Using existing scripts v. developing "custom" - Classifieds and other things

I put something out for bid on Freelancer and received a bunch of bids on the work.

The conundrum I face is whether: 1) I should seek a bid that will leverage existing scripts, v. 2) bids that seek to create custom code based on Wordpress or other CMS.

I have had a bad experience creating custom scripts. It has cost me a whole lot of cash to add upgrades. I personally feel that it is a lot more efficient to leverage an existing script.

So in my latest project, which is a classified ads site for a particular niche - I would rather not go down the road of the custom development. I feel that to replicate what is already out there is not efficient.

What are your thoughts? Particularly, for a Classified Ads site - how would you go about it? I really am more interested in the design aspect as long as the backend is functional. So I would rather hire a developer that would take the existing script and work with it from a design point of view.

 

Since I purchased a domain name to be used for a classified ads site and intend to develop one, I can say that I will most certainly be developing the site entirely from scratch. Because then I get exactly what I want and do not have to worry about any dependencies on third parties, learning any other APIs or frameworks, mass hackings, etc. But you are not writing your own code.

It seems you have mostly answered your own question. You are going to be using an existing script and customizing its theme (design). Wordpress was not intended for anything like an ads site. I don't even think Drupal or Joomla would be the best option in your case. Probably the best option would be to search Yahoo or Google for "php classified script" or other search terms and find an existing script that does most of what you need it to do then solicit bids on creating a theme for it. That will be much easier (and cheaper) than trying to pound a square peg in a round hole by using something like Wordpress or another CMS that was not designed to be a classified ad site.

You may even find a free script and then can really save money hiring someone to just do the theme.

http://open-classifieds.com/

 

That you consider dicking around with turdpress to be "custom code" clearly shows me you don't know what custom is. WP and existing CMS are existing code, NOT custom.

The question in my mind is what are you ACTUALLY trying to accomplish; something new and unique, or just another sleazy cookie cutter. I WANT to vote for custom, but your second sentence destroyed my ability to vote in your little poll as where I'm from your 1) and 2) ARE THE SAME THING!

If you could sleaze together off the shelf scripts like CMS (SAME ***ING THING!!!) to magically be successful, everyone would be doing it! Shoe-horning an existing off the shelf solution into a task it was never meant for typically results in train wreck laundry-lists of how NOT TO BUILD A WEBSITE!

See classifieds, if you're just able to grab some existing script whiskey tango foxtrot makes you even think you can compete with anyone else who can grab the exact same crap?