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The answer is No. You will find that companies might stick with only one "option" for building a site, and sometimes they might not tell you what software they're using. They may have good reasons for doing this, such as their comfortability or expertise in one particular program. However, it could leave you at a disadvantage if you ever decide to leave that design firm and try to move your site elsewhere. You could find yourself trapped into a particular hosting plan or design package, and moving your site might require you to start from scratch all over again. We recommend asking the right questions before signing a contract with anyone. Questions to ask your website designer.- Am I free to choose my own hosting provider?
This could be a sensitive issue to companies. They make money by providing the hosting themselves. However, your designer should respect any instance in which you might want to host with someone else and simply use them for design services only. Some designers prefer not to deal with uploading files and managing sites that don't reside on their servers. While this is understandable, doing so is not hard and should not prevent anyone from wanting to design your website. There may be a reason for using their hosting—just ask.
Davis Designs currently does not offer its own hosting packages. We leave that to the experts and have great relationships with the people we recommend. Most designers contract out their hosting, so you’re really only paying a markup. We prefer to focus on design and marketing—therefore we are happy to allow our customers to save money by working directly with the hosting company of their choice. Its just another way that we are looking out for you and your pocketbook. - What program will my site be built in, and why that one?
There are literally hundreds of website programs. Take note of the name, and research it for a few minutes. You're likely to find many pros and cons on the internet. - Is this program something that I can purchase or is it open-source?
There are 2 types of web software. Commercial and Free (open source). Commercial software can be expensive and must be purchased and installed on your local computer. You take the files produced from that software and upload them to your web hosting server. Examples include Microsoft's Expression or Adobe's Dreamweaver. They are powerful applications and are best handled by programmers. Open Source programs are free to everyone. They are designed and maintained by developers and released to the public. They can be downloaded to your computer, but its not necessary to do so. Many hosting companies offer these programs directly on their server and you can build or modify your site from any computer, anytime. There are no files to upload, the content is database driven. - Is it possible to move my site to another provider, as is? Why or Why not?
Whether its open source or commercial software, you should be able to take your site to another hosting provider. There might be instances with open source transfers on some applications, but if that is the case, you should know that in advance and weigh the risks. With commercial software, you can take physical files with you and launch the site anywhere. With open source, databases are involved, and you will likely have to initiate a backup of your site through your current provider, and then ask your new provider to restore that backup--and they should be happy to do that for you in exchange for your hosting business. Keep in mind that this explanation assumes that you are staying with the same open source program and only switching providers. Switching design programs will require you to start over regardless—but the good news is that you have already put forth the effort in designing your site structure, which will save you hours if not days of planning for the new site. Not to mention the content is already written.
Davis Designs is happy to help you move your site if needed—assuming that your system can be moved. There are a few instances in which moving isn’t possible, and this will be explained before you commit to a certain program and provider. - What can I expect to pay for updating content on my site?
Do NOT forget to ask this question. If you plan on making changes to your own content, the answer should be "nothing." However, you need to understand the software program to be able to do so. If you want your designer to make changes for you, know the rate in advance, get a quote for changes, then approve the cost before moving forward. Open source programs allow for clients to manage their own site—that's their beauty. However, sometimes the bigger changes require a decent skill set and knowledge, so you may have to read free forums online or ask your designer for a personal training session.
Remember, there are 1000's of people who can do what your website designer does. If you find the cost of a training session to be too high, search around. Unless the training is free, you should not be required to take any before modifying your own website.
Having said that, training is highly recommended before diving in. If you’re a self-learner, there are numerous manuals and community forums on the Internet for free, and they are a great source of training.
Davis Designs expects that all open source clients will want to modify their own site. Therefore, we have designed helpful manuals that are available FREE OF CHARGE to walk you through the process, in addition to providing you with links to extensive training websites. We also offer individual training sessions at a reasonable cost. If you don't have time, we are happy to modify your site for you at a low hourly rate. Check out our rate packages. - Will I be given all account information so that I may access my account at any time to make changes and move my site if needed?
The answer needs to be YES in all cases, except where you have an outstanding balance with your designer. Assuming you’re all paid up, this site is YOURS, and you need to have that information on hand and in a safe place.
Davis Designs will give you all account information when your account is current. - What can I expect to pay in maintenance costs for upgrading the software as needed?
All software programs go through upgrades to provide you the latest and greatest features. You will need to stay current with this, and expect to do it at least once per year. Depending on your website features, this could take anywhere from 1-5 hours. Find out how much your designer will charge either monthly or hourly to maintain that aspect of your site.
Davis Designs charges a low hourly fee for all services, including upgrades. These hours can be purchased as needed or in bundles for a discount. Sometimes we even work on trade and/or reward clients with referral bonuses! If you’re not yet on our list to receive these great offers, sign up here! - Will the Domain Name be registered in my name or yours?
Your domain name should—under all cirumstances—be registered to YOU. Even if you did not pay for your domain name due to a promotion, etc...that baby should be yours and don't have it any other way! The last thing you need is to be trapped into staying with a particular hosting company or designer because they are holding your domain name hostage.
Davis Designs always recommends that customers own their own domains. We wouldn't have it any other way. However, we do ask that clients record us as the Technical Contact so we can handle any issues that arise. - How much will my Domain Name cost to renew each year?
GoDaddy.com offers domain name renewals for as low as $10 per year. If you're being charged more than that, ask why. Domain name registration is simply a formality and easy to do. But in order to do it, you have to be qualified, therefore you aren't able to do it yourself. If you haven't found a domain name yet, check out the Go Daddy $7.49 .com Sale! 
Davis Designs prefers not to offer domain name registration in efforts to concentrate on marketing solutions for clients. Our goal is to produce quality designs and campaigns at affordable costs. Although domain registration and hosting is not part of our business model, we will gladly refer you to some of our affiliate partners who specialize in those areas.
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