Question for graphic designers:
 

If I order a blog design + slicing + wordpress integration, after the job is done, can I expect to receive the source files + ready wordpress theme?

So if I want to move a blog for one reason or another, I can easily upload that saved theme and have the blog rolling without hiring again, without having to hire someone to slice/integrate it?

Am I being unreasonable asking for a ready-to-go wordpress theme?

Depends. Most of your graphic designers know their way around photoshop and illustrator, but can't code valid xhtml and css code, let alone create a wordpress theme out of it. But if you find one that does, its standard to give the client those things. Even giving them the fonts you used if you are allowed to distribute them.

If they code the wordpress theme right then it should be portable and not domain name dependent.

I think it s possible, providing that your design was sliced in a clean way.

No, they created a design, sliced it and integrated into WordPress. But they did it on a live blog.

Now I just want a copy of the theme saved on my HD as backup if I ever need to reinstall the blog.

a good design company can do this

We include source files and the actual theme files, for all Wordpress design/integration packages.

JD from Monster's of Blog does a good job integrating designs into Wordpress.

you are not supposed to give away fonts.

the problem with fonts is many get theirs for free online, however, some of us have spent money on fonts, and the rights to use those fonts are not passed on to whoever your client is, just because you used them in their design.

free font sites are usually just ripped discs, ive purchased numerous fonts and font discs and its just another form of stolen content being given away online for free, however, just because you order a design, does not give you rights to a font.

anyway, dont want to argue but people who expect things like this are incorrect. :2 cents:

Since you already get the theme files with the WP integration, all you need is the PSD's for any possible modifications. Any designer would provide that (at no additional costs I must add).

Yeah, since the theme is located on your server (/wp-content/themes/theme-name/) you can easily copy it to your HD.

i said "if you are allowed to distribute them." I am able to redistribute many of the fonts I have legally along with designs. It all depends on where you got your fonts from to begin with. If you acquired them legally with the licence to distribute them along with your designs its fine.

There are a lot of clients that don't understand this and bitch that they can't get the font you used, even if you tell them a similar free font alternative.

Sure you can copy it, doesn't mean that the person who coded it did it right. Too many designers will hard code domain names and urls into their themes. Not really portable at that point unless you go into it and manually change the code to be dynamic urls.

Well, any proper WP designer/coder will use CSS for the images. Also if there's any hard coded URL's left, you can batch replace them easily. Even doing that manually shouldn't take more than a few minutes.