Should I build my clients website?

[behzad]

Hi,
Should I use Web designer to build my clients site? I know the program makes it easy to make a great site, but will the code be optimal, will I be able to expand on it or other web designers using other software work with the site once I am finished?

Would you caution me on using it for commercial purposes or it is better used for hobby work?

Thanks

[steve.ledger]

will I be able to expand on it or other web designers using other software work with the site once I am finished?

No..

Would you caution me on using it for commercial purposes or it is better used for hobby work?

I would neither caution you nor would I suggest it is better for just hobby work.

[gwpriester]

If you plan to manage the site, that is to say, update the content yourself, then I would say yes. I manage many sites that I have created in Web Designer and Designer Pro 6.

But if you want someone else to manage the content after you are finished designing, then I agree with Steve, probably not. Unless you are willing to train someone to use WD6 or DP6.

In the past when I was working with NetObjects Fusion, I used to strongly recommend that my clients manage their site and do their own updates. I discovered I was spending more time on the phone providing free tech support. And of course I was responsible for any problems with the software, ISP, etc.

[behzad]

Yes tech support is a killer, and I do not do that. The other day my client wanted me to setup their blackberry email. Simply out of my to provide service for. Thanks guys, your the best.

[stlewis]

For several of my clients, I provide an editor service - they send me material and I add it, extend the navigation etc.

Even with a Dreamweaver sort of site, the junk, wrecked formatting etc you get from a client pasting in content from Microsoft Word (even the later 'cleaner' versions) means it is quicker for me to do it than clean up work later.

I just charge by the hour. Sensible clients are happy with this; they get on with their own business and I do the website, just like an accountant does the accounts.

[MediaGuy]

they get on with their own business and I do the website, just like an accountant does the accounts.

Bang on and less headaches.

[slavelle]

I say "use the tool appropriate for the job" to create a website, and price it according to the amount of time and effort you will ACTUALLY put into it. For example, I typically do websites pretty much completely from scratch, but I was recently hired to do a "template" site. I made the client fully aware of the fact that I would be using a pre-built template and not something designed from scratch and that I would be using Xara to build it, which is "not traditional" - i.e. if you take this to another web developer, they might tilt their head funny as they look at the code - then tell you your designer is an idiot.

As to updates - if the client wants to do their own, I try to get them set up with a content management system (I use Joomla) from the get-go. This takes more work up front to create, but at least you know their updates aren't going to destroy the layout (usually) and make your name look bad.

Hope this helps.

[behzad]

thanks. good points.

[jpdp]

I have two IT businesses and have been building both sites with Xara. Neither are finished, but I am really happy with the sites so far.
I have used many different types of CMS from Mambo, Joomla, Concrete5, WebGUI, WordPress etc
How many customers really need to regularly update their site themselves?
Currently we use Joomla, but we will be moving to a Xara site.
Many great B2B sites are built with just a few pages.
Our main site is now up to 30 pages.
The reason for moving away from Joomla is that to change the look and layout of Joomla is complex. You need to know CSS (which I don't know well enough to code, but can read it).
As the Xara manual states, web design is more about graphics, so why use a text based tool?
If your client insists on doing the updates, I would recommend Wordpress or Concrete5 as really easy to use CMSes.

[Magnatude]

If you go with a CMS like Joomla or Wordpress, Artisteer is your best friend. I'm currently using Artisteer with Xara, Xara for creating images like the background, buttons and Flash, letting Artisteer handle the wysiwyg CSS/fonts/layout of the PHP driven site.
Web Designer has some really neat stuff going on with it, but with a CMS there are only certian things that you can use/create from Xara, Stay with Images, buttons and Flash in this case.