Pros, how much should an amateur charge?

[yellow]

I frequent a local shop for certain goods & services. They're really nice folks that I thought I could help with some of their IT issues. That done, I asked about their website. Their previous website was a P.o.S. template from their hosting site with absolutely no soul or decent look & feel.
I happily went about creating a new website with no plans of directly charging them (we barter), but I want to get some notion of just how much what I've done might cost? Nothing from their old site made it to the new site.

I'm not a professional web-creator, this is just a little side business where I'm learning the ropes, so to speak. But the content is entirely my own. The site has 35 pages, some of them heavily customized. Big boosts into putting some of their stock on-line for viewing, show news and RSS feed, real contact and hCards. I've worked pretty hard getting their new info integrated into online yellowpages, the (now) 2 major search engines, etc, etc.

They've already seen increased traffic, sales business & contacts from the new site. The site has also generated some interest in me doing my thing for others.. others who I will definitely charge. But I don't have a clue what to charge!

If anyone has a moment and you do this for cash, could you take a peek at the site and give me an idea of what it might have cost?

What about these?

http://www.gingeroffershope.com
http://www.lindakillian.com
http://www.northdurhambarbershop.com
http://www.flooringbydesignnc.com
http://www.bullcitypaint.com
http://www.chameleonsconsignment.com/
http://www.therealgurus.com

GOH / LK / NDBS / FBD / BCP / CCL / TRG / DGS

TiA!

 

[angelwatt]

Here are previous threads on this topic in general. The answer is hard to pin point due to the number of factors involved. One good question to ask though, is how much is your time worth?

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/283374/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/756621/
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/51610/

 

[design-is]

One good question to ask though, is how much is your time worth?

Indeed. You need to know how long you spent on it and multiply that by an hourly rate. This rate can't be too high because you're not a professional, but
the result is reasonable, so don't undersell yourself too much.

When you're learning, be sure that you charge for the time you do stuff and not the time you learn how to. Unless it's a feature that the client knows you can't do and wants you to learn how to in the course of the project - this in my opinion is billable.

Also take into account travel time / cost, admin time, materials, hosting, domain registration, maintenance (if any) etc.

/Doug

 

[snickelfritz]

In the neighborhood of $1500.00

BTW, I see very little evidence that this site was not designed by a "professional".
That is not to say that I don't think it could be improved, but overall it's a very good job and looks to me like at least 20 - 30 hours of work.
Graphics are very nicely done, especially the rollover effects on the buttons.
Text elements and layout lack the refinement and consistency you would expect in a truly professional site.

GL

 

[Dal123]

You say you're not a professional; but you have done the job to the same standard as a "professional" would have. Saving them a fortune. I would charge them a tiny tiny bit less than someone else; saying that though the differences in what people charge is amazing. Some people want to pay more, thinking they get a better job. Most of my mates are like this, they're earning so much money with their own construction companies it's burning holes in their pockets.
I understand there are little rules in design; but most of it is personal taste, what one designer thinks is ghastly, another thinks it's art.

 

[yellow]

One good question to ask though, is how much is your time worth?

Thanks I'll check those out.

Indeed. You need to know how long you spent on it and multiply that by an hourly rate.

Thanks for taking a look. I was thinking along those lines. It's hard to devise a good amount, since my own estimation of my time is undoubtedly higher than what others might think!
But I will see if I can't work up the hours and target a reasonable price.

Graphics are very nicely done, especially the rollover effects on the buttons.
Text elements and layout lack the refinement and consistency you would expect in a truly professional site.

Thanks for taking a look. I can't take credit for that, that's a RapidWeaver theme, which I failed to mention in the OP. I agree, there's a lot of random elements in the site. Part of that is my lack of knowledge when it comes to content for boosted search engine hits, and a large degree of separation between what I know and understand of web-presence and that of the owner's understanding, and of a pro's understanding. 99% of the text is fly by the seat of my pants made up on the spot.

I understand there are little rules in design; but most of it is personal taste, what one designer thinks is ghastly, another thinks it's art.

Thanks for taking a look. I completely agree, I lack any actual design knowledge but the customer (and I) are not displeased with what I've made up on the spot. And I guess that's all that matters. In the end, they're happy, the site is doing what they want, and it's infinitely+1 better than what they had.


GOH / LK / NDBS / FBD / BCP / CCL / TRG / DGS