Commencing Your Search - Part 2 of 3 in Your Ultimate Hiring Guide

Last time, we talked about defining what you’d like to accomplish with your website, from outlining your needs to deciding on budget. The next step is to find someone to clearly hear, understand, expand upon, and execute your ideas. There are generally four ways you can go about choosing a designer or website design company to build your website:

	1. Contact a referral from someone you know and trust
	2. Snag a designer whose work you’ve seen on another site
	3. Scour the Internet with key search words
	4. Respond to an advertisement or solicitation

There’s no one “right” way to find a reputable website design firm or social media marketing agency. Once you’ve completed your initial worksheet (see our last blog post for a three-step worksheet) that outlines what you need to accomplish, we suggest that you interview a minimum of two website design agencies to see who can add value and zing! to your ideas.

Consider these questions when selecting companies or freelance web designers to interview:

Is personal interaction important for you during the development phases of your website?

You’ll be able to slash millions of choices from your search if your preference is to work with a local design company or freelance developer. Additionally, laying eyes on the development team does bring many people a certain peace of mind about their project. If the design team lives and works in the same geographic circles, there seems to be a stronger sense of accountability and access. There’s also a chance to develop a trust factor because it removes anonymity from the equation.

If you’ve scoured the web, you’ll also find that you can farm the work out overseas, generally at lower rates. If you choose this option, try to go with a freelancer or company who has done good work for someone you know, speaks and writes fluently in your desired language, and will deliver your product and passwords prior to your submitting a final substantial payment, as many U.S. business-centered laws will not protect you internationally if someone under-delivers or walks away with your money.

What is the condition or state of other websites this firm is responsible for developing and providing upkeep?

Of course a disproportionate number of people request references and then never actually follow up with a phone call or email. Why not? One of the best representations of a company is its past and present work. Check out a company’s portfolio and ask them whom you can contact directly to ask a few questions.

How quickly and thoroughly does the company respond to your requests for information during this hiring phase?

You can tell a lot about a company by how it handles potential customers. If they are too busy to answer your questions and help you feel comfortable and confident about your hiring decisions, what would cause you to believe their levels of availability and concern would increase once you’ve hired them? Companies tell you a lot without even trying. We would encourage you to pay attention to this vetting process and follow your instincts.

Next up, we take a look at how you can manage your website design process without hindering the company’s progress for you.

Proven Home Improvement Tips

Owning a home is perhaps one of the biggest investments that you will make in your lifetime. Whether big or small, a home is something that you cherish and would want to return after a tiring day’s work. Regardless of the size of their homes, people would definitely want their homes to always look good. Fortunately for residents of Essex, there are several home improvement companies available that can help them keep their home looking good for years together.

Home improvements could include several things, big or small. Some of the things that you could possibly think of include changing flooring or repairing windows, improving your backyard and painting, among others. It could also include specialized jobs such as getting ready fitted kitchens and in some cases fitted bedrooms & bathrooms. The ultimate success level of the makeover of your home will depend on the competence of the home improvement company that you choose. One good source of information on home improvement concerns would be builders. There are many builders in Essex, who either undertake home improvement jobs themselves or can put you across a reputable home improvement company that they know.

A reputable home improvement company will take care of every aspect of the job including, coordinating, scheduling and completion of the project in a timely and importantly, efficient manner, without overshooting the budget. You can find a reputable home improvement company, through a simple online search apart from getting to know about some of them from builders in Essex. The internet is also a good place to do research on home improvement which can help you ‘talk the talk’ with home improvement companies. Whether it is information about hand made kitchens or bedroom furniture designs, you are sure to find it over the internet these days.

Although many homeowners tend to handle such projects themselves, it is always better to hire the services of home improvement companies since they can handle complex jobs such as fitted kitchens or fitted bedrooms & bathrooms themselves.

Since there are several jobs which are covered under home improvement, such as landscaping, swimming pool construction and flooring, you will need to choose a company that has experience in most of these areas, if not all. You can also think of seeking the help of a company that specializes in any of these specific jobs too, if that is what your requirement is. For instance if you are looking for landscaping in Essex, you can search for companies that specialize only this particular area. By narrowing down your search for those companies that offer landscaping in Essex, you are actually making your job easier. This is because sometimes the sheer number of home improvement companies that are available is enough to make us confused.

Before you choose a particular home improvement company, you should have a detailed discussion with their representative and explain to them about what exactly you need. For instance you can tell them what is that you want to do with the bedroom furniture designs. The key to choosing a good home improvement company lies in asking relevant questions and eliciting honest replies. Whether it is to find out about bedroom furniture designs or it is hand made kitchens that you want to know about, a good home improvement company will always try and clarify all your doubts.

Location Ideas for Buying Property in Essex

Buying property in Essex is something that can be quite complex, not least because there are so many geographical locations in this famous English county. In this article we’ll look at some of the most notable locations, a selection that demonstrates the breadth of locations available. The landscape changes a great deal, with a very build up feel of places like Romford, to more tranquil areas such as Dedham Vale.

Romford

Romford is actually in Essex, although it might seem strange to some people that this location is actually served by Transport for London. It does seem odd that a place in Essex has red London buses zooming around. But Romford has a great deal of benefits for those who wish to live within its limits. One of the main pros of living in Romford is indeed this access to central London. The city of London does of course have a great many attractions for young and old alike. The only drawback for those considering buying a Romford based property in Essex is that it is not located near much countryside; you have to travel further into Essex for this.

Chelmsford

Chelmsford is famous for being the birthplace of a great deal of famous people, but it is also a very popular spot as regards property in Essex too. A great many families and couples decide to move to Chelmsford as it has many of the draws of a major city without the extra hassle of living somewhere like London, where the pressure of urban life can be a little too much for some people. Chelmsford is well known for having a great deal of good schools and homes; and indeed there have been a large number of new homes that have been built in the town over recent years.

Colchester

Colchester is of course famous for being the oldest recorded town in the UK, with a large amount of Roman history too. Over recent years there has been a boom in house building in and around Colchester, which has meant that it is now high on the list of potentials for all kinds of house buyers. It is only 1 hour by train to London, which means that Colchester is certainly a commutable distance from the capital. Colchester has a thriving arts and pub scene, which only serves to make the town more popular.

These are just three potential locations in which property in Essex has become very popular. Access to countryside as well as urban attractions is likely to ensure that Essex continues being a popular place for house buying.

Dcs-Services is highly experienced in the realm of Landscaping In Essex, having worked in the property industry for many years.