Step 1: Preparation

Being prepared will not only increase the accuracy of your estimate but will also help to increase the likelihood that an estimate will be provided for free. 

Having clear project details, wireframes, mockups, comparables, and color palettes developed ahead of time can help a contractor understand the scope and complexity of your project.

Wireframes and Mockups

A wireframe is a visual representation of the structure of a web page or application. It is often created as a low-fidelity mockup that helps to visualize the basic layout and structure of the page or application before any design work is done.

A mockup is a high-fidelity visual representation of the final design of a website or application, showcasing the user interface and providing a detailed depiction of how the final product will look and function.

Wireframes help designers and developers get a sense of the overall functionality and flow of a website page, while mockups tell developers exactly how the site should look. Having one or the other can significantly speed up the estimation process.

Here are popular tools used for creating wireframes and mockups:

• Sketch – A digital design tool primarily used for UI and web design, but also includes a robust wireframing feature.
• Balsamiq – A popular desktop app for creating wireframes with drag-and-drop elements that mimic pencil sketches.
• Axure – A professional design tool with advanced wireframing and prototyping features for complex designs.
• Adobe XD – A powerful design tool with a variety of prototyping and wireframing features.
• Figma – A collaborative design tool with a dedicated wireframing feature and a broad set of design features.

Don’t have a mockup or a wireframe ready? 

Check out our next section about supplying your potential developer with comparables. 

Oftentimes developers can still build a stunning website using examples of other websites you like. Leveraging comparables to guide development, rather than wireframes and mockups, often can lead to a less expensive overall development process.

Would you like to have a wireframe or mockup created for your site?

See step 2 in this article! 

But for now, let’s learn about comparables and where to find them. 

Comparables

So what do we mean by comparables?

Comparables refer to other websites that share similar design, functionality, and scope of work to what you are looking for. 

Providing comparables to your developer can help them understand your design and functionality preferences, speeding up the estimation process.

Here are a few popular locations our experts send clients to look for comparables:

• Behance – A platform for creative professionals to showcase their work and connect with others.
• Awwwards – Recognizes and promotes the talent and effort of web designers and developers.
• Best Website Gallery – Showcases the best web designs from around the world.
• One Page Love – A curated showcase of one-page websites and resources.
• Muzli – A browser extension that provides design inspiration, news, and resources.
• Lapa Ninja – A curated collection of landing page designs and resources.
• Mobin – A collection of mobile design patterns and resources.
• Nicely Done – A curated showcase of the best website designs.
• Godly.website – A curated showcase of beautiful website designs.

Color Pallets

In addition to comparables, selecting a color palette for the website can also speed up the estimation process. 

A color palette can help the developer understand the overall design and aesthetic you’re looking for, and this will help them make sure the “look and feel” of the website matches the branding theme you’ve developed for your company. 

Here are a few locations that can help you select the perfect color palette for your website:

1. Coolors – A popular color scheme generator that provides a variety of features for exploring and creating unique color palettes.
2. Paletton – A tool for creating and exploring color palettes based on various color theories and rules.
3. Color Hunt – A curated collection of beautiful color palettes created by designers and artists.
4. Adobe Color – A color tool that provides a variety of features for exploring, creating, and saving color palettes.

Scope of Work Documents

Providing a clear and concise document that describes your website, including the number of pages, features, and functionalities required and any design or branding guidelines you have, will allow the developer to understand the work’s complexity and time involved, reducing the need for follow-up questions.

For this article, we created an example RFP (Request for Proposal) using the app Notion.  

We are certain that if you prepare an RFP as we have above, your potential contractors will have a much easier time providing an estimate.

We’ve also produced a short list of document management tools that will help you exchange information to your potential developers:

1. Notion – A powerful productivity and collaboration tool that can be used to create and organize a scope of work document and share it with your contractor.
2. Google Docs – A cloud-based document editor that allows for collaboration and sharing with others.
3. Asana – A project management tool that allows for creating and sharing project outlines and tasks with others.
4. Airtable – A versatile database and collaboration tool that can be used to create a detailed project outline and share it with your contractor.
5. Quip – A collaboration tool that offers a variety of features for creating and sharing documents, including project outlines and scope of work documents.

With all the items mentioned above, you’re now ready to move on to Step 2, and possibly the easiest part of this whole process, and that is receiving a free estimate.

Step 2: Create a Project with Codeable

Here at Codeable, we are the world’s premier platform for all things WordPress development, and we provide thousands of free estimates to customers every month.

Our WordPress experts are well-trained project managers who can take a small amount of information and extrapolate the larger picture of your goal. 

Whether you are well prepared or only have a general idea of what you want, our talented experts are ready to estimate your project 24/7. And best of all, there is absolutely no upfront cost or obligation to hire.

If you are ready, use the link below to create a project with us. We’ll be happy to provide you with a free estimate:

The post How to get a free estimate for your WordPress website appeared first on Codeable.

If you are looking to hire talented women developers for your next project, please visit our developer directory where you can easily discover and quickly hire expert WordPress talent that is right for you.

