Some tips for selecting a web developer to improve your existing website

Here are some tips for anyone looking to improve their existing site and want to hire a website developer who can bring all their new and sophisticated ideas to life.

* Before finding a programmer, know exactly what you want to do and what programming skills are needed to do it (eg PHP, MySQL, osCommerce, Magento, etc.). Be prepared with Photoshop examples, a detailed list, and even search online for examples or existing modules.

* For many reasons, sites like Rent A Coder or Elance are a good place to advertise your work. Sites like these allow you to hire programmers directly, but they also provide additional security in payment methods, as well as being able to rate your work if they get it wrong. Also, if a programmer is working on a site like this, they have easy to verify feedback on previous work done.

* Keep in mind that you need to be realistic as to how much a job will cost. Expecting to pay a pittance for quality work is highly unrealistic. In my opinion, the fairly standard salary should be $ 20-50 per hour, depending on a good programmer, however some demand (and get) more than $ 100 per hour.

* When considering programmers, be sure to take a look at their portfolio (and in the case of a site like elance, check out their reviews). Also, try to get real feedback from past clients they’ve had. Also, don’t forget to find out in your checks if the programmer has the skills to do his job.

* If you and the scheduler agree to an hourly pay plan, have a very strong estimated completion time on record before starting work. I would suggest making a maximum payment based on your estimated completion time. If they say the job will take 20-30 hours at $ 20 an hour, then you shouldn’t have to pay more than $ 700 (delays do happen, but too much money is unreasonable).

* A good qualifier for a programmer before hiring is how communicative they are. In my opinion, a communicative programmer will go through your list with you step by step to clarify what you need to do, while a poor programmer will basically say that it will not be a problem and quote you a price.

* Some programmers will tell you that they need half the price before starting, or some other deposit. I’m not going to criticize this as it is common, however if your work is not supposed to last long (1 or 2 weeks) I think this is often justified or necessary. Much better overall is an escrow payment where a developer can see that you have funded the money there and will be able to access it after the job is complete.

* Once you’ve found a developer you want to work with, have the payment amount, as well as the terms or conditions, clearly stated and in writing. It would also be a good idea to clarify in writing what happens if they run out of their estimated completion time.