I want to build a website which will accommodate the basics like a navigation bar and contact form, ect. I was wondering what the best way to go about this is. I would want to be able to make any layout I want, (which theoretically I could do with css,) like make it look like http://www.jquery.com or http://www.sciencedaily.com or even http://www.stackoverflow.com .
Whats the best method to do this? Should I use Joomla (which I'll need to learn), some site builder (which I'll also need to learn), some template, or just make it from scratch?
Keep in mind I want to be able to add js code and be able to easily add new features and options.
It depends on your experience and effort. Of course building from scratch is the best option if you want to build the thing that you want it to be. But it also take time and skill and effort to build such website (HTML, CSS jQuery etc.)
Choosing website template is just for people who don't have time or expertise on the field.