Did you know that according to a recent survey hosted by UXtweak.com, women represent almost 25% of all WordPress users? It’s true. Additionally, according to a survey hosted by the United States Department of Commerce in 2021, women-owned firms make up almost 20% of all firms in the US?

Here at Codeable we are not strangers to the economic power that women hold. In fact, we frequently receive requests from clients who want to work with other talented women –  whether they are programmers, designers, or agency owners.

Can We Recommend Specific Women Developers According to Your Needs?

Here at Codeable we are more than happy to help recruit women developers for your next technical project.

Please send our support department a message using the chat icon at the bottom, right-hand side of your screen and mention that you are being referred by this blog article.

One of our support agents (who will typically respond within the hour) will assess your project needs and recommend several great women candidates for your project.

Serving Diversity through Community

Did you know that Codeable supports a community of over 700 senior WordPress developers who are ready to help your business succeed?

We understand that as our talent base grows, we will be continuously presented with opportunities to support various demographics and their communities. One of the ways we are approaching community with our women developers is through our Women of Codeable program.

What is Women of Codeable?

Women of Codeable is a program for our talented female experts. We offer private groups, chatrooms, as well as weekly hangout sessions for team bonding that builds long-lasting friendships.

If you are a woman in the WordPress space and you believe your skillset and client management experience places you into the top-tier of WordPress developers, then we invite you to apply to become a WordPress expert here at Codeable.

All of our women here have earned their position through their exceptional talent. They join the ranks of the top 3% of applicants who make it onto the Codeable platform.

The Women of Codeable

Take a look at a few of our outstanding and successful Codeable experts below. 

If you think one might be right for your project, click their hire button and you will be on your way to receiving a risk-free estimation to complete your WordPress project.

The post How Do I Find Women Developers in The WordPress Community? appeared first on Codeable.

Whether that help comes in the form of a one-hour in-person consultation, or through a well-scoped agreement, those who manage WordPress websites need to be able to hire help with a high degree of confidence and low degree of friction.

In this article, we’ll highlight how the Codeable Platform can easily help you hire a WordPress developer, as well as manage all of your WordPress outsourcing needs across your website’s lifetime.

Hiring WordPress Developers – The Safe Way 

The Codeable Platform is the world’s premier location for finding pre-vetted WordPress talent.

We know there’s nothing more frustrating than talking to someone who isn’t qualified to get the job done. At Codeabe we ask our experts, “If you cannot take on the project with a high degree of confidence, then please do not engage.”

As a platform, we have taken on the large responsibility of making sure our developers are perfectly qualified to take on your project.

When you post a project on Codeable you are not only are hiring from a pool of pre-vetted WordPress developers, but the experts who are applying for your project are only applying when they know they have the expertise to help.

Codeable is also deeply invested in ongoing developer education. This ensures that our community of developers stays on top of technical trends as well as WordPress best practices.

Codeable Provides Free* Estimates

Yes, most of the estimates are free*. Whether it is a brand new website, a re-design of an older website, or a theme or plugin modification, Codeable can help you procure an estimate to have the work completed– most likely for free.

*Estimates at Codeable are generally free as long as correspondence is kept in written format.

All you have to do is post a project to receive your free estimate. 

What If All I Need Is Advice?

Because you are a WordPress user, we know you already have a DIY spirit and are perfectly capable of doing most things on your own. What if all you need is a nudge in the right direction?

Enter the $69 Consultation

The Codeable Consultation was born out of the desire to help DIYers like you. For the reasonable fee of $69, you can meet with one of our experts on a video call for an hour. 

Just know that during these calls, our experts are not allowed to make live changes to your site or perform actual labor. They can, however, discuss plugin setup, theme set up, and overall best practices.  

If you feel a consultation is the right start for you, please be sure to mark the consultation option when posting your project on Codeable.io.

What if My Project is REALLY, REALLY Big?

Codeable Experts are required only to take on projects they know they can handle. But sometimes a project is simply too big for just one person. That’s okay, we have Agency Teams, too.

At Codeable, we not only have hundreds of individual WordPress developers, but we also have dozens of agencies ready to help with your larger projects. 

For companies that require multiple skillsets for a complex project, our more Agency teams are ready to consider your scope of work. These teams are made of multiple Codeable Experts, offer a range of knowledge specific to your project goals, and are available for ongoing maintenance.

Codeable also allows individual experts to form ad-hoc teams to take on complicated projects or to split up work that requires an urgent turnaround.

When you are ready, post your project with us, and we will be happy to help with your larger project. 🙂

What If My Project Is REALLY REALLY Small? 

If your project is small – even really, really small – Codeable can help, here, too. We can supply estimates for any sized project. No project is too big or too small. We do, although, have a 1-hour minimum deposit requirement for all our projects. 

When you are ready, post your project with Codeable and we will help you hire a WordPress developer in no time!

The post The Easy Way to Hire a WordPress Developer appeared first on Codeable.