Hi all.
I have a few product ideas buzzing around at the moment, normally when I want to put a page together I use a content management system like Adobe Contribute, or ask my programmer to set up a template which I fill in.

The trouble is, the content management systems are limited, slow and cumbersome, and, frankly, so is the programmer so I have been teaching myself the basics of html and to some extent php.

When creating a new page, do you tend to start from scratch and build it all yourself, or use a template?

If you do use a template, where would I go to find decent, easily editable ones?

Or if you start from scratch, what tips do you have for quickly creating an eye catching and smooth web design?

Cheers, and thanks for the help.
Nathan.