Design services

:: Web design process

:: Pricing guidelines

:: Custom web design

You know you need a web site, but where do you start? Trying to find a designer or web design company online can be a daunting task! There are so many companies offering so many different things and the prices seem to be across the board.

We can help you eliminate the confusion. Remember, every day that you wait to get your web site online, your competition is making sales that might have gone to YOU!

At T&I Grafix, our goal is to make it as simple as possible for you to get your site designed the way you want it, and at an affordable price. We have streamlined our design process to the 7 easy-to-understand steps listed below. And, you can get you a good idea of what your cost will be by visiting our pricing page.

We have found this to be the best way by which to plan, design, produce and maintain a successful web site.

1. Online quote

The first step to creating a successful web site is to get a clear idea of your web design project. Some clients know exactly what their requirements are, while others are not so sure what they want or need to create a successful site.

To start the design process, we ask you to fill out an estimate form as completely as possible. Let us know as much as you can about your project. Note that this is not a contract for work and you are under no obligation until you approve the quote.

Once we receive your estimate form, we will review your information and we will email you an estimate within 24 hours. The estimate will include a detailed set of specifications for your web design, estimated total cost and a time line to complete your project.

Sometimes, we may follow-up with a telephone consultation in order to get more information on your project, give you a chance to ask us any questions you might have and help you decide if you want to move on to the next step.

(If you wish to bypass filling out our estimate form, please feel free to just call us and we can discuss your project on the phone, figure out all the details and give you an estimate that way.)

2. Signing the agreement

If you decide to go forward with your project, T&I Grafix will email or fax an Agreement for you to sign and send back to us. The agreement will include everything that is in the estimate, in addition to your signature request. One-third of the estimated total cost is due upon signing the Agreement. We prefer payment by PayPal, or you can opt to pay by company check, but the project won't be started until the check has cleared.

3. Layouts

Based on what you've told us plus our own online research, we will create the first set of layouts for your web design. We will usually provide you with 1 or 2 different concepts to start with. The layouts we provide you with are fairly complete including the overall look of the page, navigation structure, color scheme, type formatting and positioning for any Flash or photo features.

The layouts are then uploaded to a private location on our server where you can view the designs "live" online. You will be able to test and review the layouts and provide us with feedback.

We encourage complete, concise feedback in order to produce a revised second layout, which you will be able to look at and test in the same way. (The more concise your feedback is, the more likely we will be able to create a workable layout more quickly.)

Again, your feedback is used to make another round of changes, if necessary, and so on until you are 100% satisfied with the layout.

Upon your complete approval of the layout, the second payment of 1/3 the total cost will be due. Once payment is received, we will start the next phase of the project.

4. Creating web pages

The approved page design is now used as a custom template to create all the pages. Copy, art and photos are plugged into every page along with any additional content, i.e. forms, Flash, logos, etc.

We optimize every web site for best search engine positioning including adding custom metatags for your site. We validate all the code and copy to ensure that your site looks the same no matter what platform or browser visitors are viewing your site on.

We will continue to revise your site until you are completely satisfied and the site is ready to go "live". Final payment is due before we upload the site to your server.

5. Site launch

Once payment is made, the site will be loaded to your server where we will do final testing and make any last-minute adjustments if needed. If you happen to notice anything that we did not notice before, please bring it to our attention and we will fix it right away.

In the future, we will take care of minor text revisions at no charge for the life of your site and any other changes at a minimal charge.

6. Search engine submission

After the site is uploaded to your server, the next step is to submit it to the search engines. We will submit your site for you to the  search engines, including Google, MSN and The Open Directory Project or dmoz.com (technically a directory and not a search engine, but still, a very important listing). Note that it can take 3-6 months or more to get established on the search engines.

7. Am I done yet?

No! Now is the time to actively and aggressively promote and market your site, as you would with any business! The number one mistake that new web site owners make is in not knowing what to do with their site after it's designed. Marketing your web site is really only limited by your imagination (and marketing dollars!). Ask us for suggestions. We'd be happy to help!

Ready to get started?