Database driven site

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I'm designing a site at the moment for myself, however although I can do html I have never learnt databases and I want to incorporate a reviewing system, a banner ad rotation system and membership system akin to a forum type of thing. I used to use remote hosted but I'm not happy with them as I have my own ideas. Now my question is this what would you recommend me learning to incorporate this into my site which is done through dreamweaver and is css or the other alternative I pay someone to do the work for me and how much do you reckon someone would charge for a job like that?