Project Terms
The client will provide all content
Content is defined as:
Page titles I.E., you will provide the titles(names) of your pages
Pages I.E., you will provide text & images for your pages
Blog posts I.E., you will write your own posts
Product data entry I.E., you will write your product descriptions, name your product categories and all other details of each product as needed
Images I.E., all images used in your site are created or taken by you or are deemed fair license, uploaded by you & made web-ready by you (if 10 mega-pixel digital cameras are being used, photos will be too big to upload “as is” and will need to be optimized and re-sized.)
Identity
A client’s identity (logo and branding) will look more polished when executed by a professional graphic designer.
As a Web designer I have developed a focus and skill set differing from a graphic designer’s.
Clients should not assume that identity (logo and branding) will be included in the quote unless specifically agreed upon.
From Mockup to Web site
I will deliver a site as close to pixel perfect of your mockup as is within my abilities. This is why it is very important that the mockup I will be using has been executed with intent. This applies to every aspect of the mockup, even elements like text style and size and fonts. If your graphic designer has given me a mockup with page after page of bold, black italic text in 7 point Garamond, then that is what I will deliver. If you or your graphic designer did not mean for the footer section to overlap the content section, please point this out well ahead of development time.
Creating mockups in Photoshop,Illustrator or similar that look cool and developing Web sites that look cool and do cool stuff aren’t the same thing. I might not instantly understand just by viewing the mockup how a certain feature is expected to function in order to code it to spec. If it is a very complex bit of coding I might have to experiment with different techniques or request links to sites that contain a similar feature. Each project is different – I always learn something new.
If working without a Mockup
Even with a mockup for a guide I also request that the client to send me links to 3 different sites because it helps me to be able to see sites that look similar to what you want. These sites don’t have to be selling the same kinds of products or dealing with the same subject matter as you but they should have the kind of layout and features you’d like to have to help me define your taste.
The Review: Corrections
I have delivered a functioning site, now its time for you to review it and send me corrections, if any. During the review stage, which should not take longer than 1 week barring extraordinary circumstances, I will make corrections, if any. A correction means something from the mockup was rendered incorrectly or does not display/work as expected or etc in Internet Explorer7.
The Review: Revisions
A revision means you have changed your mind about what we originally agreed I would deliver. If the revision is a request for a relatively simple change I will complete 5 revisions, free of charge. Here’s an example of a small request: you’d like the site’s page titles to be navy instead of dark purple. If you decide you want me to redo the entire landing page with a completely different layout/content scope that can be done at an additional cost to the original quote with an extension of the deadline.
Timeline
My clients appreciate having a site made just for them and understand that this level of customization takes 6 to 8 weeks. Less complicated,smaller sites can be delivered sooner, 4 to 6 weeks but still depending on the questions and answers period. I won’t really know how long the project will take until I see a mockup and discuss your web site’s needs and goals with you. If there is no mockup just exactly what I am being expected to produce becomes a little more vague and the questions and answers part of the development stage might result in an extended timeline.
Training
I will walk you through how to use your custom-made WordPress powered site. You can also email me for support or call me, Monday to Friday, 11am to 6pm, Eastern Standard Time.
In the past few years, Facebook,Twitter and Flickr have become part of our (almost) daily routine. The fact that most people already own accounts with these kinds of social sites has made training them to use their WordPress powered site lightyears easier; people now are just very used to logging in to an interface and performing tasks in order to distribute their information.
Pricing
So many factors go into pricing your project that I can’t offer a set list of quotes without talking to you first – basically I charge according to design complexity and difficulty of execution. Sites with an online store – because there are so many different features in an online store that require attention and customization – cost more.
Project Conditions
Payment
Half of the agreed upon quote is expected 1 week after I have begun working on your project. Final payment is expected after I have sent you the final payment invoice.
Small Print
In the past I have allowed the client to set the terms for when to send the final payment. This didn’t really work out so now you are expected to submit payment immediately upon receipt of the invoice, no exceptions. Non Payment: A 15 dollar late fee per day will be added to all outstanding invoices starting 1 week after it has been sent. After 2 months the website will be saved in a zip file and your hosting provider’s default home page will be put back into place. After 3 months the zip file will be mine to dispose of as I see fit.
Email@yourdomain.com
If you are transferring from one hosting provider to a new host, your domain based email needs to be set up to move with your domain.
Your new hosting provider is the one to contact about this.
Adding the Product Catalog
You’ve hired me to develop,customize and design your online store not to perform data entry.
In the development stage of the project I will add 1 to 2 products to your store so that you will be able to see examples of how to add the rest of your products.
I will not add each and every product for you. Since you’re going to be managing the store, you need to become familiar with all the steps and processes of adding a new product, editing an existing product,adding stock and uploading images for the product. Simply stated, if I do it for you, you won’t know how to do it after the launch.
Browser Support
Older browsers: backwards compatibility is provided for Internet Explorer 7 (released in 2006) because many client’s customers still use it. Unless you can provide proof for why support for IE 6(released in 2001) is still required I will not continue to code for it. If you still use IE 6 I will ask you to upgrade to IE 8 so as to reduce by at least 1 more the amount of people still using it. I develop in Firefox on a Mac and test how the site works and looks in other browsers and on a PC.
Handheld support is not provided unless specifically requested & is verified via a collection of testing tools. Handheld support is actually not that difficult to provide but it means creating a separate stylesheet: content sections are narrower, certain features are hidden, etc so it is considered a bit more work.
Design Credit
I often add my site link to the bottom of your site but if you ask me not to, I will refrain. If working with a design firm their link will be displayed and hopefully they will credit me on their site. I will add sites I am proud of creating to my portfolio. If you request that I don’t do this I will not.
Communication
A recent misunderstanding with a client left me thinking of how I can improve how I communicate with future clients. I never want a client to think I am too busy to explain something or help out if I can. Although, it can take me a minute or two to understand what you’re talking about because clients don’t often use the same descriptions/language/terms for things that I do. But if I do not answer a question right away it is not because I don’t think it was an important question or that I’m just ignoring it – the more likely reason is that I am researching a solution to your question (most questions are about if a certain feature can be added) and then finding a way to explain how it can or can’t be implemented.
I expect to communicate with you about your project mainly by email. I try to return client email within 24 hours. If I do not respond within 24 hours chances are you’ve written to me over the weekend, on a holiday or there has been a non work related event that has prevented me from responding.
For an in depth look into my theory of being an ethical designer who uses WordPress to power sites, please read this : I Charge For My Time, Design Work and Support (Not For WordPress).