Web Design Policies & Procedures

+ Web design fees
+ Taxes
+ Billing
+ Complimentary web site maintenance
+ Custom graphics & forms
+ Web hosting
+ Web Site development agreement
+ Web design steps
+ What we will need from you
+ Company policies

Web design fees

ChemicHill Digital Productions requires a non refundable down payment of half (50%) the value of any project quote or design package before work can begin. This is non negotiable and no exceptions will be made. Since web design is a service based solely on time, this work can never be recovered and we must ensure compensation.

The cost of your project will be based on an estimation of the number of hours to complete the work. Typical business web sites range from around 15 to 80 hour contracts, sometimes more depending on how complex the job gets.

Taxes

8% RST is charged on all products and services sold to Ontario residents. ChemicHill Digital Productions holds a valid Vendor Permit and is legally obligated to charge, collect and remit this tax to Ontario's Ministry of Revenue.

Billing

ChemicHill only accepts guaranteed funds. These include Canadian Money Orders, PayPal Payments, Certified Cheque, and in the case of some of our local clients Canadian currency will be accepted in person and a receipt will be issued.

ChemicHill believes in honest billing and adheres to this principle. You will be issued a username and password to log into your account where you may see a current copy of the time sheet used on your project. We record the date, time and detailed activity of all work done so the client may see exactly where the hours are being spent.

The web site payment structure for all work will run like this:
1) The first 50% of the quote or design package price is paid in advance so work may begin.
2) The final 50% of the quote or design package price is due upon final client approval, this will allow the web site to be released and launched on your web server.
3) Any additional work beyond the scope of what is agreed upon in writing will be billed at our standard rate of $40.00 CAD an hour.
4) For very large web site contracts, ChemicHill offers flexible payment structures on a per case basis. Please inquire for more information.

You will always be provided with either an electronic or paper invoice for each bill.

Complimentary web site maintenance

All customers who have a web design contract with ChemicHill receive 4 hours of our time FREE to spend on web site updates after their contract price has been paid in full. This is normally enough to keep sites up to date with minor changes for some time. This complimentary service is a $160 value that applies to customers who have a completed web site project with us.

Custom graphics & forms

All custom graphics and Flash Forms will bear ChemicHill.com watermarks or other methods of digital protection until final customer approval. Full payment must be received for any custom graphic or Flash Form to be released and cleared of the ChemicHill.com watermarks and protection. No contract is necessary for this work.

Web hosting

In order for your web site to be on the Internet you will need to pay for a web hosting account. There are countless companies online that you can go with, but ChemicHill strongly recommends Bravenet.com. Clients will be responsible for the monthly fees associated with their own web hosting accounts. This must be set up in your name using a credit card of your choice. Dot COM names are $8.95 US a year from Bravenet.com.

If you need assistance or advice choosing the right web hosting package ChemicHill can guide you through the whole process, just ask.

If you have purchased a web design package deal through ChemicHill this will include 1 free year of web hosting and a domain name. After this year has expired the web hosting cost is $10.00 CAD a month. Domain name registration is $10.00 CAD a year. If you choose to move your web site to another web host ChemicHill will co-operate fully and help you make a smooth transition!

Web Site development agreement

All web design projects will require the customer to digitally sign a Web Site development agreement. This is a legally binding agreement between ChemicHill Digital Productions and the client. It defines our responsibilities and the client's responsibilities as well as the requirements and limitations of the job. After ordering you will be sent an e-mail containing a link to the agreement page as well as a username and password you will need to view the agreement.

Web design steps

All ChemicHill web design projects follow the same sequence. When work on your project begins we will go through these steps together to lay the foundation for a solid web site.

Web sites designed by ChemicHill are built with search engine optimization in mind right from the start. What is the point of having a web site if it can't be found? It is important to realize the difference between having a web site, and having an effective web site.

01) Define the purpose of the site.
02) Identify the target market.
03) Conduct a competition survey to see what others are doing.
04) Define the features of the web site.
05) Identify the keywords users will be using to find the web site.
06) Develop a wire frame of the web site.
07) Create the storyboard for the web site.
08) Construction will begin on the prototype.
09) Completion of the final design.
10) Final payment is due before delivery of the web site.

What we will need from you

1) Always use e-mail to communicate with us. This way both parties have a written record of the conversation.

2) Submit your content to us in an organized manner. All your text should be spell checked, proof read and ready for publication. The file name of any pictures you send in should be clearly labelled so we can tell what goes where. Clients can upload materials directly from this web site once you log into your account, we've simplified the whole process.

3) We will need you to submit any existing web ready logos that you currently have. In JPG, GIF, PNG or SWF format.

4) For any custom web design work we will need information about any colour schemes you would like to implement on the web site. Or the links to any web sites you like the look of. Otherwise you may leave that completely up to us.

5) Make a decision on what type of content you would like on your web site. ChemicHill will take care of the design, layout and all technical aspects.

6) Please be sure to give us clear and helpful reviews of work that has been done. If changes need to be made it is better to have it done earlier than later as we don't want to create any cost over runs. Feel free to send us your opinion as the project progresses.

7) If you already have existing web hosting we will need any applicable usernames and passwords to log into your account and create/update your web site.

Company policies

1) All quotes provided are simply an educated guess on the minimum number of hours needed to fulfil that job. The client must be aware that any major changes to the job not outlined in our agreement will only add to the number of man hours needed to do this work. Final costs will be detailed within the last invoice we send you.

2) You must be available to provide approval after each design step, this is as simple as reviewing the current web site under construction then sending an mail after.

3) Web sites under construction will be available to be previewed once you log into your account. Do not advertise the web site until it is complete. The web site will be hosted on our server until your final approval and full payment is received. At this point it will be released, full ownership will be signed over, you will be given a copy of all the files on CD and we will upload the finished product to your web hosting account if needed.

4) All delivery deadlines for any projects are estimates, and are not "time of the essence" required delivery dates. As long as the corresponding scheduled payments are paid there should not be any additional delays.

5) These policies & procedures are subject to change without notice.