FAQ
Do you outsource your work?
We do not outsource work outside the United States. This is not a political statement or commentary on the practice itself. However, we have chosen not to do so at this time. We feel there are enough skilled professionals in the U.S. who need and deserve the opportunity to apply their trade. If part of a project is outsourced, the work is performed by individuals residing in the U.S.
Is all work performed in-house?
Depending on specific project requirements, there may be cases where part of a project is outsourced. This is not typically the case, and we would communicate with you about such cases in advance. If any part of a project is outsourced, it would most likely be due to area of specialization. For example, if you needed very advanced graphic design or illustration work, we would probably suggest you work with one of our partner specialists directly or through us. But in general, we are a very "hands-on" web development boutique, and we generally take on projects we can dig into and carry through to the end on our own.
Do you provide web hosting and domain registration?
While we are able to provide web hosting, we do not really focus on providing this service. In fact, as a matter of "general principle", we recommend that anyone seeking services not have the same provider for web hosting and web development. There are several web hosting providers that we recommend. We do not provide domain registration services. We recommend and do all of our domain registration through Netfirms because of their low cost, speed, and reliability.
Is there any type of website design or development work that you don't do?
Yes, we currently do not program in ASP .NET and we do not build completely Flash-driven websites. Many of the websites we have created have Flash elements, but we have chosen not to focus on entirely Flash-driven websites. These are expensive for clients and terrible for search engines.
Do I have to purchase a package?
Absolutely not! We have created some packages to make it easier for those who prefer an "all in one", simple approach to having their custom website built. This doesn't work for everyone. We are always happy to provide you with a free custom quote.
Do I have to pay for all services up front?
We typically receive a 50% deposit to start or a lower percentage initially if a project is big enough to split into more than two payments. This helps us to schedule and reserve adequate time for your project. Also, as you are searching for service providers, you will find this is a very standard practice with high quality, professional web design and development firms. In some cases, we can make exceptions for other arrangements to help meet your needs.
Do you provide more than one payment option?
Our standard practice is described above. However, we understand that needs, circumstances, and projects vary. There are cases where we can other arrangements.
Do you charge by the number of pages I need?
Strictly speaking, no. Once upon a time, this may have been a logical way to charge for website design or development work, but it rarely makes sense today. This is especially true when you have a site created in a content management system since adding an additional page is very simple. If we have packages listed on the site, you may see us mention an average number of pages. The more custom pages you need, the more likely we need to perform additional customization. But this is always a loose estimate. We never charge per page.
What is the difference between basic, "medium", and advanced design work?
If only this were easy to define. We always want your website to look "nice", but design work can range from simple to extremely intricate. And while we want to offer a competitive price, we can't charge a few dollars for thousands upon thousands of dollars of design work. Basic design work tends to mean "nice but simple". Medium level design work may include creating some additional graphics or backgrounds. Advanced design work tends to be more intricate, include header and other graphics, etc.
Please contact us if you have questions - we would love to discuss your needs with you more specifically.
We do not outsource work outside the United States. This is not a political statement or commentary on the practice itself. However, we have chosen not to do so at this time. We feel there are enough skilled professionals in the U.S. who need and deserve the opportunity to apply their trade. If part of a project is outsourced, the work is performed by individuals residing in the U.S.
Is all work performed in-house?
Depending on specific project requirements, there may be cases where part of a project is outsourced. This is not typically the case, and we would communicate with you about such cases in advance. If any part of a project is outsourced, it would most likely be due to area of specialization. For example, if you needed very advanced graphic design or illustration work, we would probably suggest you work with one of our partner specialists directly or through us. But in general, we are a very "hands-on" web development boutique, and we generally take on projects we can dig into and carry through to the end on our own.
Do you provide web hosting and domain registration?
While we are able to provide web hosting, we do not really focus on providing this service. In fact, as a matter of "general principle", we recommend that anyone seeking services not have the same provider for web hosting and web development. There are several web hosting providers that we recommend. We do not provide domain registration services. We recommend and do all of our domain registration through Netfirms because of their low cost, speed, and reliability.
Is there any type of website design or development work that you don't do?
Yes, we currently do not program in ASP .NET and we do not build completely Flash-driven websites. Many of the websites we have created have Flash elements, but we have chosen not to focus on entirely Flash-driven websites. These are expensive for clients and terrible for search engines.
Do I have to purchase a package?
Absolutely not! We have created some packages to make it easier for those who prefer an "all in one", simple approach to having their custom website built. This doesn't work for everyone. We are always happy to provide you with a free custom quote.
Do I have to pay for all services up front?
We typically receive a 50% deposit to start or a lower percentage initially if a project is big enough to split into more than two payments. This helps us to schedule and reserve adequate time for your project. Also, as you are searching for service providers, you will find this is a very standard practice with high quality, professional web design and development firms. In some cases, we can make exceptions for other arrangements to help meet your needs.
Do you provide more than one payment option?
Our standard practice is described above. However, we understand that needs, circumstances, and projects vary. There are cases where we can other arrangements.
Do you charge by the number of pages I need?
Strictly speaking, no. Once upon a time, this may have been a logical way to charge for website design or development work, but it rarely makes sense today. This is especially true when you have a site created in a content management system since adding an additional page is very simple. If we have packages listed on the site, you may see us mention an average number of pages. The more custom pages you need, the more likely we need to perform additional customization. But this is always a loose estimate. We never charge per page.
What is the difference between basic, "medium", and advanced design work?
If only this were easy to define. We always want your website to look "nice", but design work can range from simple to extremely intricate. And while we want to offer a competitive price, we can't charge a few dollars for thousands upon thousands of dollars of design work. Basic design work tends to mean "nice but simple". Medium level design work may include creating some additional graphics or backgrounds. Advanced design work tends to be more intricate, include header and other graphics, etc.
Please contact us if you have questions - we would love to discuss your needs with you more specifically.
