[26-Feb-2026 00:31:13 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: Use of undefined constant ABSPATH - assumed 'ABSPATH' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [26-Feb-2026 00:31:13 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: require_once(ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [26-Feb-2026 00:31:13 America/Chicago] PHP Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required 'ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php' (include_path='.:/opt/cpanel/ea-php74/root/usr/share/pear') in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [01-Mar-2026 07:45:51 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: Use of undefined constant ABSPATH - assumed 'ABSPATH' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [01-Mar-2026 07:45:51 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: require_once(ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [01-Mar-2026 07:45:51 America/Chicago] PHP Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required 'ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php' (include_path='.:/opt/cpanel/ea-php74/root/usr/share/pear') in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [01-Mar-2026 18:48:26 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: Use of undefined constant ABSPATH - assumed 'ABSPATH' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [01-Mar-2026 18:48:26 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: require_once(ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [01-Mar-2026 18:48:26 America/Chicago] PHP Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required 'ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php' (include_path='.:/opt/cpanel/ea-php74/root/usr/share/pear') in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [06-Mar-2026 13:14:53 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: Use of undefined constant ABSPATH - assumed 'ABSPATH' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [06-Mar-2026 13:14:53 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: require_once(ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [06-Mar-2026 13:14:53 America/Chicago] PHP Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required 'ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php' (include_path='.:/opt/cpanel/ea-php74/root/usr/share/pear') in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [08-Mar-2026 11:47:41 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: Use of undefined constant ABSPATH - assumed 'ABSPATH' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [08-Mar-2026 11:47:41 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: require_once(ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [08-Mar-2026 11:47:41 America/Chicago] PHP Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required 'ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php' (include_path='.:/opt/cpanel/ea-php74/root/usr/share/pear') in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [20-Mar-2026 17:37:48 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: Use of undefined constant ABSPATH - assumed 'ABSPATH' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [20-Mar-2026 17:37:48 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: require_once(ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [20-Mar-2026 17:37:48 America/Chicago] PHP Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required 'ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php' (include_path='.:/opt/cpanel/ea-php74/root/usr/share/pear') in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [20-Mar-2026 17:37:53 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: Use of undefined constant ABSPATH - assumed 'ABSPATH' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [20-Mar-2026 17:37:53 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: require_once(ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [20-Mar-2026 17:37:53 America/Chicago] PHP Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required 'ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php' (include_path='.:/opt/cpanel/ea-php74/root/usr/share/pear') in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [27-Mar-2026 14:07:52 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: Use of undefined constant ABSPATH - assumed 'ABSPATH' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [27-Mar-2026 14:07:52 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: require_once(ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [27-Mar-2026 14:07:52 America/Chicago] PHP Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required 'ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php' (include_path='.:/opt/cpanel/ea-php74/root/usr/share/pear') in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [29-Mar-2026 10:21:48 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: Use of undefined constant ABSPATH - assumed 'ABSPATH' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [29-Mar-2026 10:21:48 America/Chicago] PHP Warning: require_once(ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php): failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 [29-Mar-2026 10:21:48 America/Chicago] PHP Fatal error: require_once(): Failed opening required 'ABSPATHwp-admin/includes/upgrade.php' (include_path='.:/opt/cpanel/ea-php74/root/usr/share/pear') in /home/touchmob/crazyleafdesign.com/blog/wp-content/plugins/thrive-visual-editor/thrive-dashboard/inc/app-notification/classes/DbMigration.php on line 2 {"id":20835,"date":"2016-01-21T23:15:13","date_gmt":"2016-01-21T15:15:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crazyleafdesign.com\/blog\/?p=20835"},"modified":"2016-01-21T23:15:13","modified_gmt":"2016-01-21T15:15:13","slug":"how-to-keep-web-design-projects-on-budget-before-they-even-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crazyleafdesign.com\/blog\/how-to-keep-web-design-projects-on-budget-before-they-even-start\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Keep Web Design Projects on Budget \u2014 Before They Even Start"},"content":{"rendered":"
There\u2019s nothing more that will make clients unhappy than getting\u00a0a bill that\u2019s significantly higher than expected \u2014 and having to keep paying for more services as they upgrade and make changes.<\/p>\n
Keeping design projects within budget doesn\u2019t mean sacrificing quality, though. With the right approach, you can give clients exactly what they want while still keeping the costs down. The key, as with any small-business management strategy, is to have a plan and specific goals in mind before you even begin the creative and technical aspects of the project.<\/p>\n
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You might be able to stay afloat utilizing business credit cards<\/a>, but if your projects routinely go over budget due to your grand vision for your clients\u2019 sites, it\u2019s time to rein it in.<\/p>\n Consider your typical client meeting. Chances are your client comes in and starts the conversation with \u201cWe need a website. How much is that going to cost?\u201d<\/p>\n Of course, this question is like walking into a real estate agency and asking \u201cHow much is a house?\u201d There is a big difference in cost between a modest cottage in the suburbs and a mansion overlooking the sea, and the location, size, and features of a house all influence the price of house. The same goes for websites. The more features and complex the design, the more it costs.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why a cost-conscious Web designer needs to focus on the company\u2019s plan for the site to determine the budget. Just as you wouldn\u2019t purchase a home that\u2019s bigger or smaller than you need for the foreseeable future, you don\u2019t want to develop a website that has features the client won\u2019t use or lacks basic functionality. With a well-thought-out plan from the start, the job can be done efficiently and effectively.<\/p>\n So what goes in to a website plan? Before you even get into the quoting process, ask these important questions:<\/p>\n By asking these important questions, you can work with the client to create a budget-friendly plan that actually addresses their priorities. By approaching the project as a member of their team, rather than just an order taker, the site won\u2019t be bogged down by unnecessary features or have such limited or complex functionality that the business owners cannot manage the site themselves.<\/p>\n Often, website design projects go over budget because designers spend too much time building a better mousetrap. That is, they spend time developing technology for clients that already exists in a form that will be perfectly acceptable for the client. Again, this speaks to the common issue of giving clients \u201ctoo much site.\u201d<\/p>\n Sure, it\u2019s exciting to develop a ton of cool features and make a whiz-bang website, but if that technology takes forever to develop, and is difficult for your not-quite-tech savvy client to use, you\u2019re wasting time and money.<\/p>\n Therefore, once you have a plan in place, the next best way to save money is to use existing technology to power the site<\/a>. This might mean using predesigned Web pages for those \u201cquick and dirty\u201d jobs, or incorporating open-source software that can be customized to the client\u2019s needs. It\u2019s possible that a client will come to you expecting that you\u2019ll develop something unique for them, but if the product already exists, use it.<\/p>\n Keeping website design and development costs in check comes down to several factors, but planning and preparation along with using existing tools are the most important. Smart clients understand that a good website is going to cost them money, but by working with them to keep those costs in check, you\u2019ll develop a loyal following and grow your own business as you help others grow theirs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As web designers, we\u00a0understand that creating sites for clients is often a balancing act between giving them an attractive, functional site while keeping costs within budget. There\u2019s nothing more that will make clients unhappy than getting\u00a0a bill that\u2019s significantly higher than expected \u2014 and having to keep paying for more services as they upgrade and […] More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20838,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1053],"tags":[1304,2187,56,2186,1136,1566],"adace-sponsor":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-20835","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-articles","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-credit-cards","10":"tag-design","11":"tag-small-business","12":"tag-web-design-2","13":"tag-website"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWebsite Planning to Contain Costs<\/h4>\n
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Building a Better Mousetrap<\/h4>\n
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