Need advice with Web Development

Hey everyone,

This is my first post and I am based in Queensland Australia. I am looking to have a website developed for my business. I am having a very hard time trying to find a developer who can deliver the complete product. Over the past 2 years, I have lost nearly 15k as the developer wasn't able to finish the task. I had one developer who insisted that Wordpress was the way to go and he wasn't able to complete the job, and I hired another developer who insisted that PHP and Codeigniter was the best way to create my website, but for some reason the elements on the website does not talk to the other which resulted in errors.

So now I am in a position where I am not sure how to proceed. I have no or limited idea when it comes to web development. So I am hoping you can help me out by giving me some advice on what is the best platform to achieve what I want.

I am trying to create an online platform that will have the following..
1. A member section where people can register to use the functions of the website with a back-office where they can update details. The ability to have a basic profile of the business which will display office locations and a map. If the business wishes to create and post ads post job ads, they will need to purchase/upgrade the membership
2. A listings page, where members can advertise their services which will display in a list like (https://www.upwork.com/o/profiles/browse/?q=web%20developer). Also a messaging system like (eBay.com)
3. A search bar for the end user to search for relevant services with search filters. Search filters to include price, location, nearby areas and postcode.
4. Admin panel where I can monitor what is going on, have full control over posts with Analytics
5. User forum
6. Events calendar, where people can see what events are on, where and locations. The option to add the event to their calendar would be great. Something like (https://www.eventbrite.com.au/d/australia--belrose/events/?q=&loc=Belrose%2C%20Australia&date=)
7. Job Ads and ability to make contact

So basically, if anyone who wishes to advertise their services will need to register. The end users will not be required to register as they will be looking for services.

This has been going on for nearly over two years and I am determined to complete this project as it will benefit the community.

What I am looking for is advice on the best language or code to achieve this. I am happy to explore developers internationally who are able to develop this website. So if you can make recommendations, that would be greatly appreciated.

Chris

 

You have a bare-bones RFP in your post. Good start. This site has a Buy-Sell-Trade section. You could post your requirements there or at any of several sites for companies and developers to connect.

Require that any proposals you receive include links to sites he developed that provide some or all the functions you list. Be sure that each function you require shows up in one site or another. Contact the site owners and ask how well the site functions and how well the developer responded to problems. In other words, does he own his mistakes or is the relationship asymmetrical; he profits and you bear the losses of a poorly built site?

Be wary of soi-disant developers who stress the graphic design. They're working to impress other designers.

Beware of designers whose sites depend on client side scripting (e.g. javascript, jQuery). A well developed site will function 100% without scripts. Javascript, etc. are embellishments that should improve the user experience, but not be required. Do not ignore accessibility, a common mistake by graphic designers.

There are other things and I'm sure your experiences so far will tell you what else to check.

gary

 

Hi Gary,

Thank you for your input. It is very valuable. I am in a position where I find it very difficult to trust what developers are saying in relation to this project due to my limited knowledge in this area. But in saying that, your advise is excellent in relation to them being able to show me functionalities of different aspects of their work and also the tip on the client side scripting.

Do you know of anyone within this forum who is able to complete this project?

Thank you once again.

 

You have contact some eComerce development agencies which can understand your need and requirements. after, they can work with you at very efficient level and provide product as wish you want. Trust is always a important factor of any kind of business and that should be maintained by every one customer and service provider.

 

Hi Chris,

First of all, it's great that you have the clearly set requirements & vision of a future platform. In your case, you need help of professionals capable of creating top notch web solutions. I recommend you contacting these guys: https://cybercraftinc.com/our-service/product-development. Thanks to rich expertise in web development and IT teams staffing, they are a reliable partner in software development.
Concerning the choice of programming language, it's better not to mix different options, but stay to the one till the end.
I understand your willing to complete the project; good luck in achieving your goals!