What is Architecture?

People need places in which to live, work, play, learn, worship, meet, govern, shop and eat. It is their responsibility private and public spaces, indoors and out including rooms, buildings, and complexes; neighborhoods and towns and cities, suburbs and cities.

Architects, professionals trained in the art and science of building design and licensed to protect public health, safety, and welfare, transform these needs into concepts and then develop the ideas into building images that can be constructed by others.

In designing buildings, architects communicate between and assist those who have needs. These include customer, users, the public as a complete, and those who will make the spaces that satisfy those needs including builders and contractors, plumbers and painters, carpenters, and air conditioning mechanics.

Whether the project is a room or a city, an innovative building or the renovation of an old one, architects provide the professional services, ideas and insights, design and technical knowledge, drawings and specifications, administration, coordination, and informed decision making , whereby a fantastic range of functional, aesthetic, technological economic, human, environmental, and safety aspects is melded into a coherent and appropriate resolution for the problems at hand.

This is what architects are, conceivers of buildings. What they do is to design, that is, supply concrete images for a fresh structure so that it can be put up. The main task of the architect, then as now, is to talk what proposed buildings should be and took like. The architect’s role is that relating to mediator between the customer or patron, that is, the individual who decides to build, and the effort force with its overseers, which we may collectively refer to as the builder.

Why Architecture?
Why do you want to turn into an architect? Have you been building with Legos since you were two? Did a counselor propose it to you owing to a robust interest and skill in mathematics and art? Or are there other reasons? Aspiring architects cite zest for drawing, creating, and designing, wish to do something positive for the environment in the community; aptitude for mathematics and science, or a connection to a family group member in the profession. Whatever your reason, are you suited to become an architect?

Is Architecture for You?
How do you know if the search for architecture is right for you? Those within the profession suggest that if you are creative or artistic and good in mathematics and science, you could have what it takes to be a prosperous architect. Nonetheless, Dana Cuff, author of Architecture: The Story of Practice, suggests it takes more:

There are two qualities that neither employers nor educators can instill and without which, it is assumed, one cannot become a “good” architect: dedication and talent.

Because of the breadth of skills and talents required to be an architect, you appear to be able to find your niche within the profession regardless. It takes three attributes to be a successful architecture student – intelligence, creativity and dedication, and you need any two of the three.

Also, your education will develop your knowledge base and design talents. Unfortunately, there is no magic test to determine if growing an architect is for you. Possibly, the most effective method of decide if you should interpret growing an architect is to experience the profession firsthand. Ask lots of wonders and recognize that lots of related career fields can also work for you.

For the architect must, on the one hand, be a person who’s fascinated by how things work and how he can create them work, not in the sense of inventing or repairing machinery, but rather in the organization of time-space elements to produce the preferred effect.

Building a pool to go with your architectural dream? For pool fencing Brisbane and glass pool fencing Brisbane, get a quote from Oz Glass Pool fencing. Frameless glass pool fencing looks great, is safe and affordable.

Touring Seattle

The best place to begin a stroll in Seattle is along the Waterfront. Fresh seafood tempts you as you stroll past restaurants and specialty shops. At Pier 52, catch a ferry across the Elliot Bay to Bainbridge or Vashon Islands. The Waterfront offers one of the best views of the jagged, snow-capped peaks of the Olympic Mountains.

Next, head east up the hill to Pike Place Market, the nation’s oldest working farmers market and a favorite Seattle landmark. You’ll find the Market brimming with the fresh seafood, locally grown fruits and vegetables, and handcrafted Northwest specialties. Catch a flying salmon if you can. Enjoy a cup of coffee from the world’s first Starbucks store or spend hours exploring the Market’s labyrinth of shops. if you have time, make a quick stop at Seattle’s Central Library. A Dutch architect designed this dramatic steel and glass structure that draws thousands of visitors each year. Order a luxury chauffeur to take you around in style, so that you can enjoy your day with out any hassles.

Catch the Seattle Center Monorail at Westlake Center. Built for the 1962 World’s Fair, you can ride it north to the Seattle Center. Here you will find the Space Needle, Pacific Science Center, with Boeing and Eames IMAX Theaters, The Children’s Museum, Experience Music Project (EMP), the Science Fiction Museum & Hall of Fame.

