First ever Joomla site using JA_Mercury

[akaiya]

Hello everyone. I've been in my dungeon for many months now but Friday I stepped out, at last, to deliver my very first Joomla CMS site using JA_Mercury as the base for the design. The site is for a General Contracting Firm in my area. I undertook the entire gamut from localhost configuring right up to getting the site live. I'm pretty comfortable diving into the unknown so this was a great challenge and I'm only missing a few handfuls of hair.

{gulp} Anyone who may wish to comment, all criticism welcome...I think ...no really, I'm ready, http://www.handymaxservice.com (http://www.handymaxservice.com)

I've used Expose Gallery, Simple Feed, JA Menu, Tabs & Slides...well, you get the idea...let's just say it has some action going on. The About Us section in which I used the Accordian tabs worked out reasonably well, while I'm still doing some behind scenes work I go in there just to play with them :-[ A little sad really.

Ok...here goes nothing. Thanks to all who take a peek. Appreciate.

[mfcphil]

Your site looks super...I would have had your LATEST NEWS and your DIY IN 2008 underneath one an other, but thats just a personal choice thing.

Looks great well done.

[akaiya]

Appreciate the look mcPhil and the praise. I am still considering some cosmetic changes...the owner was anxious to get some of his work images up during our long weekend. I will definitely take your suggestion into consideration, it's a good one. Much of the content related to DIY areas will be shifted to the Company's blog once I've got that finished but if I haven't completed the blog by Fri I think I just might move them around as you suggested.

Thanks so much for taking the time to look and comment. Look forward to viewing some of your sites, there are many here that are fabulous. Something for me to eventually aspire to I hope.

Have a good one,
Akaiya

[tempusserbia]

Neat looking site. Keep good work. I like your Quick Glance Gallery, but I would change font and color in header. It look to dark for my taste.

[akaiya]

Thanks for the look and the kind words...the HandymaX logo itself isn't able to be changed, these are the owners choices but maybe the Home Services can be improved to possibly make it brighter (although I could tweak the logo while I'm at it and he might just think it's his monitor :D). I'll see what I can come up with. Your suggestion is much appreciated. Thank you.

[gans69]

Hello Akaiya,
your website looks good... a nice job you have done...

[questbg]

Hi Akaiya

Great looking site, well done!

However, some very weird stuff going on with the type on my screen:

http://www.questbg.com/images/handymax.jpg


Maybe due to the fact I'm using Mac OS, not Windows?

I checked the site in both Safari and Firefox, it was doing 'weird' things to the text in both.

[tonydel]

Site looks great.. I really like how you did the Request a quote, is that a module or something custom you did?

[akaiya]

First, apologies. Ignorance wasn't intentional, 2 blogs & another website came at me after this one, trying to get them all polished back in my dungeon.

tonydel thanks for the praise, truly appreciate. Quote form is thanks to JArtforms mini module. Unfortunately, haven't found a solution to make artforms reveal only the information pertinent to each type of client based on form fields selected (i.e. residential sees only residential fields relevant to them, commercial see only those relevant fields). Was attempting a do it myself-er but this was easier :) If anyone is familiar with JArtforms & has pointers that would produce the above dynamic interactivity, would love to hear it.

questbg I appreciate your viewing the site and your compliment as well. The info you've provided is always appreciated :) I tested in Safari/ie/Opera/FF prior to uploading. On my system Safari was similar in type to what you've shown, but didn't appear as skewed as this. IE was slightly more spaced but again not greatly degraded, Opera was similar to Safari, FF hasn't posed any problems, at least none that the owner nor I are aware of. System display settings at work? I work with the higher rez for my graphics/digital painting (I know, lowest common denominator...I obviously haven't listened have I?) That's likely my problem. Sorry it's gone strange, I will have to seek out a solution...until then I will place a "Viewed best at..." line and try to get this operating properly. One visitor did mention left image slightly cut off...new resized header goes up this weekend. Again, any pointers that will educate me are greatly appreciated.

gans69 I :-* getting compliments like yours, like everyone's thus far. Artist in me wants perfection so I can't say I'll ever truly be happy with the work but all the generous feedback here is helping me work on my flawed nature.

Thanks everyone... another thing I really should work on?...brevity! :-[

Akaiya

[anaivelisse]

Looks good, but you appear as an Unlicensed Member

[mj1256]

he used one of the free templates, so he's OK

[artaddicted]

Nice work.

I like the photo gallery and the the quick glance.

[jimmer]

I think the site rocks and I am sure Brad and Ron are quite happy. One thing I have noticed, no matter how good a site is...Someone always has a suggestion.

Without suggestions from people I have would have overlooked some great advice, that is why I think it is great that you posted it up.

Once again, I think you did a great job.;)

James

[akaiya]

Appreciate the comments everyone.

anaivelisse & mj1256 appreciate your vigilance... I tried to ensure that I gave all credit due to the hard working folks who actually made it possible for me to put this together at all and the first thing I did when I was doing so was to create a "Credits" page on the site. Think it's important that you both were on your toes and I really appreciate both comments. (P.S. Want to get the membership status here soon, but first have to take care of a new gig that just landed at my feet - airbrushing for a powder coating firm here, one of my older passions. Stretching pretty thin but figure it will all come together properly if I manage them all correctly and give each their proper attention).

artaddicted & jimmer thanks so much for the compliments. Agree jimmer, when we work for so long on a site it's easy to overlook the obvious sometimes :) especially esthetically.

Met with the client on Friday, appears he's very pleased...he's gotten several new clients through the site who chose him over others because his site was ''so professional looking". As a perk he took my husband and I out to dinner and the horse races for the evening, totally unexpected but so generous of him. FYI, I mentioned that I'd posted his site here for critique :), he thought that was great too.

Everyone's comments here have helped a good deal...greatly appreciated!

[2Patrick]

Not too bad
did you try some other font
maybe the text on the front page could be less " cramped "

the idea of having the contact details right at the top left corner is good ....The customer knows who to contact !

[akaiya]

I've been considering a font change 2Patrick, once the blog is ready (client has info he needs to get to me on that project) a lot of info that's on the site now will be moved over which I am hoping will allow me to open up the front page more & give me more flexibility to do that. Thanks for the look and the comments, greatly appreciate!