So how much will it cost?
Good question! Simple answer: not as much as you might think, but this depends entirely on what you functionality you need from your website. The overall cost can be broken down into four main areas, each of which is explained further below. As always, if you have any questions please don't hesitate to get in touch.
The Template
The look and feel of your website
The starting point of the sites I build is an out-of-the-box template, designed by professional companies. The template determines the look and feel of the website and all of the websites you can visit on my portfolio page have been created in this way.
I subscribe to three template clubs, namely YOOtheme, JoomlaShine and Joomla Shack. Any of the templates on these sites can be used in your project but if they aren't what you are looking for, then there are other options. Some of these are template clubs (you have to join the club to be able to access any of them) and some of them can be bought individually (usually no more than £40).
Bespoke work
Some of these templates have built-in colour alternatives, but some do not. If you like the template, but want it in a different colour, this can be done but will normally cost between £150 - £250.
If none of the templates fit your requirements or you simply prefer a bespoke design, I can recommend companies to undertake a graphic design for you. Please be warned though, this is rarely cheap and you will almost certainly be looking upwards of £1000!
Commercial Extensions
It's more than just images and text these days!
Extensions are essentially 'mini-programs' that add extra functionality to your website (e.g. a calendar, a forum, online booking, e-commerce, ...).
Some are free, but some are not and these are referred to as commercial extensions and they are usually those that add more complicated functionality to your website. On top of this, there may well be several extensions that offer similar functionality and your choice may well be down to your precise requirements and of course, your budget.
There are so many of these extensions, that I would advise you to get in touch and talk about your requirements - in this way I can better advise you on how much your website is likely to cost.
Obtaining a quote
But don't websites cost at least a couple of thousand pounds?
We'll have a chat about what you want on your site, perhaps talk about other sites that you like the look of. The better picture you have in your mind of your requirements, then not only will you have a good idea of what you want, but so will I! I will then send you an initial estimate of how roughly much I think the project will cost.
We can then either meet up or have another chat on the phone/email to go through any further questions you may have. After this meeting, I will create a proposal that will also include a firm quote. This quote will be complete and there are no hidden costs.
If you are happy to go ahead, then I will send you a contract. You can review the terms and conditions here. If you do not like anything in there, then let me know. I am open and flexible and I want you to be a happy and confident customer.
A basic site is not as expensive as you may think: with an out-of-the-box template, you could go from a zero web presence to a professional site for as little as £250 (hosting not included).
Going Live
Ok... I understand the theory but how do I get online?
To get a website up and running, you will need a domain name and a hosting package.
Domain Name
This is the name of your website (e.g. www.davidboggitt.com) and I use the company UK2 for all domain registrations - they are reasonably priced and quick with technical support.. First, the domain has to be free to purchase. You can check this on the UK2 website by clicking here (the prices for annual registration are also on this page).
Hosting Package
My preferred option is that you host your website with me! For this I charge £120 per annum (including VAT) and I'll even reduce the cost of your website by 15%. Not all hosts are created equal and whilst you are more than welcome to host your website elsewhere, you would have to be sure that your host has an up-to-date version of Apache, PHP and MySQL running on their servers. I build websites on live development servers so that clients have the opportunity to discuss their requirements during the process - this also has the advantage that hosting with me guarantees the website will function correctly when it is moved from the live development server to the actual live domain.
As with all of the information on this website, if you have any questions then please do not hesitate to get in touch.