faq's

Q.

Q. How much does it cost me to have a web site built?
A. We have two price points:

Silver ($2,000 - $2,500)
10 pages +, semi-custom design, interactive form & location map.

Gold ($3,999 - $4,500 average cost )
15 pages +, full custom design, interactive form & location map.

Please Contact Us for an exact Proposal

Q. Do you use a design template?
A. No. Each site is unique, with a custom design created
by our experienced graphic designers.

Q. What are your payment terms?
A. We require a 50% deposit, another 25% on the initial web site launch, and the final 25% upon completion of the project.

Q. What payment methods do you accept?
A. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and checks.

Q. What is the process you use in building a web site?
A. There are five steps:

1. We conduct an initial, one-hour telephone consultation with our clients to determine needs, followed by a written proposal.

2. Once you accept the proposal (and any changes made at that time), we require the 50% deposit.

3. A design draft is delivered to you and approved (again, with any changes made at that time).

4. The content is added to the design followed by launching the live web site, at which time we require the next 25% payment.

5. The full web site is built out and completed with any necessary changes and the final 25% payment is required.

Q. What are your monthly fees?
A. We do not have monthly fees. As a client, you pay only for the time I actually spend on your web site, which is based on our current rate per hour and calculated to the minute, not rounded up. For example, if we spend 10 minutes on the phone discussing your site, and I spend another 20 minutes doing any updates or changes to your web site, the total time spent on your site is 30 minutes and that is what we will invoice you for at the end of the month. We also supply you with a written time sheet attached to the invoice.

Q. Do you have a ‘money back guarantee’?
A. No, because at every stage of the process we check to insure that our clients are satisfied with the work done thus far. If something isn’t right, we discuss it and change it within reason. At Abacus Web Realty Services, our business is based on the exceptional quality of our work and 100% client satisfaction.

Q. What is my role as the client in this process?
A. Beyond the initial telephone consultation, we will need you to supply us with the necessary materials for your site on an agreed-upon time scale. These materials usually consist of any original artwork you own, photographs, biographies, and sometimes technical text.

We will need you to review and comment on the design draft, site development and completed site. It is this process that ensures you get what your real estate business needs.

Q. Do you write the text for the web site?
A. Yes, we have a copywriter on staff who prepares the text based on information supplied by you about your business. However, occasionally a client’s text will be technical in nature and, in that case, we ask you to supply us with the text and we will review and edit it before putting it into the web site.

We also have a large variety of pre-made text and calculators, see Content

Q. Who has the final approval of the text?
A. You. The client have final approval on everything we do.

Q. Who owns the copyright to the web site?
A. With the final payment, you make the ownership of the web site changes over to you, the client. This ownership includes the design and the text. The exception to this would be in the area of content on certain web sites. This means that we grant the client permanent use rights on the existing web site but the copyright remains with Abacus Web Services. In this case, the content may be shared among some of our other clients but this would be clearly indicated in the proposal.

Q. What exactly is web hosting?
A. Web hosting is simply the computer in which your web site files sit so that anyone can access your web site 24/7.

Q. Do you do web hosting?
A. Yes, we will set up and operate a web hosting account for your site on your behalf.

Q. What is the fee for web hosting and what does it cover?
A. For most web sites the fee is $25 per month, which is invoiced twelve months in advance and covers the hosting of your site on the server and any necessary support related to hosting.

Q. Is Abacus Web Services willing to work with another hosting company for my site that already exists?
A. No, because we feel that we can provide a faster, better and lower-cost service by working with our hosting provider, thus saving you and us a lot of hassles in the future. We would simply change your site over to our provider.

Q. What exactly is a domain name?
A. Domain name is simply the address at which your web site can be found for example www.cnn.com is CNN's web address.

Your domain name should be placed on all your marketing materials so that clients can access your web site 24/7.

Q. Can you register my domain name?
A. Yes, we will register your new domain name on your behalf, making it quicker to match the domain up with the hosting company. The domain name ownership remains with you, the client, but we manage the account including the required renewals.

Q. How much does domain registration cost?
A. The cost is $60 for two years.

Q. Can you take over my existing domain name?
A. Yes, we would supply you with the address information for our web hosting servers and advise you how to complete the change over. Contact Us