• Retainer Fee Information
• Guidelines for Project Design / Re-Design
• Design Process Steps
• Copyright Information

Retainer Fee Information

A non-refundable retainer fee is due before the project begins; no exception will be made.  We require a retainer fee in proportion to the amount of the web design services you are purchasing.  Our reason for this requirement is that web site design and development is purely service work and our time cannot be recovered.  A retainer fee ensures that we'll be paid for the time we spend on any project.  Installments are available for projects $7,500 or more, to be agreed upon by both parties prior to the project's start.

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Guidelines for Project Design / Re-Design

Experience has shown us that the best web sites are produced for the lowest cost when these guidelines are followed:

• Use email. Email is the most effective method for communicating with us, particularly because it gives both our client and our company a written record.
• Be clear on what your goals are. Let us know what you want from your Web site.
• Decide what content you want to present on your Web site. We will be in charge of designing the how and where - the formatting and layout.
• Deliver content to us in an organized and timely manner. Text you submit to us should first be be finalized, proofread by you and ready for publication. Graphics should be named carefully and labeled correctly so that we have no problems in determining which graphic goes with which context.  You can email graphics or we can provide you with an FTP site.
• Offer clear, helpful feedback to design draft(s). Remember that the process consists of 2 rounds of revisions from the initial layout you select.
• Leave it to us to produce a professional product. Be flexible and aware that time is limited.

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Design Process Steps

Step 1 - Initial Design Phase:

Once you have selected a design package or approved a custom quote prepared especially for you, and paid the retainer fee, we'll ask you for several items so we can move forward.  A "design" is the color scheme and overall graphical layout of what your new web site or re-design will look like.

The items we'll need from you to prepare the sample design(s) are:

1. Any existing logo that you have or currently use;

2. Any color schemes that you would like to use on your new or re-designed web site; and

3. Other web sites around the web that you like the look of.

When sending the information outlined above, please make sure that you know what you want.  It is imperative that you have some idea of the way you want your web site to look as we do not provide endless design samples.  Take your time and determine what you like before you begin this first step of the design process.  If we have to prepare more than 3 design samples for you, you may be charged an additional fee for the extra time needed to work up a design for you.  

Once the information outlined above is received by us, we will then prepare a design sample(s).  We may prepare one sample or several, depending on what information you provide.  You will then be presented with a link to the sample(s) for your critique of the sample(s).  We will work with you to tweak a design that you like ... remembering that we do not provide endless design samples.  Again, just make sure you know what you want before we get started.

Step 2 - Skeleton Site Structure and Site Content:

In this phase of your project, we ask you to provide us with layout of your site.  This means that we'll need each page link that you plan to have on your site ... which is also known as the "navigation" of your site.  At this time, we'll also ask you to forward all site content to us in a standard text format, i.e., MS Word file, text file, standard email message, etc.  Site content is the information that each page of your site will contain.  The content should be well laid out with easy to follow instructions as to what information goes where on the site. 

After all information is received, we will compose a skeleton structure of your web site, which means that no coding will be implemented yet.  You will then be presented with another link to the skeleton site so that you can again review site with your content implemented.  You will be given two (2) free revisions to the site content.  Site content is all the text and graphics and such contained on each page of your web site.  Any revisions of site content above and beyond two (2) will cause an extra charge to your final invoice.  So, be thorough in your examination of the site content as we do not provide endless changes to site content.

Step 3 - Final Code Implementation and Construction:

Once you have approved Steps 1 and 2, your site's coding will be implemented and the site fully constructed.  At this point in the development, it is too late to make any changes to the design or layout of the site without incurring additional fees.  If you decide you want a change, depending on the level of labor involved, such as the changing of Flash elements or online forms, is what determines the extra charge to your final invoice.  If the changes you request are substantial, we may require you to pay the remaining balance on your final invoice before the requested changes will be made.  Why?  Because by the time we reach Step 3, you will have been given ample opportunity to make changes to the design, layout, content and overall look of your site before it was built.

Note:  All coding of web sites is done by-hand.  We do not build low-grade web sites.  We build sites that are desirable to search engines and multiple browsers.  This is why we ask you to approve each step before proceeding to the next, to make sure you are happy with the design, layout, content and overall look of the site.  By the time we reach Step 3, it's too late to make any changes, without incurring additional fees.

Upon completion of Step 3, final invoice payment is required.  All web sites remain on our web servers until the account is paid in-full.  No domain rights, nor passwords to web site hosting nor any other items will be turned over to customer until customer's final invoice is paid in-full.

After my project is complete, how much will it cost for changes to the site?  For standard text changes, photo addition and deletion, and other minor changes, the rate is $25/hour.  For changes to custom Flash modules, the rate is $50/hour.  For changes to custom PHP or Javascript coding, the rate is $65/hour.

In no way should Customer advertise or promote the project until it is complete.  Completion is defined as Customer's final review of project, payment on the account is made in-full and files are transmitted to Customer or Customer's web hosting account.  Designs by CM will make every effort to have the project finished by designated completion time frame; but in no way will Designs by CM be held liable for any loss of advertisement nor profits to Customer, nor any third party, for not meeting designated completion time.  The completion time is an approximate time and should not be misconstrued to mean anything else.

The entire risk as to the quality and performance of any project provided by Designs by CM rests with Customer and Customer's ability to maintain the web site. In no event will Designs by CM be held liable to the Client, nor any third party, for any damages, potential or lost profits, including, but not limited to, service interruptions caused by acts of God, the hosting service or any other circumstances beyond our control; any lost profits, lost savings or other incidental, consequential, punitive, or special damages arising out of the operation of or inability to operate any scripts or custom development; failure of any service provider, or any telecommunications carrier, or the internet backbone, of any internet servers, you or your site visitor's computer or your site visitor's internet software.  Any damages done to the coding or site files or project files by Customer who decides to alter same, shall rest on Customer and Customer may be charged an additional fee to restore the files to their original state.  By contracting Designs by CM to provide any web development service, Customer agrees with all terms outlined hereon.

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Copyright Information

Web sites are not automatically copyrighted and thus we will not affix any copyright information to your web site until you have properly obtained authorization for this privilege.  You can obtain copyright approval from the Library of Congress on your own using the following information:

Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave SE
Washington DC 20559 (202) 707-3000

You may also obtain additional information by visiting the Library of Congress's web site at:  www.copyright.gov

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