page template for a beginner

[suzy]

i have managed to get page templates working by creating a template.cs file
with the following code. i hope this is the best way?!?!
public class BasePage : Page
{
protected override void OnPreRender(System.EventArgs e)
{
this.Controls.AddAt(1,LoadControl("Header.ascx"));

this.Controls.AddAt(this.Controls.Count-1,LoadControl("Footer.ascx"));
base.OnPreRender(e);
}
}

But this renders the page from top to bottom. How would I insert a menu down
the left hand side of my aspx page using the above technique.

Ideally, I would like to inherit from a user contol, so I can use the html
editor to create the basic table layout, and put placeholders in each key
table cell (ie: header cell, left menu cell, main body cell, footer cell).

If this is possible, what would my code in my aspx pages have to look like
so that it inherits the header, left menu and footer cells from a template,
and the main body cell contains whatever I place in my aspx pages? i would
need to be able to change page titles, css paths on the fly too.

thanks a lot!