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How Much Do You Charge?
The simple answer is that you'll need to contact me for a quote. If you still feel you need more information, I've elaborated below on why I do not have "price tags".

Designers typically either charge an hourly rate or they quote you a price for the project. Most of my clients prefer a quote so that they can stay within a budget. It's nearly impossible to know what the cost will be without knowing what you will need for your site (php, content management system, flash, etc).

Are You Willing to Work Within My Budget?
I always discuss budget with potential clients. This helps to determine how elaborate we can be in designing your project. For example, when I designed Hollywood Script Coverage's site, they wanted an integrated system that would upload screenplays within an e-commerce system, and have an online review system. To create something like that would have taken them way out of their budget. Instead we set up a much simpler payment system with PayPal and allowed individuals to upload their scripts separately. It saved them lots of money and allowed us to create it comfortably. However, some people's expectations and budgets are unrealistic:

We have started a new clothing line similar to that of Affliction and Ed Hardy and are in need of a website...We would like a website similiar to theres but more basic since we only have 15-20 shirts right now and no other products...We were hoping to be able to get it done for $250 or so and get it done within the next 2 weeks

Can You Give Me A Ballpark Price?
I don't share the amount that I my clients paid me for my services. I don't feel they'd appreciate it. But I can post links to some of my competitors that do list their prices and I'll tell you that usually I'm cheaper. Keep in mind that design is also not a commodity like wheat or corn. Each designer is going to do something completely different with your project.

  • The Blog Studio's owner Peter (a very cool guy) notes that most clients aren't aware of the things that go on behind the scene to make a blog look so good: lots of graphics created just for the client in Photoshop, graphic splicing that creates an optimal CSS/XHTML structure, CSS,/XHTML,PHP coding, adapting the CMS of the client's choice and setting it up to suit their unique needs, "bell-and-whistle" functions that meet client's requirement.
  • EmaStudios Another great designer, Javier and I both start with a pencil and paper when we're designing. His entry level site costs $2800. One of his recent designs for Carlos Cabrera cost $3600.
  • Forumulis Marketing, charges $2500 for a "basic, static website composed of a few pages." They call it a brochure website. They have an extensive portfolio and have built lots of great pages.
  • Mill Valley Film Festival Ok, they aren't a design firm. But I am told that the programming (development) for this site cost $10,000 and the design (graphics, layout, brand) cost about $50,000. As you can see, each project has very different needs.

Yeh, But There Are Other Guys Charging Much Less
You want to work with a professional who can deliver you a superior design. Let's look at some basic math and you'll realize why you should be wary of any designer that gives you a cost before even talking to you.

The guy that takes the $250 dollar website has to complete twelve sites per month in order to make a modest $36,000 per year. If he works 40 hours per week, he has a mere 13 hours total to devote to each of his clients. That's assuming he doesn't have to advertise, answer phone calls, commute, etc...

Do you want to work with that guy or do you want to work with someone who can dedicate the time to do your project justice. When you work with me, we have in-depth conversations about your needs and brand identity before I even sit down at the computer. Then I get out my sketch pad and have a drawing brainstorm session. Then the best ideas get built in the computer. Then we start to go through them and discuss likes/dislikes and the direction we're heading. Then if it's a website, I send my design concept which I like to equate to a movie storyboard. It shows what your site will look like once I build it. Then... I start to design graphics/code. I apologize for all the "thens" but I'm trying to make a point. The other guy's already moved on to his next project. He has bills to pay.

Remember that you're commissioning the creation of something that represents you and your business. It's the first impression people will have of you and you'll have this design for a long time. Here's some examples of what happens when you go with the "charging much less guy":

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