There are three initial costs when creating your website - the domain name, hosting and the website design.

1. Domain Name
I prefer my clients to arrange their own domain name, but can help them with the process if necessary. Domain name costs vary, depending on the registrar you use, and the type of domain required. All domain name registrars provide much the same service, so it makes sense to go with the cheapest. At the time of writing, this was Ziphosting (www.ziphosting.com.au) which charges only $20.95 for 2 years for a ".com.au" domain name. Links to all of the auDA accredited registrars can be found here.

2. Hosting
Just as there are a number of registrars, there are many hosting companies. All offer various features at various prices. The cost of a Brett Davis Website Design includes 12 months free hosting. After a year, if you still want me to host your website, the ongoing cost will depend upon the size of your site - $25 per year for a very small site, $50 per year for a standard site, and for very large sites we can negotiate.

3. Website Design
The major initial cost is the website design. I charge a minimum of $500, and for most sites, this is all you will pay. More complex sites requiring additional features (see below) will cost more, depending on the amount of work required. I can supply a quote once you have provided me with a good idea of the size and nature of your site.



Ongoing Costs
Every two years you will have to renew your domain name. As shown above, this could be as little as $20.95 (which is only about $0.20 per week. As mentioned previously, one year of hosting is included in the initial cost of the website. After that, your ongoing hosting cost (assuming you have a standard site) will be $50 per year.

The first year of maintenance is included in the website cost. After that, when you request any maintenance, it is charged at my hourly rate. Please rest assured that I work as efficiently as possible.

So, depending on the amount of maintenance you want done on your site, the ongoing cost of your website could be as little as about $60 per year, or less than $1.20 per week!



Additional costs not included in website design cost.

Logos
Although having no formal training in graphic design, I have on occasions designed logos for my clients. If you require a logo and are willing to pay $100, please let me know. Examples of the logos I have designed, and a description of the thinking behind them, can be seen here.

Shopping Carts
I recommend the PayPal Shopping Cart to my clients. PayPal simplifies the entire shopping cart process from ordering to payment. Although relatively easy to implement, the cost of adding a PayPal shopping cart to a website will vary, depending on the number of products that are added to it. A small shopping cart will cost as little as $50.

I have implemented an osCommerce shopping cart on one of the websites I have designed, but the amount of work involved in customising this open source software makes the cost prohibitive. Still, if you are prepared to pay for it, I can do it.

Photography
With digital cameras abounding, most clients can take their own photographs for their websites. Some people, however, are really bad photographers. If this applies to you, and your business is located in the Shoalhaven, I can take your photos if you like. I have been involved in photography for over thirty years. My time would be charged at my hourly rate. Examples of my photography can be found here.