Taking over site designed by other designer?
DesignGuy
designed elsewhere in order to take over the updates?
Naturally, most profit comes from the initial site design/development -- the
future updates (add/change text, change this photo, etc.) generally don't
amount to much and can be a time sink.
Also there's a consideration of copyright, will the original designer allow
changes to their design, and so on.
Erik
This is just off the top of my head, mind you...
First of all, deal with the copyright. If the client paid for this
design, they should have the copyright, or at least a verified right to
modify the code or make whatever changes are necessary. If you're
really worried, get some kind of indemnity clause in the contract so
that legally you're protected. Hard to imagine anything coming to
that, though...
As for minor updates, I'd just charge hourly. I once had to deal with
a guy who wanted updates to his website, but was extremely anal about
it. The first time I was caught off guard. He had called up and
requested a few on the spot "real quick" changes, and ended taking me
into the dead of night as he went over every single word of a web page
that could fill a chapter of one book. After that, he faxed over
changes to me that he insisted were "just 15 minutes", but were WAY
more extensive than that. You want to charge hourly for that kind of
crap. I had another client just recently who requested changes to an
investor proposal. The changes were small by themselves, but there
were enough of them that I had to re-layout portions of the proposal,
add pages, and so forth. When I presented him with the bill, he
flipped and said he could do the same thing in a couple hours. I was
ready to punch him (of course I didn't. Sadly.)
As for changing photos, that should be quick and easy, and hourly as
well. Unless they want photo-editing. Charge them.
Of course, this is all situational. Without more knowledge of what
else is going on, my suggestions are really just a shot in the dark.
My general rule of thumb (and this might be contested as a good idea)
is to charge a flat price for initial work, and hourly for
modifications thereafter. Even though you didn't do the initial work,
this sounds like "modifications thereafter".
Erik
Onideus Mad Hatter
wrote:
It's also usually a good idea to ask them what their budget is and to
try and work around that for basic stuff, then offer "extras" at an
additional cost IF they want to go outside their budget (for example
if they wanted some form of animated logo or something).
--
Onideus Mad Hatter
mhm น x น
http://www.backwater-productions.net
http://www.backwater-productions.net/hatter-blog
Hatter Quotes
-------------
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Fred Doyle
> It's also usually a good idea to ask them what their budget is and to
> try and work around that for basic stuff, then offer "extras" at an
> additional cost IF they want to go outside their budget (for example
> if they wanted some form of animated logo or something).
>
Disclaimer: This isn't really advice, it is a performance. The author is not
responisble for anything stupid he may write.
--
Fred Doyle
Onideus Mad Hatter
wrote:
Disclaimer: I verbally beat the fucking shit out of Freddy boi,
humiliated him in front of all his ONLINE "friends" and then trolled
him into looking like a fucking moron by getting him to froth at the
mouth about cliche racial issues. But regardless of what I may have
done to him, I am not responsible for anything stupid he may
type...after all, I may be able to rip his mind to pieces and expose
his idiocy for all the world to see...but he still technically has
free will. `, )
twiste...@gmail.com
I do tend to do things arse about face - if I'd find a project
interesting I'll charge next to nothing. the way it should be imo).
At the end of the day though, if you have an hourly rate then just
stick to it and quote ofor each job as it comes along.
In regards to copyright, you'd better check with the client. If they
signed no contract specifying ownership then I'm pretty sure ownership
belongs to them. They paid for a design and that's what they got. I
have come across cases though were there is a sneaky clause in the
contract stating that copyright of the designs belongs to the designer.
Fred Doyle
>I verbally beat the fucking shit out of Freddy boi,
> humiliated him in front of all his ONLINE "friends" and then trolled
> him into looking like a fucking moron by getting him to froth at the
> mouth about cliche racial issues. But regardless of what I may have
> done to him, I am not responsible for anything stupid he may
> type...after all, I may be able to rip his mind to pieces and expose
> his idiocy for all the world to see...but he still technically has
> free will. `, )
Disclaimer: This post isn't really as stupid and projecting as it appears,
it is a performance. The author is not
responisble for anything stupid he may write.
--
Fred Doyle
NotMe
<twiste...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1149245744....@c74g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
| Well I always charge a "premium" for boring work like updates (although
| I do tend to do things arse about face - if I'd find a project
| interesting I'll charge next to nothing. the way it should be imo).
??? I don't take on much (as in 'if any') work that does not interest me.
Ergo by your mearsure I should work for free? (G,D&R)
|
| At the end of the day though, if you have an hourly rate then just
| stick to it and quote ofor each job as it comes along.
|
| In regards to copyright, you'd better check with the client. If they
| signed no contract specifying ownership then I'm pretty sure ownership
| belongs to them. They paid for a design and that's what they got. I
| have come across cases though were there is a sneaky clause in the
| contract stating that copyright of the designs belongs to the designer.