Next, Go to one of the most recognizable landmarks in Seattle, The Space Needle. Ride to the top where you can enjoy fine dining at SkyCity, the Needle’s breathtaking restaurant that revolves 500 feet above the city streets. From here (or the public viewing deck) you can enjoy 360 degree view of the Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains, the city skyline and the Cascade Mountains, including Mount Rainier.

Later, head south and catch the latest exhibits at the world renowned Seattle Art Museum (SAM) and the newly added Olympic Sculpture Park. Form there, its just blocks to historical Pioneer Square, the city’s oldest neighborhood. If you are looking to have a crazy night on the town, go to Belltown, it a little north of the Seattle Art Museum. Belltown has to offer some of the nicest and most luxurious lounges and clubs. Dress up nice and enjoy the night life in Seattle.

One of the most unique perspectives of the city is right below street level. On June 6, 1889, a fire ravaged downtown Seattle. In the wake of the tragedy, city leaders decided it was more cost-effective to build on top of the ruins and an underground city was born. Take the acclaimed Underground Tour and view peculiar, below street level storefronts and learn about Seattle’s offbeat history full of renegades and rogues.

The Process of Web Design

Introduction

The term ‘Web Design’ creates a lot of confusion and misunderstanding. The word design suggests graphics and layout so many people think that’s what designing a website is all about. Most people think that website design is very simple, all you need to do is install the company logo, add the relevant wording, decide on the arrangement of the pages and that’s it.

Well I am about to shock you by outlining the many complicated processes involved in web design. Think of it this way; when an architect designs a house all we see is the way he lays out the rooms, how the available space is arranged. We normally do not concern ourselves with the amount of technical detail that goes into the design. The architect has to work out the stresses on the walls and the weight of the roof. If there are fireplaces he has to know about draughts and the shape of chimney for it to do the job. He has to plan heating systems, plumbing systems, drainage and sewage, what type of windows to use, door fittings and many other details so that when it’s finally complete the overall effect is pleasing and suitable for the purpose intended. Web design is similar. A customer may have an idea of the layout of the website but will need the services of the Web Designer to make it all happen.

Stages in the Process

There are many items to be decided on before even starting to build a website. Some of the important questions to consider are:

Once the webmaster has the answers to these questions then she can start the process of designing the site to give you what you want.

Target Audience

What sort of people are going to visit the new website? Are your customers likely to be businesses, sales people, home owners, parents, teenagers or children and so on?

Objectives of the Website

Is the website to be used to sell products on line, or to market your business to get leads for new customers? Maybe you wanted it to be an online brochure to showcase your services. Balloons for trade have a website for resellers only so that they can look up the products before placing an order. Because there is no selling on line there are no contact details on the site. You may want to use the website to foster a community to be in contact with other likeminded people. You would need a design that incorporates a chat rooms and online discussions.

Being found on the Web

A vital web design procedure when setting up your new website is deciding on your search engine strategy and specifically which keywords to promote your products and services with.

The first step is a search of key words in the industry. Finding the best keywords is vital if you want to be in the top ten listed in Google. Every SEO or web designer will tell you this and it really is very very important. By using a keyword research tool you can find the single most popular (trophy) keyword; the one everyone puts in. For example people looking for a vacuum cleaner might type in Hoover although this is in fact a brand name. You will also need to research buying keywords, geographical variants and long tail keywords, these are keywords that are much more likely to convert into a sale but have lower search volumes, you can find out more information about these types of keywords by performing a web search.

Domain Names

Domain names can be the hardest part of setting up your website, because nearly every name you come up with will most certainly have been taken already. By far the most popular are domain names ending in .com as they are internationally recognised. For that reason alone the majority of shorter names will already have been registered.
Choosing names with endings such as .net; .co.uk .org .info may provide you with the domain name of your preference. When choosing your domain name it is a good idea to include one or more of your keywords. Although the name of your business may be the obvious choice for a Domain Name, it is not necessarily the only option.

So as you can see choosing domain names and keywords right at the beginning of the project will determine how the site is constructed so that it is suitable for the purpose required.

A brand new domain name space has just been created.

Companies can now register their name in this brand new .tel name space and it is intended to replace the telephone directory. When the domain name is viewed in your web browser it will provide the companies details and telephone number.

Creating a Site Map

It is very important to have a site map to outline the pages on your website, e-commerce website or forum space. It shows the design and flow through the website so that when selling on line, items work in order such as; adding product to basket, entering delivery and billing address and on to making credit card payment. The site map helps to identify how user friendly the website is so that there are no difficulties in getting onto the site. Often the user name and password are set for the customer so there is no hindrance to achieving the initial sale.

