👋 Hi, I'm Dan.
Dan Schmid Web Design is me — one developer in Columbus, Nebraska, building websites for people who'd rather talk to a human than a support ticket.
The short version
I've been writing code for small businesses for years, and I build my own software on the side — most of it still running, still getting updates. When I take on your site, you're hiring the person who writes the code, answers the email and fixes the thing at 9pm when the contact form breaks.
There's no account manager in the middle and no junior handing your project around. That's the whole pitch, and it's the reason my work tends to come back cleaner and cheaper than an agency quote.
What I believe about websites 🌍
- Fast is a feature. A site that takes six seconds on a phone has already lost half the people who clicked.
- Words do the selling. Most sites don't need more graphics, they need to say clearly what they do and who they do it for.
- You should be able to change it. If updating your hours requires calling me, I built it wrong.
- Quotes should be written down. Fixed price, listed scope. If the project grows, we talk about it before it grows.
- Not every project is a fit. If what you need isn't what I do well, I'll tell you instead of taking the deposit.
📍 Where I work
Based in Columbus, Nebraska. Happy to meet in person around the Columbus, Norfolk, Fremont and Grand Island area — and just as happy to run the whole project over email and a preview link if you're further out.
⏱️ How fast I answer
Most messages get a real reply within a day, often the same evening. If something on a site I maintain goes down, that moves to the front of the line.
🧑💻 What I build with
Hand-written HTML, CSS and JavaScript when a site should be lean and fast; PHP and MySQL when it needs accounts, payments or a database behind it; WordPress and WooCommerce when you want to run the shop yourself. The project decides, not my preferences.
What it's like to work with me
A fair question to ask anyone before you send them money.
🗣️ You'll be asked questions
Early on I'll want to know who your customers are and what you want them to do. It's the part that makes the difference between a nice-looking site and one that brings in work.
👀 You'll see it early
You get a preview link while it's still rough. Changing direction in week one is cheap; changing it the day before launch isn't.
🤝 You own it at the end
The files, the domain, the hosting account — all yours, in your name. If you ever want to take it elsewhere, nothing is locked up.
Straight answers 🪐
How much does a website cost?
A simple few-page business site is usually a low four-figure project. A store or anything with accounts and payments is more, because there's more to build and more that has to be right. You'll get a fixed number in writing before any work starts — the quote form is the fastest way to one.
Do I have to pay monthly for anything?
Only hosting and your domain, which you pay directly to the provider — usually a few dollars a month, and I'll set it up in your own account. A maintenance plan with me is optional and you can stop it whenever you like.
Can you fix or update my existing site?
Often, yes. Send me the address and I'll tell you honestly whether it's worth repairing or whether you'd spend less starting clean. Some platforms are more trouble to patch than to replace.
Will my site show up on Google?
I build the parts that are in my control — fast pages, clean structure, proper titles and descriptions, a sitemap, and a Google Business Profile pointed at the right place. Nobody can promise a ranking, and anyone who does is guessing.
Who writes the words and takes the photos?
You know your business better than I do, so the raw material works best coming from you. I'll shape it into page copy, and if you're short on photos I'll design around that — minimal imagery is a style choice here, not a compromise.
Still reading? Let's talk about your project 🚀
Free quote, no obligation, no sales call unless you want one.