HELP! I want to startup a web design business...

They have: 5,633 posts

Joined: Jan 1970

I want to start up a website designing business but i ran ran into problems. firstly, Does anyone know any hosts that (legally) allow you to set up websites and sell them? or have you got to host them yourself...and how do you do this?
Secondly, I want to charge my clients a flat rate eg £150, but the domain names i have seen are only for a year or two.
Please give me giudence onn how to start up a website designing business.
FreeFall

Jaiem's picture

They have: 1,191 posts

Joined: Apr 1999

Seems to me you can sell a site (domain) anytime you want. It involves transfering the domain registration to the new owner. As to the site itself, if you wrote the code you can sell it and the install it (for a fee of course) on the owner's server.

If you mean buying (renting) a server, making a site then selling the site while keeping it with the same host that should work too. If the buyer takes over the payments on the server and the host agrees to transfer ownership (don't see why not) then it sounds ok to me (not a legal opinion!).

Haven't seen anything about it in any host TOS I've read but then again haven't seen anything forbidding it either. You're better of checking with your host before trying. Don't see why a host wouldn't let you do it.

ps- An alternative would be to resell. That is buy the server yourself, make the site then resell it to someone. You collect the fee for the site and the server.

Justin S's picture

They have: 2,076 posts

Joined: Jun 1999

Yeah, I'd reccomend reselling from a current hosting company. Thay way is better, and it allows you to make money from it. Some places to resell from include DIDS (www.dids.com), BurstNET (www.burst.net), and InterSurge (www.intersurge.com), as well as your current host...

They have: 13 posts

Joined: Sep 2000

Most hosts allow you to resell their service if you have a prior agreement for it or just simple let them know. Just find out who has to handle the billing and all the support for it.

Eric Jones
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http://www.atlantech.net | http://www.serveranswer.com
Providing Internet connectivity and Web Hosting worldwide.

They have: 53 posts

Joined: Jul 2000

I am not a great web designer, but I am a great businessman, and I am in England so know British business law well. If you need business help in the UK, e-mail me.

Don't steal, the government hates competition.

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