Selection of webdesign company

[webmaster98]

What are the basic things that I need to consider before selecting any web design company.

[Barrettathome]

How big the company is, what kind of prices do they have, how well do they communicate with you, how many clients do they have compared to how long they've been in business and how good does there work look.

If you need a suggestion I work for a company called Insercorp. I've been with the company since the first year they were in business.

The company has been in business since fall of 2007 and it grows every year. My boss is Tim Bradshaw, he is the guy to talk to about anything to do with business in general and the web. He has reasonable prices along with the work to back it. The company has developed it's own CMS (Content Management System) that allows you the user to update the site yourself through an easy to use back end portal. You can visit Insercorp's website to see what you think.

Hope that helps.

[chrisatlemon]

Different companies have different styles, just like different designers have different styles.

First thing to do: look through their portfolio. Really like the work they've done? Then you're probably also like the work that will do for you.

Then check that they are affordable.

Then run their site through W3 HTML and CSS validators. Validation isn't everything, but it gives you a good indication of whether they write clean code or not. By rule everything should validate 100%. Sometimes you may find the odd misbehaving script, or some funky CSS rules which are hacks for IE compatibility et al. All of this is not really a concern. If a website throws up 100 errors there is not really an excuse. If there's one or two there may be reasons why they are there.

If they do designs you like, if you can afford them, and if their code is clean: You got your new design company.

Talk to them, ask them if they've done similar projects to yours read the reply and you will feel if it is right or not.

Another approach is to browse through great design showcases. Example:

CSS Gallery | Css Leak

Find the ones you like, see designed them (often you will find this in the page footer), look them up. This also gives you a good idea of what's hot and what's not in (web)design these days. Then you also know a little what to look for when looking at designer portfolios.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Chris

[Barrettathome]

Hey Chris - Nice work! Do you do your programing in house or do you contract it out?

[chrisatlemon]

Hi Barrett, thanks for the kind words

I work with a small team of people. I like to keep it small and tight. That means I overlook everything and do as much as I can myself. But I also know my limitations. So when I need help and/or expertise then I hire out. But always at a level where I can oversee it all. Call me a control freak, but if I can't go over it all and give it my seal of approval then I don't feel comfortable passing it on to my customers. So let's call it "controlled subcontracting".

I do believe in outsourcing. So my php/database/scripting needs are usually hired out. My core expertise lies in (X)HTML, CSS, acessibility, usability and standards. Than I work with a set of third party platforms I have come to trust and know well, like Magento, Wordpress et al. Then come custom programming jobs which I subcontract.

Cheers

Chris

[liza86]

A company having good reputation in web design field.

[Anna Hussie]

What are the basic things that I need to consider before selecting any web design company.

First of all look at their portfolio , and the contact one the their clients and ask him about the the quality of work and timely driven or not.