Costs for a really nice web site are driven and controlled by you! Real costs that you can spend or manage and reduce ……..
1.Pages.
part of web development is like shoveling sand. shoveling 2 tons, is way more work than what you buy at Home Depot and dump in your back yard to shovel somewhere. at the end of the day the more pages – the more hours. 5 is more than 3 and 10 is more than 5. and so on.
2.Design.
many sites are templates, whether html5 or wordpress, and as a result some design is there. other sites are developed from designs delivered in illustrator or Photoshop files. the more formal the design process the more money you’ll pay. using a template is more confining, but way less for design cost. having a developer that can go from discussion to realization is the best. all of the design cost does double duty in development and the site has a home page emerge.
3.Complexity.
complexity is a multiplier. things get twice as difficult, or three times, etc. the more complex the more money. AND if you’re using a template – which EVERYONE IS – and you want functionality outside of the template – that requires customization of a plugin or the core of WordPress – now you’re complex. 1 out of 100 CL replies can do that.
4.Interactivity.
making things move, fade, slide into place, is an art. providing selection and response to visitors is part of luxury versus utility. the more interactivity you want or require the more you’ll pay.
5.Quality.
quality is a HUGE driver of cost. lousy websites cost a fraction of really nice websites. but HEY!!! – if it’s lousy and cheap isn’t that expensive? you paid good money (not enough of course) and you got junk. that’s not right. huh?
6.Detail.
SEE QUALITY. detail is the partner of quality. being detailed is what separates the really nice sites from the ho hum and the dregs. if you want the best it’s detailed and it takes time to be detailed.
7.Hand Holding.
lots of people don’t think they need or demand hand holding. about 1/2 of them are wrong. they do need hand holding. of the 1/2 that need it 20% are terrible – they drive up cost or profits down and they take forever to say something or decide on something. 20% are great and have high bandwidth. and 60% are modestly slow to say something or decide something. SO – 50% don’t need hand holding, 10% need terrible hand holding, 10% are the brightest and have high bandwidth, and 60% need modest hand holding. that’s a fact. jack.