Non e-commerce sites are easier because it is possible to receive enquiries by email, without publishing the email address on the website. By using a contact form you will avoid junk mail and also validate the information before you receive it. The aim is to create a balance between discouraging junk mail, and making it easy for the enquirer to use the site.

Links

An important consideration when designing a website are links. These can be links to other pages of content within your website, and links within the content of your website in the text, as well as links from the menu. Consideration has to be given to whether the links will open in a separate window so you still have your original page open or will the new window replace the previous one.

The Copy

The copy is the words and visuals you want on your website. Having made decisions about the target market and relevant links, along with the keywords and using the site map information, the next step is to decide what imagery you want displayed. A picture speaks a thousand words and remains in people’s memory far longer than just words. So images are important to reach your audience. Each image needs a caption which is the ‘most read’ words on the page after the title. The caption of an image need to be clickable so that when you click on a picture it takes you to the next stage of the sales process.

Design

The final design of the website is often the most challenging stage of the process because it’s subjective. In a large corporation, many people from various departments will have an input for their division. Everyone has their own ideas of what they think the site should look like and trying to gain a consensus can be a nightmare because nobody will ever agree.

If you are setting up a web design project just for yourself then you will probably have a clear idea of what you want to see on the site. But even then unless your ideas are workable in the medium, you may have difficulty getting something you like.

Modern CMS content management system driven websites are great because they enable you to quickly and easily update certain content sections without having to refer to your web designer. However, it is important that you have a clear idea in your mind of how you want your website to look and all the content for each page, before any design or build work is done. A CMS is great for editing a quick sentence but you want your designer to create the entire site with content before you start editing it.

Look at competitor’s websites in mind of your ideas to make sure your design will be an improvement on what is already in the market place.

Once you have done that you will need to create a design brief. The design brief should have a reference to the logo and any existing brand guidelines, colour schemes and fonts adding in any other relevant material.

Having done a design brief look for a suitable graphic designer. Choose your designer carefully, finding one who designs specifically for screen and the web to achieve the very best results. Beware of choosing a graphic designer who designs for different discipline such as print as they are very different processes. Look at other works the designer has done and decide whether or not you like their style.

Using multiple graphic designers is the best option if you are working in the big time and budget allows. Give each designer the same brief and request three concept designs from each one. The client might also do a design, even if it’s a scribble on the back of an envelope, there will then be ten concept designs. Get everyone together and choose the preferred elements from each design. Once the items you want are selected choose one graphic designer to do the final artwork.

All parties need to agree on the final artwork before construction of the site begins. Consideration should be give to the fonts used for the titles and buttons etc. Fonts have to be licensed so if the designer has not supplied something then the developer will need a copy of the fonts to achieve the task. Professional graphic designers will usually provide the artworks in a layered Photoshop file so if titles are not going to be in plain text get the designer to also supply the fonts.

Production

At last all the ground work has been done and the site is ready to go into production. This is where it gets technical! You may not want to go into the detail in which case leave it to your Web Master to choose for you. There have to be decisions about what language to use, either Unix or Windows based, to build the website. Each have advantages and disadvantages with multiple variants but sites such as Ebay, Facebook, Google as well as other well known websites are built on Unix. Your website has to be built with the development language of your web host provider so that they are compatible.

Accessiblity and Compliance

These are current standards for website development to insure that disabled users, such as the visually impaired, can still access all sections of the website.

Development

Development of the website is best done on the web server where the site will reside. Those involved in reviewing the work can then monitor work in progress and provide feedback throughout the development.

Unforeseen Items

As the site building progresses the customer suddenly thinks of something they must have. No matter how well the web master prepares and asks the client the right questions, there are always some last minute adjustments to the programme. The main aim is to minimise last minute additions because they aren’t calculated in and will generate extra costs and cause delays to the date of the website going live.

Going live

At last your site is up and running and you see the results of all the preparation that has gone into the whole process. There is no substitute for real world testing so as soon as the site is live ask your friends and colleagues to view the website from their own computers and give feedback.

Marketing

Once the site is up and running it’s time to turn your attention to promoting your products by submitting the site to the search engines, writing articles, and press releases and generating links from forums, blogs and other social networking spaces.

