Graphics Costs

[Fadi]

Hi all, I m a new memeber of this board, my name is Fadi, i m a professional web designer living in the middle east. Can anybody help me in this issue, i would like to know the cost of building a static web site in the UK and the US, I would like to know all the pricing concerning the graphics, flash animations, banners, logos ... etc. I really would appreciate ur help.

thanks
Fadi

[TheGAME1264]

Welcome to the board, Fadi!

As far as building a static site in the UK or US, I can't speak for everyone else, but every site to me is different and I quote every site individually in order to provide an accurate quote and effective site for their business. So my answer (from Canada) is it varies.

As far as everyone else is concerned, you're not likely to get an answer from most people on here either since you do pose an indirect competitive threat (albeit a small one) and most people aren't going to come right out and tell you their price structure.

I know it's not the answer you wanted to hear, but it is the most accurate answer I can come up with.

[Fadi]

Thanks a lot for ur direct honest answer, now what i really looking for is helping some body abroad, as i think that the prices r much higher there even in canada. what i m offering is some business, someone can provide me with the work, i can do all the stuff, take some money and the rest goes to him. This will be good for both of us.

[TheGAME1264]

* laughs * No offense buddy, but that doesn't make you all that unique. I get at least a dozen offers from people from your part of the world every day (some of whom would move to Canada at their own expense) and I tell them all the same thing: no.

Why do I do this, you ask? I do this because of their poor grammar and spelling skills. I do realize that English likely isn't their mother tongue; however, it is mine and I need to know that if I'm communicating with their via email in my mother tongue, they understand the message that I'm trying to convey to them.

Your posts provide the perfect illustration of my point. First of all, they are littered with grammatical and spelling mistakes. Secondly, you've completely changed the subject of the thread from a request for general pricing information to a specific service offering within two posts. This indicates a lack of communication skills on your part.

(Side note: I could, as a mod, ban you for since it is a form of advertising. I'm not going to do so in this case because I want to make sure you read and are able to respond to this.)

Again, I realize that English probably isn't your native language, but I refuse to download that particular problem onto myself as the owner of a company. By the time I'm done trying to communicate with you so that you understand and have gone through all of the problems and headaches associated with it, I'm going to save more money hiring the more expensive worker. I apologize for such a harsh answer but it truly is the way I feel.

[Fadi]

well, for all your respect, i do have good english, i am not fluent but i really have a good command of english. I also don't think it is very relevant, as i m offering to make the graphics and the data should be provided clearly.

For the communication skills issue, i dont think that there were any misunderstanding there, i was asking for the prices in order to do business then.

And for your information, i work as a main web designer for an American software development company based in Sandiago.

I either dont want also to work with you, you seem to have bad temper.

This not for you, but for the others reading this post, to not question my capabilities to go to www.savetoll.com , it is one of the sites that i have developed.

Thanks for your help after all,

[TheGAME1264]

Actually, I don't have a bad temper. To be totally honest with you, I'm very amused, since your answer to my post is rather funny! You do not have a good command of the English language, or so it would appear from your posts. Your grammar and spelling skills are, at best, at the fourth grade level. By the way, the name of the city is "San Diego".

As far as the misunderstanding, yes, I believe there was a misunderstanding. It's very rare that one asks for another's price structure for the purpose of offering a good or service at a reduced rate in order for the other to make a profit via commission. It is far more commone for one to ask for another's price structure for the purposes of comparison shopping and attempting to either lowball the competitor or set his/her own structure based upon that of the competitor. Ergo, a misunderstanding has ensued.

This leads me back to my original point. If all you're doing is taking care of the graphic portions of a site, you're not going to get very far. There are numerous "web graphic designers" and sites where templates can quickly and easily be purchased and modified in one's favourite graphics editor.

Besides that, graphics are not the only thing that makes up an effective website. Code has to be optimized as much as reasonably possible both from a load time and from the standpoint of search engines; a stable, reliable hosting company has to be selected (and not one that doesn't have their home page working); it has to attract its target market; and it has to clearly delineate how its products and/or services are unique, or at the very least uncommon.
The site you have posted does none of these things. It's a nice-looking site, I will give it that. But it is not likely to be an effective website as a result.

As far as working with me is concerned, keep two things in mind:

1. This is not a "hiring" board or an employment opportunities board per se. It's a place where web designers and developers can go to give and receive help and ask questions about design and development topics in general. Yes, business topics do get discussed, but far less frequently, and it is very rare that one will get a contract for graphic work or any other design work as a result of posting to this board. If you're looking to do something like that, try ELance or Creative Moonlighter.
2. I am something of the exception to the rule as it pertains to board members in that I do have contract employees and I'm looking to bring more on. However, I'm pretty sure there are other people who are doing the same that at least lurk on this board. You should consider the words you choose and the comments you make very carefully before you post them if you're looking for work; otherwise, you're probably not going to find any.

Please don't misinterpret my comments as those of someone who is angry, bitter, or resentful in any way. I'm just trying to point out to you the inherent flaws in your strategy. As one of my clients told me once, "just because you know how to do something from a technical standpoint, that doesn't mean you know how to run a business."

[nsr81]

one word, "ouch"

Fadi: Game didn't question your capabilities as a web/graphic designer, he only pointed out the lack of communication skills on your part. You should take criticism positively. Otherwise with that attitude, you are not going to get anywhere.

[Wired]

Originally posted by TheGAME1264
commone

Busted! Sorry man, just had to! Playing devil's advocate, you do bring up some good points about outsourcing in general, however his english wasn't that bad. Hell, I've met Americans that can't speak english that well! Then again, they were Southerners

[Roller99]

There is a point were being political correct becomes a weakness.

Fadi, I for one would not hire you for any job even if your english was super duper and your coding skills were other worldly.

Why? Simple.

Far far too many American IT jobs are being exported out of the country. Countless tech companies are exporting tech jobs to India, Romania, China and yes Canada too! All to save a short term dollar, ignoring the long term negative effects.

While I am not against helping those less econimically fortunate, I am against an overall weakining of our national economy to do so. I work for a rather large software company that just this quarter announced a 3 year plan to move over 800 jobs to India, directly replacing local American workers.

So call me an ***, but you will not get my help in taking jobs from my fellow countrymen and women.

Cheers,

[Fadi]

Hi all,

Roller: You have a point in what you said and i respect your opinion, but this is the way that American companies are making more money.

Wired: Thank you for playing the devil's advocate

nsr81: Maybe you are right, but his first answer was very harsh on me.

TheGAME1264:
You have the right to think of whatever you like. I just want to mention that I don't only do just the graphics, I am profecient in HTML, CSS and Javascript also. However I think picking the host company and submitting to search engines is not the responsibility of a web designer.
I was offended not from your criticism but from some of your comments, and the way you placed your opinion. Anyway, thanks for your advice, I am going to work more on my English and try the sites you gave me.
One thing left, I wasn't looking for a company to hire me, I was looking for an individual web designer to help him in my free time.

Thanks again all,
Fadi