by Aaron West

How much should a web design cost? This is a question asked constantly by freelance designers and individuals who wish to have a site built professionally. One can visit a number of web designer sites and find little consistency between design rates. Some charge by page, some charge by project, and some charge by hourly rate. Few of them provide any expectation on what the client will receive for that price.

So what should you charge for your work? That's what I will address in this article. I will take a look at several pricing methods that will allow you to charge a fair price for your work.

Undercutting

One way many designers set their rates is by researching the prices of their competitors, and charging less. It's in every designer's interest to be competitive, but keep in mind that you also have to make a living at this. You might find designers charging as low as $5 a page. They would certainly attract a large number of clients at that price, but they'll see very little in the way of profits. In the freelance world, you have to consider expenses such as taxes, insurance, and overhead. While you don't want to charge an exorbitant fee, you do want to charge enough to make a living.

Designing for a low price can also affect your reputation. If your prices are too low, many potential clients might write you off as 'cheap' or 'unprofessional' before they see your work. In that regard, undercutting can work against you, especially in the long run. Don't feel guilty charging what you're worth.

Hourly Wage

A common way to price a project is by charging a strict wage for all time put into the project. This is an effective system of pricing designs, but is also very difficult to predict. If you choose to go this route, make sure you spend plenty of time with the client before the project begins. You will want to have a clear idea what they are expecting so that you can present them with a fair estimate. Provide the customer with your estimate in writing, and include what they can expect for that price. This will ensure that the customer pays for any additional work not agreed upon during the initial agreement.

How can you find an hourly wage that works for you? It depends on what you are doing, and on your experience. Some designers charge as low as $30, and some as much as $250. The higher the quality of your portfolio, the higher the rate you can charge. For example, if you have a portfolio full of designs for Fortune 500 companies, you would be able to command a higher rate. If you have a few sample designs you've done for local companies, that rate would be significantly lower.

The rate you charge also depends on what the project requires. You would want to charge lower for basic web design than you would for programming or multimedia design. If you have multiple skills, price for them accordingly, based on your experience level.

Flat Rate

Many designers charge by the project. You will find many designer sites that will design X number of pages for a certain fee (e.g. "5 pages for $1,000"). If you go this route, make sure you communicate exactly what the client can expect, and leave no room for misunderstanding. This way if the project goes beyond those expectations, you won't have to worry about not being paid for your work.

Some projects are easier to charge by flat rate. Logo design or corporate identity projects tend to require the same amount of work. Once you've done a couple, you can get a decent idea how much goes in to each project. You can then arrive at a fair flat rate, which makes it less complicated for the client.

Splitting Up the Project

Designers can also split the entire project up. A flat rate could be charged for different aspects. For example, a certain amount could be charged for the architecture, for the graphic design, for the programming, for the multimedia, etc. This is also an easy way for you to provide an hourly estimate, and it allows you to charge the rate you've specified for each part of the project.

Per Page

Many designers charge a certain amount per page. I only recommend this method if you charge a flat rate for other elements. For example, you can charge an hourly rate for the graphic design, and then charge a much lower amount for each page, because creating pages of a consistent look and feel don't take much time. Otherwise, say if you charged $100 per page, a 1-page site might be unfair to you, while a 100-page site might be unfair to the client.

A la Carte

Many designers price as a restaurant would. They will break up each step in the design process and put a price on it. An example of this would be:

• $10 - Scan
• $20 - Button Creation
• $40 - Banner Creation
• $50 - Logo Creation

This can be an effective way to make sure you are paid for every aspect of the project, but can scare away the client. When people look at a large menu and see what's available, they will naturally choose more than they otherwise would. As a result, the client would probably price the project out before it was even presented to you. For an example of this, take a look at one of the 'Build Your Own Machine' Web sites where people can pick and choose parts for their computer. You will most likely choose everything you want and find a price much higher than you are willing to pay.

Provide Quotes in Writing

Once you have settled on a pricing method, you must then find a method to provide the quote in writing. This can be in the form of a contract, an invoice, or a proposal. Try to get as much information on the scope of the project and the cost on the quote, and make sure both you and the client sign it and keep a copy. This is best for everyone. You won't end up doing work for free that wasn't initially agreed upon, and the client won't have to worry about you charging for something that wasn't intended.

Compare

Once you've arrived at a pricing system, then you should compare your prices to other designers. Try to find designers that charge a similar amount as you. Look at their work and compare it to yours. If you find that your work is of a higher quality, you are probably justified in raising that price some. Vice versa if you find that the competitor produces a higher quality product.