Hello, I've learnd a lot during the last year concerning HTML, CSS, JS (Frameworks) and php, mysql, now it is time to apply that. I have a littel pizza shop round the corner I offered them to make a responsive homepage for a good price. How do you start this? I mean I just make the page, but of course, I have to think about maintenance, because they have no idea about how to update the page, they are making pizza mainly!! Another thing is that of course I do not pay for the provider and the registrar so I have to put this on the invoice. How would you guys start that with that? Thanks a lot!
Hi I reckon this should actually be an "at cost" project where your time is free since it's your first time putting all the pieces together - especially if they're not even going to be getting online ordering. Ideally, the site you build will have an admin section where they can update the pizzas they offer, the choices of bases, the types of tomato sauce. As you are a beginner, I'd recommend using an existing and well-reputed content management system - something like WordPress. For all the haters, WordPress does a good solid job for low-cost projects. That way, if you move away, no longer have the time, well they'll still have a system that others can pick up easily and maintain. Writing your first WordPress plugin with a custom post type to handle the pizzas will still be a big achievement. The hosting and registrar should be paid for by the customer directly. Unless you are building up a business you shouldn't be providing the hosting. From the client's perspective, they could lose access to their site if anything happens to you. FWIW if you have career ambitions, you should be looking at getting a job in a small web development company for a couple of years before going out on your own. As someone coming to the end of 20 years freelance the biggest thing I've missed is having colleagues to discuss tricky projects with. You need that time with more experienced developers.
I mean even if I do this with wp, then I must train them to make the updates with wp on their own. Then I could invest the time to write a backend on my own with vue.js or react e.g. and train them on this. Ok, that's intersting. So I tell them to pay directly and I make some kind of confidentiality statement with them using their passwords!? Or do you mean s.th. different?
Tell them to pay directly. That way if you two fall out they still have 100% control of their site and don't have to worry about sabotage etc. This isn't a personal slight, there have been plenty of fabulous friendships that have ended hideously. You need to be squeaky clean.
Ok, that makes sense. For me it is not so necessary right now to earn my money with web devleopment since I work in sales. But of course it would be nice to be payed for that! Concerning wp, it's not bad, but I always come to the point that I want to understand how it works, because I don't feel good about using all these templates plug-ins just like that, but then wp is getting really complicated!
Yes, but the point is the small companies also want references, (if they don't want references you make the coffee for them for free and I'm neither investing 1hour nor 1 cent for these guys) If I make the page for the pizza shop with wp, that is not a reference for a dev job. However, if I built the site up from scratch then I can show my knowledge!