How Much Does A Bridge Cost?: Pricing for Designers and Asking the Brave Questions

I am in the web business. I build, market, and think about web sites all day long. Nearly every day I am asked by potential clients and hobbyists and casually-interested people, “How much does a web site cost?” It’s a question that I’m sure is cringingly familiar to any developer, designer, or artist. And—there was a time—when I struggled for an answer.

The correct answer is not simple. It is not “X number of dollars”—like it would be for a pack of gum. The correct answer requires more work and thought than the questioner is prepared to invest. So, most often, the correct response is “It depends.”

Here’s why.

This is a bridge.

And this is a bridge.

And this is a bridge.

These are all bridges. They all serve the same core function: to carry people from point A to point B. But they vary wildly in every other respect.

• Bridge 1 was cheap to build, costs nothing to maintain, and can transport 30 people per hour. It is also absolutely terrifying to cross, and people avoid using it at all costs.
• Bridge 2 was moderately expensive to build. It required a decent amount of planning by trained professionals, and it costs a fair amount in upkeep every year. This bridge can transport 3,000 people per hour. It is safe, modest, and gets the job done. People cross it without thought when they must.
• Bridge 3 cost more money to build than Scrooge McDuck has in his swimming pool. It took years of planning by the world’s leading experts. It requires a constant supply of time, energy, and money for upkeep. But, this bridge can transport 30,000 people—using many different modes of transportation—per hour, it serves as a national landmark, and it attracts billions of tourist dollars to the area every year.

Web sites, brochures, logos, pamphlets, posters, and all the rest are no different. Web sites, in particular, can cost $5 or $500,000. They can be built by novices in 2 minutes, or by experts over the course of 2 years.

I’m certainly not advocating for making every design project into the Golden Gate bridge. There are cases where a small and quick design job will suffice for the final product’s intended purpose. You don’t need the Golden Gate to cross over I-95. But, when hiring a professional designer, anything is possible—with only one exception: it is impossible to build the Golden Gate without the Golden Gate’s budget.

Designers: Reframe the “What does it cost?” question back to your potential clients. Explain that they can have a logo for $100 or $10,000—but, not all logos are the same. $10,000 will give you—the expert—the time you need to craft an effective design, proceed through multiple drafts, and explore exciting possibilities. $100 will limit you to 30 minutes and a sketch of a rough idea. Know the value of your creativity and your “brain-time.” Rolling boulders up a hill isn’t the only activity that counts as “work.” Set professional limits and abide by them. Even if the rent is due.

Potential Design Clients: If asked for your budget by a designer, it’s likely you’re dealing with a professional who wants to create the most effective design possible for your project. That’s valuable. How much time and thought would you like this hired professional to spend to make your project more successful? Often, because you’re setting the budget, the outcome of the project is determined by you before work even begins.