I know - your neighbor's kid's friend can build you a website for free so why would you pay someone for it? Well, for the same reason you pay someone for your business cards and promotional material: you want it done right. You want someone who actually tests your website against multiple browsers and screen resolutions. Who understands that "SEO" is way more than just keywords and spamming your link all around town. Who fundamentally enjoys building quality websites that work for you, instead of just look good on your computer.
Your neighbor's kid's friend might work for free but let me ask you: do you print your business cards and promotional material on your home printer? Or do you pay a professional to get quality work?
