Webpage Designer Recommendations

[TJ33]

I'm looking for recommendations for someone to design a webpage for a non-profit charitable organization.

We have pretty limited expertise in the field ourselves and are wondering if it might be better to hire someone that knows more what they are doing.

As a non-profit we do have a limited budget but are willing to pay a reasonable amount for a professional looking functional website.

We welcome any recommendations. Thanks.

[Captain Awesome]

My advice to you is to hire somebody online.

I use http://www.eLance.com where you can post your project details for free, describe it as much as you can, and you'll have people all around the world bidding on your project. You can choose from dozens of applicants, choose who has the most expertise and most sensible budget and go from there. There's also no commitment to choose one if you haven't found the one you want. I've used eLance.com many times by now, and never had any problems.


There's also 99designs.com but I haven't used them.

Keep in mind, web design prices really went down right now. You can get something decent for around $200. In fact, it's not that hard to do it yourself with Wordpress.

[TJ33]

Thanks for the advice CA. Will check that out.

We are currently using Worpress but unfortunately it's a pretty steep learning curve for us especially when it comes to modifying a template once we finally find one that most closely suits our needs (we're not computer illiterate by any means but not experienced in web design either).

We aren't looking to design the next You Tube or Google by any means but it is proving to be more involved than we originally thought it would be.

[TheDudeAbides]

If it works for you I would look into offshore designers. You will get it done for a fraction of the price of local people for the same quality. Lots of them advertise on ebay.

[Loed]

A fraction of the price, yes, but same quality? Not even close.

Dealing offshore has it's benefits but be sure you understand your project well. If it's just a simple website, ok, but if you want content manage, the ability to add content yourself, etc.... You'll want someone you can actually communicate with without a translator.

Just remember, you get what you pay for. If your site is more than just static images, you'll want to spend a little more money talking to a real person.

[TJ33]

A fraction of the price, yes, but same quality? Not even close.

Dealing offshore has it's benefits but be sure you understand your project well. If it's just a simple website, ok, but if you want content manage, the ability to add content yourself, etc.... You'll want someone you can actually communicate with without a translator.

Just remember, you get what you pay for. If your site is more than just static images, you'll want to spend a little more money talking to a real person.

Loed, thanks for the PM. Tried to reply but your settings don't allow replies.

[DeepEnd]

A fraction of the price, yes, but same quality? Not even close.

Dealing offshore has it's benefits but be sure you understand your project well. If it's just a simple website, ok, but if you want content manage, the ability to add content yourself, etc.... You'll want someone you can actually communicate with without a translator.

Just remember, you get what you pay for. If your site is more than just static images, you'll want to spend a little more money talking to a real person.

I'm sure it was not your intent to degrade others from around the world but it came across that way to me.

I am a member of both Elance and 99designs and can say that dealing with anyone on these sites can be easier than dealing with a local across the street. The quality and service is the same and often better than those who live nearby.

There are more people in India that speak perfect english and have superior training than the population of North America.
Those that complain just can't deal in a global economy.

[TheDudeAbides]

A fraction of the price, yes, but same quality? Not even close.

Dealing offshore has it's benefits but be sure you understand your project well. If it's just a simple website, ok, but if you want content manage, the ability to add content yourself, etc.... You'll want someone you can actually communicate with without a translator.

Just remember, you get what you pay for. If your site is more than just static images, you'll want to spend a little more money talking to a real person.

I know of at least 2 very well known local web design shops who outsource work overseas. Depending on the job it could be pieces or the entire project. I think now a days most do. They have to in order to compete. You are still paying the full local rate of course. They don't seem too shy in waving the "support local businesses" flag either.

I also know of a one woman operation working out of her home who also outsources more complicated designs overseas. For her more complicated means anything that is not a static web page. She has used a couple different guys for years. Both in Russia.

Get what you pay for doesn't really apply for things that can be done over the internet where you can sit in Kelowna and pay Chinese or Russian or Indian rates. Russian quality is often top top notch. Can easily be much better than you can get in Canada for less than half the price. They are usually fluent in English. Read, write, speak.

I have gotten some things done from Chinese developers. They can be pretty good and very cheap but not always the most creative. That is more of a cultural thing I think since they seem to always want to conform to the status quo.

[Captain Awesome]

A fraction of the price, yes, but same quality? Not even close.

Yup, same quality.

Dealing offshore has it's benefits but be sure you understand your project well. If it's just a simple website, ok, but if you want content manage, the ability to add content yourself, etc.... You'll want someone you can actually communicate with without a translator.

I've dealt with a dozen of web developers and SEO specialists from all over the world - Serbia, Ukraine, Bangladesh. Never had any problems with communicating - they work hard to earn your business because they know more projects will follow and their ratings will suffer if they don't. I've been quoted $1999 (special discounted price too!) for one project by a local firm (very respectable) that was completed by somebody off eLance for around $700. With lots of extras and top notch work.

Just remember, you get what you pay for.

Malarkey.

Most "local" web design firms are not in business of building web sites, but in business in acquiring local clients and posting projects on eLance. That's all they do - they get paid handsomely by local companies for a project, post it on eLance for 1/5 of the price they've negotiated, and collect the difference for their troubles. That's all they do.

[Loed]

I'm sorry I've offended you delicate sensibilities in regards to this issue.

I'm want to disagree.

Have I used outsourcing before? Yup, when I've been stuck on a project for far too long and needed to accelerate/see it from another angle. The code coming back from them is very often substandard and bloated.

That said, not everyone needs a website set up for 1,000+ concurrent users and built to load/function properly. A lot comes with the higher price tag that you do not get some cheap outsourcing. You want a different layout/design in general? Fine, that's completely different than setting up a high functioning high website which anyone charging the prices you've posted here should be giving you the full setup.

Anyways, you're all wrong, and it's obvious in your misunderstanding of the industry in general. Do people do it? Yup, that doesn't make it any better. A lot of you are people I see bellowing about local business in other threads, don't be hypocrites.

[TheDudeAbides]

I'm sorry I've offended you delicate sensibilities in regards to this issue.

I'm want to disagree.

Have I used outsourcing before? Yup, when I've been stuck on a project for far too long and needed to accelerate/see it from another angle. The code coming back from them is very often substandard and bloated.

That said, not everyone needs a website set up for 1,000+ concurrent users and built to load/function properly. A lot comes with the higher price tag that you do not get some cheap outsourcing. You want a different layout/design in general? Fine, that's completely different than setting up a high functioning high website which anyone charging the prices you've posted here should be giving you the full setup.

Anyways, you're all wrong, and it's obvious in your misunderstanding of the industry in general. Do people do it? Yup, that doesn't make it any better. A lot of you are people I see bellowing about local business in other threads, don't be hypocrites.

You sound to me like someone who was just told there is no Santa Claus and is now in denial. Welcome to the harsh reality of a global economy.