Using a template or starting from scratch?

[FrozenTime]

I'm just about to work on a new site, and though I want to attempt to make a site from scratch, I'm not sure of it (Don't think I have enough experience, and I make all my sites using just text files, so no site making programs). I know it's better to use a template than trying to make an original design that sucks. Normally I use a template and make lots of changes to it to accommodate my websites and also to make it look more original, but there just isn't as much satisfaction doing it that way. I guess it could be a learning experience, but so far everything as far as web building has been me looking things up as I go. I guess my current level for this is basic HTML/CSS/PHP (what I have in the file is what people see in the source code). PHP include function is as complex as I've gotten, so that means the only forms and scripts I ever use are from looking it up, and copy/editing it.

Edit: Here's an example from my first site: http://www.groupfic.tk/

tl;dr, how do you all start new website designs?

[vv.bbcc19]

Starting site from a scratch happens when we have the flow chart diagram.I use psd core template that has nothing and I move on that regularly.This is what I follow..
Download the 960 Grid System Template
The designs I create are nearly all based on the 960 Grid System. So, before we begin we need to download the grid system Photoshop templates. You canfind them on the 960.gs official website. Simply unpack the zip file and look for PSD templates. You will see that there are
two different types of templates: one is 12_col and the other one is 16_col. The difference between these two are, as the name suggests, one is made with 12 columns and the other one with 16 columns. To explain it a bit more, if you have 3 boxes in your design you would choose the 12_col grid, because 12 is divisable by 3; or if you have 4 boxes in your design, you would choose either 12_col or 16_col grid because 12 and 16 are divisable by 4. If you follow this tutorial, you will see this in action.
2.
Before we open our PSD grid template and begin drawing, we first need to define the structure of our site. This is a bit more of a complicated structure because we have a layout inside a layout.

3.
After we’ve defined our site structure we’re ready to move on. Open your 16_col.psd template. Go to Image > Canvas size . Set the canvas to 1200px wide and 1700px high. Set the background color to #ffffff.
4.
Now pick the Rectangle Tool and draw in a rectangle the full canvas width and about 80px high. Fill it with the color #dddddd.
This give me core funcitonality.
5.Then use different images and get to different layers and fin out what suits to that site best.
That .psd is saved as a template and I have my own template.

If you want to know how others are creating their sites and you want to better them I can give you links to the sites.
Regs,
VVBB

[roby718]

Don't use photoshop templates, In my opinion, it is useless proprietary way to make useless proprietary websites. I code all of my websites from scratch. see: 718design.tk

[FrozenTime]

Thanks for the responses. I decided that I'm going to do a little of both. I'm using a grid system, though I'm avoiding copy/pasting so I can learn from experience and stuff.

[vv.bbcc19]

Don't use photoshop templates, In my opinion, it is useless proprietary way to make useless proprietary websites. I code all of my websites from scratch. see: 718design.tk

Thats a nice site.
Can you pls let us know (with some tut if you can) how to you code your websites from scratch
Regs

[dalecarslaw14]

I wasn't even aware of this grid system lol

Make a website from scratch -

Step 1.

Make your "picture" of a design you've drawn on paper in photoshop.

Step 2.

Use div tables and slice your image accordingly.

Step 3.

Add content to your site.

When I make a site I design the whole thing in photoshop, then decide what parts can be done with CSS and HTML and what parts need to be images and slice my template as I code it into div tables.

Search on youtube for tutorials on how to slice a template properly.
Search on google for tutorials on how to create a div based layout.

Voila.

[vv.bbcc19]

Yeah..
Youtube is a nice place to have a go at basic tutorials.
But anyways making site from a scratch requires lot of resources and programming skills
Patience and perseverance are key.
Full fludged small websites can be made but if you want to make huge websites, Use a CMS like wordpress or joomla or Drupal
That gives you ease of programming as the core framework is already built and you would require only a template of your choice.

[the_site]

Can anyone help me out making WP theme from scratch? I tried plenty of times. But haven't got anywhere.