Magento templates is more than HTML

We get a lot of requests for Magento. Not only building a whole site, migrating an old one but also simply doing “PDS to Magento” jobs. And then we get back to the client and they’re always surprised at the time (and dineros) it takes. “But it’s just a PSD?”….Well, yes, but Magento is not just HTML. Really?!!

Here are the main differences:

• Magento uses mostly blocks for its modules and components so you have to understand how they work and how they fit with your HTML and the overall code. It’s not plug and play and it takes time to figure out. Even after several projects.
• You have to take into account in your evaluation and work all the pages beyond the home page and product pages, like account log in, checkout, shopping cart, wishlist and so forth….
• Don’t forget the “communication” pages like transactional emails, newsletter templates, etc…
• Finally you’ll probably be using javascript to make things a bit more user-friendly, like an accordion menu, or a gallery, so you need to take into account as well.

Overall, creating Magento templates are easily twice or triple the time it takes for a normal “PSD to HTML” job so be careful before you quote anything if you don’t want to lose your shirt. There a lot more pages and templates to play with than the home and product pages.