Reporting and Monitoring

Choose an agency from your local online marketing company in Kent listings who can install your web stats package for you, then if there are any issues with the install you can quite easily arrange to get together in front of the same PC and go through the data. Some of the advanced options such as sales values on an ecommerce website can be tricky to setup and interpret initially.

Use a reliable statistics package such as Google Analytics or Web-Stat.com to collect and review website visitor data. All you will need is a small block of code inserted into each web page on your site to collect visitor information to help you assess the success of your products in near real time. Web-stat.com also monitors the website and alerts you by email and text message if the site goes down.

Conclusion

The title ‘Web Design’ is a bit misleading in that people often assume it means the graphic design on the home page and the branding of the product. Unless you are a computer expert, most people do not realise the amount of work that goes into designing and building of a website. Clients are not aware of the amount of complicated technical work necessary to build the systems that support what they want the website to do. In such a complex process anything that gets tacked on at the end will end up incurring more cost to your budget.

The degree of initial questioning is an indicator of how competent your Web Master will be. Every aspect of the construction has to be decided upon before you even start the design. These things may sound very technical to us non techies but it is essential for the Web Master to find out exactly what is required so that everything can be costed accurately and built into the design from the beginning.

The Contractor Maze

If you have a major renovation job that is going to need doing then obviously you are going to want a professional to do it. By professional we mean a contractor. Where it gets interesting though is which type of contractors do you specifically need? For example if you are doing repairs on your  home and find out that you need to have the asbestos removed that you didn’t even know was there then you can deal directly a Asbestos contractor and that’s what he specializes in its this type of removal.
 
Now let us assume that you are going to put an addition onto your home while the first contractor you are going to need in this case and incidentally there will be many others. You need to start with your architect, as he is the individual that is going to have to draw your plans so that they will be approved by your building office.

Then perhaps you want to put in some new cabinets then now you can go specifically for a contractor that does just that. Specializes in this area or you can go for a General. Carpenter. You’re probably going to want to do some price checking in this case and it’s probably advisable to go with one that has either been referred to you or you have seen their work.

Another very important contractor that is needed for major home renovations will be the concrete contractors. The work that they do is critically important because they are providing the foundation for your home.

Another very important contractor is the drywall contractors mainly because they are putting the final touches to your house and of course, that is before we get to the painters.

Now you are probably seeing dollar signs each time a new contractor is mentioned. You can make life quite simple when it comes to your renovations by going with the general contractors. Most often what will happen here is that the general contractors will bring in the specialties as needed and usually when they give you your quote for the job they include these prices but if not they will specifically tell you so.
 
Other specialties may be required you need for your home. They may not necessarily be your typical type of contractors. You may need Professionals that are able to do it for types of heating or you may need pest control and then you may need roofing contractors as well. How many services you going to need by the various professionals are going to be very dependent on the type of work and the magnitude of the job you are doing.

Thomas B. Chuong is currently writing about topics related to home improvement & decor, personal fitness, and home & garden. Find out more by visiting these great sites Massage Table and Curio Cabinet.

Home Design Can Be Very Gratifying

If you have purchased a lot and are planning on having a new home built on this parcel of land then you are in for some very exciting moments and frustrating ones as well. One of the first things you are going to have to determine is the home design itself as this is the starting point.

Perhaps you have contemplated this aspect of your new home by doing your home design before you even bought your lot. Then at least you have an idea of how much land you need to be comparable with the design that you planned.
 
Therefore, now that you have your concept or your rough draft on paper of your home it now has to be professionally done so that it can be passed by the planning offices of the area that you are going to be living in. Many building codes that have to be followed and you really need to have a drawing done professionally by an architect to get it passed swiftly. They are very familiar with the building codes and the drawing they will produce for you is called a blueprint.
 
Therefore, this means you have to sit down with the architect and tell him exactly what you want or if you have a good sketch, you could give them that as well. He will advise you as to what is feasible and what is not.

When you are planning your new home design, you have to take into consideration not only all the costs that are in front of you that you understand but the hidden costs as well. For example, you have to consider that you are going to need your water supply so you may need a well dug if you are outside of city limits. You may need a septic system that will have to be put in place. If your lot is not accessible to hydro, you are going to have to have electrical lines brought in. If you are not having a basement under your new home then you are going to have to have a foundation.
 
Therefore, as you can see there are many aspects besides the actual building of the home and the materials. Then you have to consider whom are you going to get to build the home unless it is going to be a family venture.
 
