Why Do I Need to Pay For A Web Site? My Kid Can Build One For Free?!

I know - I know -- your brother is "real good at computers", or your niece is in high school and she took a class on HTML. We hear it all the time. I know its tempting to not have to pay much if anything for a good web site... I get it. But you need to understand the value behind a well built, freshly designed, fully optimized and detail driven web presence. Its a harsh reality - but you get what you pay for. And as well meaning as your brother or niece are - when your website launches and it doesn't drive the business you're hoping, you'll wish you didn't have to start all over. Think about it, fine artwork is a series of colored paints, on a canvas stretched across a board. If I put paint all over the bottom of my Boston Terrier's paws and have her prance and dance all over a canvas - let it dry - then stretched it across a frame... its technically considered art. Even if I was willing to give it to you for free, would you hang it on your wall?