Question about paying someone to help on your page?

[fryzie]

Just recently I placed an add for someone to help with my webpage - need it looking more professional etc.

I asked people to pm me and go into details on what they plan on doing...
ive had a about 5 people pm me and all the replies have been like

'ill make it look more professional'
'ill work on making it nicer'
'ill make it more SEO friendy'

But they wont go into details on what they are actually doing. By saying something like the above how am I meant to know what exactly they are going to do?

Serious question... Ive never paid someone like this before so I dont know what normally happens, but is this what is expected?
Is that all people do.. give an extreme broad description of what they plan on doing and im meant to pay them on that?

Its just, nearly everyones PM was like that, so Im thinking thats what is expected?

Also am I meant to pay first and then they do the work? Or do they do the work and show me what they did and then I pay?

THANKS :gn:

 

[LeetPCUser]

Normally you pay half up front and half on delivery. No, they should go more in detail. They should explain to you what they can do for you and show you a portfolio. For example:

Hi, my name is Bryan and I am the owner of Breakpoint Designs. I have been doing web design for 2 years and am quite experienced with XHTML as well as CSS. My other programmers are also fluid with AJAX (javascript), PHP, and MySQL. I have a handful of designers as well. Please take a look at our portfolio and let me know what you think.

Thank you for your time,
Bryan

That is what I would write. By the way if you are still looking for someone let me know

 

[JYM]

Yes, definitely ask to see their portfolio, so you have an idea what they are capable of. Also, it would be a bonus if they have good communication skills... it would be hard to get what you want if the designer can't understand what you want.

In terms of payment, generally you pay 1/3 or 1/2 of the total project cost up front (or however little you can arrange) so that the designer has some "job security" so to speak, in case you take off with the design. Then, after you are satisfied, you pay the rest and the designer will send you all the files.

If all they can say is "I'll make it nicer", without any details... it makes me wonder how experienced they really are. Don't get a complete site design for under $50, because you get what you pay for.

 

[Humdizzy]

If you're interested, I know a guy who does anything you want for like $5+.He's never charged me anything more than 15 bucks. He works first and you can pay him when you're happy. He's made a number of things for me for school projects and 2 very nice sites in the past. You tell him exactly what you want and he'll do it. I asked him why so cheap and he told me that the cheaper he does his work the more business he gets which I guess it true. PM me for his website.