During this time if you do not have living quarters then you are going to have to consider some mode of living on your new property while the new home is being built. Ideally a trailer is suitable for this and works quite conveniently provided that ongoing work is taking place on your home and you won‘t have to live this way for too long a period.

Written by: Thomas B. Chuong is currently writing about topics related to home improvement & decor, personal fitness, and home & garden. Find out more by visiting these sites Exercise Bike, and Wine Rack

.

http://www.summercourses.info

Having My New Website Built

Introduction

The term ‘Web Design’ creates a lot of confusion and misunderstanding. The word design suggests graphics and layout so many people think that’s what designing a website is all about. Most people think that website design is very simple, all you need to do is install the company logo, add the relevant wording, decide on the arrangement of the pages and that’s it.

Well I am about to shock you by outlining the many complicated processes involved in web design. Think of it this way; when an architect designs a house all we see is the way he lays out the rooms, how the available space is arranged. We normally do not concern ourselves with the amount of technical detail that goes into the design. The architect has to work out the stresses on the walls and the weight of the roof. If there are fireplaces he has to know about draughts and the shape of chimney for it to do the job. He has to plan heating systems, plumbing systems, drainage and sewage, what type of windows to use, door fittings and many other details so that when it’s finally complete the overall effect is pleasing and suitable for the purpose intended. Web design is similar. A customer may have an idea of the layout of the website but will need the services of the Web Designer to make it all happen.

Stages in the Process

There are many items to be decided on before even starting to build a website. Some of the important questions to consider are:

Once the webmaster has the answers to these questions then she can start the process of designing the site to give you what you want.

Target Audience

What sort of people are going to visit the new website? Are your customers likely to be businesses, sales people, home owners, parents, teenagers or children and so on?

Objectives of the Website

Is the website to be used to sell products on line, or to market your business to get leads for new customers? Maybe you wanted it to be an online brochure to showcase your services. Balloons for trade have a website for resellers only so that they can look up the products before placing an order. Because there is no selling on line there are no contact details on the site. You may want to use the website to foster a community to be in contact with other like minded people. You would need a design that incorporates a chat rooms and online discussions.

Being found on the Web

An important question to ask, before getting too far along with a project, is how you want your website to be found on the search engines. This involves a whole process of establishing keywords for your products or services. The first step is a search of key words in the industry. Finding the best keywords is vital if you want to be in the top ten listed in Google. By using a keyword research tool you can find the single most popular keyword; the one everyone puts in. For example people looking for a vacuum cleaner might type in Hoover although this is in fact a brand name.

Domain Names

Domain names can be the hardest part of setting up your website, because nearly every name you come up with will most certainly have been registered already. By far the most popular are domain names ending in .com as they are internationally recognised. For that reason alone the majority of shorter names will already have been registered.
Choosing names with endings such as .net; .co.uk .org .info may provide you with the domain name of your preference. When choosing your domain name it is a good idea to include one or more of your keywords. Although the name of your business may be the obvious choice for a Domain Name, it is not necessarily the only option.

So as you can see choosing domain names and keywords right at the beginning of the project will determine how the site is constructed so that it is suitable for the purpose required.

A brand new domain name space has just been launched.

Companies can now apply for their name in this brand new .tel name space and it is intended to replace the telephone directory. When the domain name is viewed in your web browser it will provide the companies details and telephone number.

Creating a Site Map

It is very important to have a site map to outline the pages on your website, e-commerce website or forum space. It shows the design and flow through the website so that when selling on line, items work in order such as; adding product to basket, entering delivery and billing address and on to making credit card payment. The site map helps to identify how user friendly the website is so that there are no difficulties in getting onto the site. Often the user name and password are set for the customer so there is no hindrance to achieving the initial sale.

Non e-commerce sites are easier because it is possible to receive enquiries by email, without publishing the email address on the website. By using a contact form you will avoid spam and also validate the information before you receive it. The aim is to create a balance between discouraging junk mail, and making it easy for the enquirer to use the site.

Links

An important consideration when designing a website are links. These can be links to other pages of content within your website, and links within the content of your website in the text, as well as links from the menu. Consideration has to be given to whether the links will open in a new window so you still have your original page open or will the new window replace the previous one.

