Justifying Flash: Why it Does, and Should Cost More
I’ve been asked quite a number of times in the past why flash websites are generally more expensive than html websites.. I can point out quite a few reasons why but I think I would be better off discussing the just main points.
In layman’s terms a pure flash website is generally more expensive because it’s (1)fancy - its “animated” and its moving as opposed to just getting presented with content in html, and the second is that it’s (2)engaging and more “interactive” as it forces the user to interact with the page rather than to just scroll up and down browsing through the pages of the website, and of course because it’s (3)harder to build. Of course, these factors are true only if the concept and the design are to be executed properly.
As a designer, these factors apply to a certain extent, but that’s probably not how we would explain it though(it’s just easier to say, especially to people who have no experience whatsoever in the actual design process). Given the opportunity to be more in-depth about the it, I’d probably say because (1)A flash website requires careful planning, (2)Functionality is a must, and (3)Flash requires creativity and logic to run smoothly.
Requires Careful Planning. A carefully planned flash website means that it is and should be flexible. Because flash is naturally harder to maintain than plain text(html), the design should not resist change - because if it does, then the design will pretty much not last for a long time, leaving the developer more problems (and a ton of headache) in the future.
Functionality is a Must. Animations are a good way to get attention, but, it must always be done with a reason. Most designers will do it for the sake of having motion in the site (and of course because that’s what the client wants), but mind you, always animate with a purpose ~ only get attention where attention IS needed (not as much as possible 
).
Logic and Creativity. This is the main reason why a full flash website usually takes longer to build, because in flash, your not just designing a “fancy” interface but also Thinking, HOW, WHY, and WHEN to get the viewers’ attention ~ which requires a lot of logic in the part of the designer.
Conclusion. Planning is the most important part in designing a flash website, a lot of thinking process that you don’t actually see but rather feel in the application. A flash website is only powerful when it is carefully planned and well executed. Part of the planning process is timing, animating, and of course design and development, and if it should lack even just one of these four prerequisites then it makes it a lot less effective than it should.
So the next time you can’t explain to a client why his flash site is taking so long to build…. the right answer is always: “Please be patient about your flash website as it requires more thought compared to a static html layout.” And if all else fail, then I think your just better off doing what he asks you to do… since the customer is always right ~ Right?!?? ~ Or Are They Really?!?? 