Lacking contract SPECIFICALLY saying who owns what the copyright, all rights
in fact, defaults to the author.
twiste...@gmail.com
the cash! I'd love to be in that position... I said I'd charge next to
nothing - never work for free! i have 4 different rates. Design /
Development / Artworking / Discount. Sites that I'm interested in get
the discount rate, changes to existing content goes into artworking and
stuff that I really don't want to do but can't say no to goes into my
development rate.
yep, you are right about the copyright... I had been thinking that in
the sense of an artist (you commission a portrait... I assumed as
commissioner you would then automatically own that pic, but I'm wrong:
'A business which commissions design work will own any design right in
the articles produced but will not own the copyright in the design
drawings of those articles which will belong to the author of the
drawing. A business which wishes to own the copyright must therefore
specifically contract for the ownership of the copyright.'
so.... you need to get in touch with the previous site designer then.
Maybe copy
NotMe
| Lucky you that you never need to take on bread and butter jobs just for
| the cash! I'd love to be in that position... I said I'd charge next to
| nothing - never work for free! i have 4 different rates. Design /
| Development / Artworking / Discount. Sites that I'm interested in get
| the discount rate, changes to existing content goes into artworking and
| stuff that I really don't want to do but can't say no to goes into my
| development rate.
|
| yep, you are right about the copyright... I had been thinking that in
| the sense of an artist (you commission a portrait... I assumed as
| commissioner you would then automatically own that pic, but I'm wrong:
You may own the picture (it's called first sale BTW) but the artist owns the
rights to the work. We've had some interesting experience with abuse of our
work product in support of some very nasty projects. We were able to stop
the abuse, cold, in all senses of the word.
|
| 'A business which commissions design work will own any design right in
| the articles produced but will not own the copyright in the design
| drawings of those articles which will belong to the author of the
| drawing. A business which wishes to own the copyright must therefore
| specifically contract for the ownership of the copyright.'
|
| so.... you need to get in touch with the previous site designer then.
|
Our contracts specifically addresses the what and who of follow up work. We
get to do it unless we can't or don't want to, basically first refusal with
control over what is done.
As to being able to refuse work ... early on I undertook to learn the nuts
and bolts of business in general and this business in particular. I had to
eat more than my share of beans and rice until I was able to prove that I
was not one to be messed with.
Most telling was one client that wanted to pay way less than the agreed
price on the presumption we would cave out of hunger. Ended up the client's
printer got the work at the absolute last second @ twice the price. This
was the client's choice as they withheld payment until pass the drop dead
date then had to pay OT to get the work done at the very last second.
txtrini...@gmail.com
systems design as a byproduct of that but as far as the web projects
go:
If I´m the original designer and do the consulting, I offer several
options for ongoing-support (updates, etc), ranging from the most
expensive in the long-term (contracting my time), to the least
expensives in the long term (either designing an easy to use content
management system to let them update it themselves) or (training one of
their employees basic editing and how to modify the site).
I also write up notes on the web site development and structure/comment
the code nicely so future web designers can easily pick up on it. I of
course use this as a marketing icon for my business.
But if someone else designed the website, the first thing I would do is
to complete an evaluation report of the current website to your client.
Find out the overall weight of the site, take a look at the source
code, figure out how the website is structured, etc. and depending on
how professional the designers were, you should come up with several
recommendations to improve the site. More often than not though, the
code might be a complete mess and god forbid they use frontpage or
something like that with stray unneccesary code laying all around. So
usually for sanity purposes you´ll probably end up rewriting the
source code or redesiging the structure of the page (ie. html only to
CSS based layout).
Now the key would be explaining to the client why you´re going to
charge him extra for all this work, especially if it "looks" right...
so now you´re job becomes one of a marketer and you explain the
importance of future easy updates, standard compliance, and how this
will all save him or her time and money in the long run.
As far as the updating itself, business people have a tendency of
changing their minds a lot, so make sure your rates are at a level in
which the client won´t come to you until they´re sure what they want.
If they complain that your rates are too high, so be it, let him go
find somebody else (but make sure you explain the whole source code,
standard compliance thing first). I for example even charge a small
rate for the update meetings... this keeps them from keeping you there
all day. It´s not that big of a rate for the meetings, but it´ll
make the clients respect your time and get to the point quicker.
Any more questions, feel free to ask.
Sincerely,
Jorge Luis Ramirez
JLR Media Group
5150 Broadway St. Ste. 188
San Antonio, TX 78209
http://www.jlrmediagroup.com
jlra...@jlrmediagroup.com
USA ph: (210)568-9610
Mex ph: (044)81-1480-6595