That’s awesome. It really is.
Much like a home project that you do on your own without hiring a contractor, you have the opportunity to save lots of money. Also, much like that home project there are a few things to consider in doing it yourself vs. hiring a professional.
Motivation to the Complete the Project
It goes without saying that when you do something for yourself, your timeline can generally be slower than paying for someone to do it.
When you pay a web design company to complete the project, there’s generally more motivation because timelines are established and you’re paying money towards something so you want to get the final product sooner than later. So if time is of the essence, then it may make more sense to hire someone. Alternatively, if the person you’re using to work on the website has more pressing items to be working on then it would also make sense to hire a web design company than to spend their time on what could be viewed as a “distraction” from their normal duties.
Expertise to the Complete the Project
Before you begin any new project, you have to do research to ensure that your skill levels can meet the requirements of the project.
Typically when you hire a web development company, you’re paying more than for them to simply build a product but for their expertise and guiding you through the process and to make the best decisions. This would include considering best practice methods, future proofing of the site, best tools to incorporate, optimal layout, etc.
We usually hear of companies delegating a website project to their IT department and while that makes sense on paper, IT people and web design people come from two completely different backgrounds. Ultimately, choosing the person who does web design day in and day out will generally produce better results than someone who may have only worked on a few websites in their lifetime.
Differing Opinions
Ever heard of the phrase “too many cooks in the kitchen”?
What we’ve learned when companies set out to build their own website is that their internal team struggles to have a project lead who is able to hone in on differing opinions and create a solid, cohesive website. The internal person managing the project feels that they may have to please everyone by incorporating their ideas, so the final product is the result is everything and nothing your team wanted.
It’s like when you tell your spouse something, but the moment they hear it from a third party (who they assume subconsciously has no ulterior motive) that they heed that advice. At the very least, you’re paying web design companies like hayWire to be the voice of reason, the tiebreaker, and the one that keeps everyone centered on the original goal.
So again, I don’t really want to knock out someone who is willing to give it a try and do it themselves. If you’ve considered all the scenarios above and have strategies to overcome them, then go for it! If just reading about the obstacles has created doubt in your mind, hire us instead!
