three or four domain names that you would like to have in the event that the one you really want is not available. Don't forget that if you can't get your dot-com domain, it might be available in dot-ca. You should also shop around for a reliable hosting service. There are many out there. You want a company that will provide near 100% uptime, easily accessible customer service and technical support, good rates and can support what you need for bandwidth and e-mail. Some hosts will also offer incentives on domain name registration if you purchase a hosting package with them. I can advise you on what you should need and provide a listing of who can help you with these areas.

How will I benefit from having a website?

You can use your website for two purposes - information showcasing or as a revenue generator. Websites are a great venue for exposure for your business and I can help you for a very reasonable cost. You can provide clientele a new avenue for learning about you and your company. Just think how much more you can get done if you aren't on the phone all day fielding questions. Nowadays, a great deal of people use the Internet for research purposes. If they don't find you online, you could be missing out on an opportunity. Having an online presence will permit you to showcase your product line, provide company information such as location and hours, book appointments and so much more.

How will you help me?

I am an Honours graduate of the 'Weaving the Web' program at BCIT. I have been designing websites for over five years and my diverse portfolio has given me experience with several professionals like yourself. I am personable and professional and I will work with you to make sure you are completely satisfied with the final product. I am also honest and ethical. I have a knack for explaining my ideas in laymen's terms. I won't try to impress you with technical jargon, but relate what I am thinking of with real life metaphors. I am also a member of Mensa, so I can grasp what you want very quickly.

Who own's the website when it is done?

Once all invoices have been settled you are the full owner of the site and the contents therein. You may also be interested to know that your site is protected by copyright laws and there is recourse if people pilfer content from your site.

Do you use FrontPage?

No. This WYSIWYG editor is great for whipping together a quick one page site, but it creates a lot of useless code and is a pain for editing. Save FrontPage for the kids and their school assignments. You need a designer that understands HTML and can program in raw code. It's like the difference between a cake mix you buy at the supermarket and having a baker make you a cake from scratch. I know HTML and CSS, and have worked with other languages as well. Another issue with FrontPage is that it is proprietary to Microsoft, and your site may not render properly on other browsers. I also do cross-browser testing to make sure that your site does what it is supposed to do for everyone, not just those who use Internet Explorer.

How long does it take?

This is related to the cost of the site in it's uniqueness. The more content and features needed on the site will affect the turnaround time. Two weeks to several months have been my experience based on the people that I have worked with.

Do I need to provide anything?

Any and all artwork, brochures, information and content. Anything that you want on your site will need to be submitted so that I may convert it into HTML/JPG/PDF/etc depending on the type of file that it is.