What's the general feeling on designers using pre-constructed themes and templates?

I'm personally against it if the budget allows for designing and developing everything on your own. I've used premium themes for clients before, and I always felt like I was cheating them in a way.

Again, this is all budget-based. If they only have a budget for 10 hours of your time, then go for it because you don't want to end up getting paid pennies on the dollar of your normal rate.

I've also pondered this, IMO as long as you are bringing additional value/features/tweaks to the template it is morally okay. If you were just using templates with no customization or passing them off as your own work that wouldn't sit well with me as a client. Of course what is morally right is completely separate from what is legally acceptable

May I ask you to share with a beginner a good source for templates? I am a beginner and could use templates for the website I am trying to build. Thanks!

The ultimate goal of web design is to help achieve a client's desired outcome.

If the customer wants a single page site that drives sales, and they want it done quickly, then a using a template is fine (as long as you can deliver the outcome they want).

If the customer wants a website that makes them feel good, and reflects their sophisticated taste in design, you'll probably want to build something from scratch (that delivers that outcome).

Using a template, theme, framework, library, etc... isn't "dirty" or cheating as long as you're helping your customers achieve their goals.

IMO, it all comes down to giving the client what they want. They are paying for your experience and expertise, not for the tools you use. I come from the photography world. When I talk pricing with photographers, we talk about the service and product they are providing, not the materials used. For example, a photographer may charge $100 for an 8x10. They are not charging for the $1.50 it actually cost at the lab to print the paper, they are charging for time, knowledge, expertise, and other cost involved with running a business.
Another example, you have a leak somewhere in your plumbing. You can't find the leak. Plumber comes in, tightens one pipe and hands you a bill for $150. You think it's outrageous, then he tells you that it's $2 for tightening the pipe and $148 for knowing which pipe to turn. Of course just like with the photographer, as a professional you should be using professional tools. In other words, if you are going to use a pre-built theme for WP as an example, make sure it's well constructed. Is it flexible for the client to use, does it provide options for great SEO, is it easy to break, etc etc. When I started with coding I felt like I couldn't charge for using WordPress themes because they seem so easy to me. However, I've quickly realized that it's easy to me, because I've spent many many hours studying web programming and design. What I typically do now, is start with a prebuilt design and then start modifying it as needed to meet the client's demands. As long as the final product is well built and the customer is happy then it doesn't matter what tools where used.

Like the instructor said in the "Enhanced Web Site" project: "Writing code that has already been written is a waste of time". I agree.

Landon: Though I agree with you to a certain extent, it is not a waste of time to build a theme from scratch. That's why the WordPress Codex exist, so you don't have to keep rewriting previously written code.

Lucas: Themeforest.net is probably the best premium theme marketplace.

Andrew: I agree. My personal workflow doesn't allow me to build a 100% custom theme unless the budget permits. If I'm going to struggle with the budget to make my hourly rate, then I buy a premium theme that fits the client's desired look and go from there.

I've asked myself this question before, and honestly it comes down to how well you understand a framework/template in order to save time. I've used Zurb Foundation and have thought about using Flat UI, which is SASS/CSS styles built on the Twitter Bootstrap framework. I've asked someone I work with locally – who has been doing web development for years – this same question, and his response was, "If it saves you time and it's not a crutch for future projects, go for it. There's no shame in it as long as it gets the job done and it meets the client's needs/requirements." He actually incorporates a lot of Bootstrap into his projects as a boilerplate, with a lot of often-used assets.

If you pay for a theme, that's in no way cheating, I think. Some are purists in that sense, but starting from scratch when there are things you can use as a starting point can rack up time you could have saved with a theme, framework or boilerplate. I think as you go along, there are probably going to be things you incorporate with every project of your own that will save you time, like my friend I mentioned.

All your comments are really interesting,

On the other hand - taking premium themes into account, most regular licenses only allow for a one-time use and even that has to be at no charge to the client for the End Product. How do people get around this without paying for the extended licenses at thousands of dollars?

Themeforest for example; "Use, by you or one client, in a single end product which end users are not charged for -." I'm not looking to be sneaky and in no way, shape or form do I want to be actively ripping anyone off - an artist deserves to be paid for their work after all, but in this case what do people do?

@Dennison Packer For ThemeForest I believe you are technically just supposed to pay for each theme every time you use it. Of course most of the themes are so cheap it doesn't hurt to give the artist what they deserve. (same applies to a lot of vector art, music, and the like) As for not charging the client for the theme, then you don't charge the client for the theme. Charge them $1000 for your labor and time and give them the theme for free.

For some reason I thought you couldn't pay for a regular license more than once. That makes complete sense to me now, rendering my question void. Thanks Andrew.

For a small client that wants a lot of features, premium themes make sense. I pick out one that's appropriate and customize to fit their aesthetic.

They're a great value when you consider you're getting hundreds of hours of developing for around $40.

I do for smaller clients with little to no budget. I don't pretend the designs are mine, I make it clear that they are getting template.

For me it's a grey area.

Going from other people's comments; as a client if I'm spending hundreds or thousands for an "expert" or "professional" then I expect something unique and bespoke for my business. Not a theme that someone else has created and that any other business can use.

For me it sometimes raises the question that, if/when clients/customers realise anyone can purchase a 'quality' theme for a mere $25, then why ever pay any designer any more than that for design/web work?

Personally, I may browse themes for inspiration but still design something from scratch. I hate using other developers "built" themes as often they include more than you need, and it is someone else's style of building. Plus my heart isn't in it as I never designed/built it.

Don't get me wrong; some of the themes, I'm like.... WOW... but that just makes me want to improve on my own skillset :-)