Having a web site may be a hallmark of doing business, but the create-it-yourself method is not always a practical use of time. As a result, small businesses wanting to establish or refine their web presence often work with web design firms or contractors. While it can be difficult to find the right designer, figuring out how much a site will cost to develop can be an even greater challenge.

How much you are willing to spend will help you determine from the get go what is in fact possible. Pricing for web design and development projects is usually based on an hourly rate, beginning at about $50 but ranging to $100 and more for experienced designers. But as your budget grows, your options expand as well.

A straightforward site with fewer than a half dozen easily replicated pages that features your company's logo, and basic company and contact information can take as few as 10 hours, or about $500, to develop. Such a bare-bones "brochure site" may be all you need.

However, if you want to provide your visitors with more than a point-and-click experience, it will cost significantly more. For example, adding submission forms and online transactions could make your bill climb to $1500. More complex, customized work that requires a lot of development time can easily quadruple that figure. In addition, web sites that involve many pages will also boost web design costs.

Before contacting anyone, be clear with yourself about your expectations for the site and its intended purpose. Will it serve as an online brochure, a catalog and store, or a place for customers to interact with you? Also, have a vision of how you expect the site to look. Find examples of competitive sites whose look and feel you admire. Your thoughts will serve as an excellent blueprint to work from so your first meetings with web site design prospects can be fruitful and quotes can be most accurate.

What a potential web site designer says to you initially can speak volumes. A worthy candidate will consider your plan, ask questions about your goals, and make suggestions for refinement. Unless the site you envision is a cookie-cutter version - and you are happy with that - be prepared to walk away from any web designer who fails to press for details about your site's goal and mission. This will also help you identify the better contenders if you receive similarly priced bids.

When it comes to contracts, it is in your best interest to negotiate a fixed price that includes all elements of the job and the hours expected to complete them. The last thing you want is a half-finished site and no money left. Although the contract may be revised in the end, you can at least be assured of a functioning site with your given budget if no changes are made.

A carefully selected professional web site designer can be the most cost-effective way to launch your company's web site in record time.