Frequently Asked Questions: Miscellaneous
- Does the finished site belong to me or to Grand Design? What about the copyrights?
- Some of the information I use to run my business is private. How do I know my information is safe with you?
- Is there anything wrong with using a pre-built website template instead of custom-designing one?
- My brother's kid is doing websites in his college class. Why would I want to hire a professional designer when I could get my site done for next-to-nothing by this talented young person?
- Do you use something like FrontPage or DreamWeaver to design websites?
- As a sole proprietorship, how does Grand Design manage more than one successful website?
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Answers
- Does the finished site belong to me or to Grand Design? What about the copyrights?
Once you have paid in full for your website design, it is considered a "work for hire." That means that you own the site, as well as the copyright on the site.
Grand Design reserves the right to place a discreet credit on your pages that link to this site, and to make your completed site and URL available in an online portfolio.
»Back to Top - Some of the information I use to run my business is private. How do I know my information is safe with you?
It is standard in all Grand Design contracts to include a non-disclosure statement, ensuring that your business or personal information is kept strictly confidential. Furthermore, any materials that you submitted during the design project are kept secure, and most materials will be returned. Some kinds of materials will be kept on hand for your file as examples or backups, but you are a full partner in the project and you will be aware of any such situations.
»Back to Top - Is there anything wrong with using a pre-built website template instead of custom-designing one?
The only thing "wrong" about any website is that it doesn't work. If your needs are best suited to a pre-built template, then there are plenty of those available for reasonable prices.
Keep in mind, however, that the appearance of a site is only a small part of its overall effectiveness. There is work to be done in the invisible structure of a site that contributes to search engine placement, smoothness of navigation, ease of usability, and its "feel."
Don't you want your site to stand apart from all the others like it?
Only someone armed with the experience and knowledge of current web technologies can ensure usability, feel, navigation, and search engine optimization. That someone is a professional web designer.
»Back to Top - My brother's kid is doing websites in his college class. Why would I want to hire a professional designer when I could get my site done for next-to-nothing by this talented young person?
If you can get your site done for next-to-nothing, then give it a try. If you change your mind, come back and visit us. But hiring a professional web designer gives you a whole lot more than a pretty site!
What does this talented young person know about marketing online and off? Can he or she commit to the time and energy to make the site a success, or will an active social life come first? Will he or she see the project to completion, then move on to something else, leaving you with a site on your hands that you don't understand, don't have back-ups for, or know how to maintain?
The bottom line is that a professional has a dedicated stake in making your project become a reality, and has the experience of doing the job every step of the way. It's always cheaper to be an experiment than to be a client!
»Back to Top - Do you use something like FrontPage or DreamWeaver to design websites?
No. While those software packages are useful, even good choices for large firms, they don't make any sense for Grand Design.
Grand Design websites are hand-coded using a "code editor" and adhere to good markup practices starting at the most fundamental level.
If you notice at the bottom of each page, there is a W3C graphic that demonstrates that the page is completely valid and strict XHTML. Just click the graphic and see for yourself.
When a designer knows the nuts-and-bolts of programming a website instead of knowing how to run a program that does the designing, you are going to get better results and better service. Count on it.
»Back to Top - As a sole proprietorship, how does Grand Design manage more than one successful website?
Managing successful websites requires time and planning. Familiarity with a site's structure and design makes things even easier. Basically, good organization and efficient use of time is the key here.
Designing from the ground up is a much more time-intensive activity, however. This puts a limit on the number of design projects in development at any given time.
You are always guaranteed full attention to your project. If there is no room on the Grand Design schedule for a new design project, then that fact will be made clear.
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