The Copy

The copy is the words and visuals you want on your website. Having made decisions about the target market and relevant links, along with the keywords and using the site map information, the next stage is to decide what imagery you want displayed. A picture speaks a thousand words and remains in people’s memory far longer than just words. So images are important to reach your audience. Each image needs a caption which is the ‘most read’ words on the page after the title. The caption of an image need to be clickable so that when you click on a picture it takes you to the next stage of the sales process.

Design

The final design of the website is often the most difficult stage of the process because it’s subjective. In a large corporation, many people from various departments will have an input for their division. Everyone has their own ideas of what they think the site should look like and trying to gain a consensus can be a nightmare because not everybody will agree on the same things.

If you are setting up an ecommerce web design project just for yourself then you will probably have a clear idea of what you want to see on the site.

Even then unless your ideas are workable in the medium, you may have difficulty getting something you like. Firstly to achieve a great design it is recommended you review other websites and find out what you like or dislike about them. Look at competitor’s websites to make sure your design will be an improvement on what is already in the market place.

Once you have done that you will need to create a design brief. The design brief should have a reference to the logo and any existing brand guidelines, colour schemes and fonts adding in any other relevant material.

Having done a design brief look for an experienced graphic designer. Choose your designer carefully, finding one who designs specifically for screen and the web to achieve the very best results. Beware of choosing a graphic designer who designs for different discipline such as print as they are very different processes. Look at other works the designer has done and decide whether or not you like their style.

Using multiple graphic designers is the best option if you are working in the big time and budget allows. Give each designer the same brief and request three concept designs from each one. The client might also do a design, even if it’s a scribble on the back of an envelope, there will then be ten concept designs. Get everyone together and choose the preferred elements from each design. Once the items you want are selected choose one graphic designer to workup the final artwork.

All parties need to agree on the final artwork before building of the site begins. Consideration should be give to the fonts used for the titles and buttons etc. Fonts have to be licensed so if the designer has not supplied something then the developer will need a copy of the fonts to achieve the task. Professional graphic designers will usually provide the artworks in a layered Photoshop file so if titles are not going to be in plain text get the designer to also supply the fonts.

Production

At last all the preparation has been done and the site is ready to go into production. This is where it gets technical! You may not want to go into the detail in which case leave it to your Web Master to choose for you. There have to be decisions about what language to use, either Unix or Windows based, to build the website. Each have advantages and disadvantages with multiple variants but sites such as Ebay, Facebook, Google as well as other well known websites are built on Unix. Your website has to be built with the development language of your web host provider so that they are compatible.

Accessiblity and Compliance

These are current standards for website development to insure that disabled users, such as the visually impaired, can still access all sections of the website.

Development

Development of the website is best done on the web server where the site will reside. Those involved in reviewing the work can then monitor work in progress and provide feedback throughout the development.

Unforeseen Items

As the site building gets under way the customer suddenly thinks of something they must have. No matter how well the web master prepares and asks the client the right questions, there are always some last minute adjustments to the programme. The main aim is to minimise last minute additions because they aren’t calculated in and will generate extra costs and cause delays to the date of the website going live.

Going live

At last your site is up and running and you see the results of all the preparation that has gone into the whole process. There is no substitute for real world testing so as soon as the site is live ask your friends and colleagues to view the website from their own computers and give comments.

Marketing

Once the site is up and running it’s time to turn your attention to marketing your products by submitting the site to the search engines, writing articles, and press releases and generating links from forums, blogs and other social networking spaces.

Reporting and Monitoring

There is immense value in collecting stats from your new web design to see if the new design is a success.

Use a reliable statistics package such as Google Analytics or Web-Stat.com to collect and review website visitor data. All you will need is a small block of code inserted into each web page on your site to collect visitor information to help you assess the success of your products in near real time. Web-stat.com also monitors the website and alerts you by email and text message if the site goes down.

Conclusion

The title ‘Web Design’ is a bit misleading in that people often assume it means the graphic design on the home page and the branding of the product. Unless you are a computer expert, most people do not realise the amount of work that goes into designing and building of a website. Clients are not aware of the amount of complicated technical work necessary to build the systems that support what they want the website to do. In such a complex process anything that gets tacked on at the end will end up incurring more cost to your budget.

The depth of initial questioning is an indicator of how competent your Web Master will be. Every aspect of the construction has to be decided upon before you even start the design. These things may sound very technical to us non techies but it is essential for the Web Master to find out exactly what is required so that everything can be costed accurately and built into the design from the beginning.