Offshore web work worth it? - DNForum - Domain Sales, Domain Forum, Domain Appraisals, Domain Registrars

**J0sh** · 03-20-2008, 02:45 PM

Hi,

Has anyone ever used offshore web programmers, designers for their sites? Any advice in general - companies to recommend? Please share your experiences (both good and bad) as I am playing with the idea.

Ideally, I'd like someone local ( in montreal ) but unfortunately my budget draws me to compromise on my projects depth or pursue only a select few. If i do offshore, I may be capable of undertaking a lot more.... but not sure if there will be costs in quality....

**aZooZa** · 03-20-2008, 02:53 PM

My advice based upon experience is to work with local people. I've spent thousands and had crap delivered. Spent more time trying to convey simple principles than receiving working code. Last project - $1,500 - so useless that I have had to sideline it.

**Fatbat** · 03-20-2008, 11:09 PM

My experience, while somewhat limited, tells me to stay close to home. Quality is better than quantity. Develop smaller, quality projects, instead of tons of crappy ones.

**wmloz** · 03-21-2008, 06:24 AM

I used a guy on this forum from India. Waste of money, time and effort. He end result was absoute crap.

**DomainerUpdate** · 03-22-2008, 04:36 PM

Here's my 2 cents ... it's like the NFL and a first round pick ... some of them will work out ... others will be a bust. I've been working with a very quality designer in Pakistan for the past 15 months and have nothing but praise for his work. It's a trial and error process to find the right people, but when you do find the right person, be sure to feed him work and build that relationship.

**thejosh** · 03-22-2008, 11:52 PM

I have worked with many developers overseas and local. While the price has been a lot cheaper overseas the quality of work has been all over the place. But one thing is sure that it takes way more time to communicate simple principals like azooza said. Even the best results I have received have required a hair pulling amount of hand holding.

At the end of the day remember that you get what you pay for.

**sashas** · 03-23-2008, 12:38 AM

I'll tell you one basic thing about getting anything done on the internet: you'll usually find really crappy stuff. Why? Because anybody who is actually good already has a good, stable, high paying job.

My brother is a great programmer. But he already has a six figure job with a top company. He doesn't need to go online to earn a living. The 30 year old guy who got laid off because he couldn't perform...well, thats the guy trying to sell his coding/designing skills online...

There are always exceptions to the rule though. Good luck if you can find someone like that

**liyuanzao** · 03-31-2008, 01:54 PM

the most important things for outsources is the quality of programmer, also find a outsources company is much more safety than freelancer. because lots of people wanna make a long-term relationship together, freelancer is hardly to keep a long-term relationship, sometimes you are hardly to find him for fixing bug for your project after you paid his money. You will also get good communication with the manager from outsources company rather than freelancer ( I don't mean the freelancer of communication is badly, but it's really hard for people who has to talk with client also doing the programming work )

To be honestly, I am running the company (around 15 staffs works in house ) and I got all the projects from internet and get clients from my old clients referred. That's my experiences at the side of outsources company

**Busynic** · 03-31-2008, 02:17 PM

The best success I've had has been for projects that have a well defined scope and structure. Anything that required "input" or "creativity" from the programmer or designer generally ended in a less than satisfactory result.

To be honest, I've used local and offshore ranging from low end $200.00 to 30k projects and have had similar issues with either approach. Generally it boiled down to the scope and having someone understand how to deliver according to well defined specifications (problem is, unless you know what you want and can articulate that requirement, you are going to always have the same quality issues with 80% of providers - exceptions are those people who can take an idea and implement it - but they are as rare as rocking horse sh*t).

2 cents worth for today.

**MikeinFlorida** · 03-31-2008, 11:59 PM

If you really expect to find a company tha will do even an average job out-sourcing good luck to you! It will take you a long time, if you ever find them at all! Best to find your own people.

**martyn.b** · 04-09-2008, 08:00 AM

I have use get a freelancer sometimes to find quick jobs and work I've seen is very poor for silly rates. I would find somebody nearby where you can exchange ideas well with no communication break down..

**neonoceans** · 04-15-2008, 03:44 PM

I've had some good freelancers and more luck with logo design than with programming. Again, it's hit or miss. Everyones got to start somewhere - and even brilliant programmers/designers are building portfolios for peanuts as they make their names. Do your homework, ask for samples, see works done and use escrow where possible. If you use an offshore freelancer then better sometimes to check that the person bidding on your job is the actual person doing the job-and not the company employing a few dozen illiterate freelancers and dishing out your project willy nilly.
Language barriers are there but before you start, insist offshore feelancers understand e-x-a-c-t-l-y what you require otherwise as said above in the thread, you'll end up with a pile of junk.
If you are say Canada, UK or US based then looking at bona fide programming and design firms in ZA has surefire exchange rate advantages with the same skill level on the same playing field but instead of forking over $30,000 US it will be more like $10,000 US.
But for those of us living in ZA then it's often cheaper for us to look to India or Indonesia for project development . It's all about economies of scale.