New website design

[trace]

Hi,

What do you think of the new design of my website?

http://www.cheap-websitedesign.co.uk

I think you'll agree it's a great improvement on the old html layout, just enter the url into google to see the old one in cache.

Thanks,
Andy

[Defcon 5]

Not sure about the corners, couldn't you use curves?
The hosting is that your servers or are you using another company?

[trace]

I'm using another company, I got a good deal. Setting up access to accounts by clients themselves is a bit tricky though cross that bridge when I come to it.

I liked the hexagonal edges! My main problem is the fact that the site looks better than any of the ones in my protfolio There's also some trouble keeping the "folder tabs" at the top on the selected white active one for very long.

Obviously I did a bit of copying and pasting to learn how to do that design, I've not mastered it though.

[Defcon 5]

thats a cool idea.
the edges are more of a web 1.0 old school , I'm having that trouble I have one in my portfolio which i really dislike bugs me all the time but then again not like i get any visitors .

what graphics application do you use?

[trace]

Well. My favs:-

1) Photoplus 8 (bought a download from serif for $5)
2) Microfedia fireworks (i find it can be a bit buggy though)
3) I still occasionally use microsoft paint as it's soo basic there's still stuff you can do n it that those other two struggle to do with all the fancy features).

To be honest though I'll outsource logo design to one of two cheap designers I've previousley hired on ebay. Roughly £5-£10 and it makes the site look better. I'm waiting on one they're doing for my other websites so i'll probobly get one made up for this site too.

[Defcon 5]

You need Photoshop, none of the above are any good for designing.
I love to use CS3 it really is one of the best out their fireworks really isn't that good it was made for the wysiwyg editor. Never even heard of photoplus .

[trace]

photoplus is a bit better than fireworks but still in the same veign.

http://www.serif.com/photoplus/photoplus11/index.asp

adobe software is pretty pricy though and as so far I've only made websites for myself really there's no justification for the cost.

[Defcon 5]

I can't say I've even known anyone to even buy photoshop (except me), but another website designer he downloaded it always complains that its a stupid cost.
I see it as this download it and only untill it starts paying you back buy it .

[Darksat]

Claim it back of taxes as expenses.
Round corners would be nicer, but the edge ones are not bad either.
Top menu looks a little wonkey in Opera.
If you want to outsource some stuff I have some free time nowdays.
Your better off going a high end if you want to make money though.
Selling cheap websites at £100 a pop wont make you as much as selling top range at £2000 a pop.
Twice the work for 20 times the price.

[trace]

I know exactly what you mean darksat. You'd think it's harder to sell a site at £1K, but you only need one buyer and the price makes it look more valuable. I'd need about 20 buyers to make a grand lol

I'm just goignt o do what I did with ym other business, start cheap get real experiance and then increase the fee gradually. I'm only looking to make about £500 with website designing this year to be honest.

I've still got 4 website's to doll up for sale. I think I coudl make £1k there, I've just got to make it a viable home business for someone else to buy.

[Darksat]

Plus the cheap end of the market is fairly crowded.
What you could always do is offer a website for a percentage of profit generated from the site.
Will only work with some sites, but Its a way of getting money long term and growing your income.
Eg 10% for a simple site design, and more for design and marketing.

[Defcon 5]

If your designing a business site you will charge a fixed price then could charge them 10% of their monthly income.
i actually like darksats idea would that be for like a fixed time or as long as the website is running, has anyone done that i would love to hear the outcome .

[solidghost]

Anyone tried GIMP before? Open source and although it is not as powerful as Photoshop, it still packs a lot of punch. If you need to do a lot of vector stuff, try Inkscape.

[Darksat]

GIMP is good.
Not as powerfull as photoshop, but surprisingly fast and very powerfull for the weight of it.
It has faster render times than photoshop as well.

As for the percentage idea, yes I have done it in the past.
I designed a surfing site for someone and he was supposed to get me half the money.
it makes over 20,000 euro a year and has been going for years, but he is a bastard to get cash out of.
I figure I have gotten less than 5,000 euro out of him since the site started.
So I am going to sue his ass now I have some spare time.

[Defcon 5]

hope you had a good contract, get your money back.