Web Design/Programming Question for those in the know?

I have a site being built and I%26#039;ve paid a firm (one that came highly recommended) a flat fee to build the site. They%26#039;ve been working on the site for the last couple months and I%26#039;ve been very specific about the things I%26#039;m looking for throughout each page and element of the site.

This is a sophisticated site being built to handle high traffic volume with nearly all of the content provided by the users so it%26#039;s important that the interface is pleasing to the eye and easy to use. Here%26#039;s my problem:

I don%26#039;t know if they%26#039;re just not advanced enough or if they simply don%26#039;t care enough, but a lot of the pages I%26#039;m seeing as the site%26#039;s being developed don%26#039;t exactly fit the description of what I%26#039;ve envisioned. The overall engine running the site and the platform it%26#039;s built on should be built to my specifications, but as far as the design elements and layout of certain pages go, I find some of it to be a little cheesy or even a little dated.

See my additional comments for the question:

Web Design/Programming Question for those in the know?

You%26#039;re the paying customer, you deserve what you want. make a list of your complaints/wants, present it to them and talk about what is possible or practical. If you are paying for them to develop the site you whould get what you want.

Web Design/Programming Question for those in the know?

OK, I got a question for you? Do these guys have their own website that you can look at, and see some sorts of their previous portfolios? I have been working in the field for a couple of years and I must admit that finding a solution that%26#039;s both mechanical and graphical satisfying is really hard. But maybe they are just not done with it. Maybe they will tweak it as they go along, was there some sort of a deadline on it? But if you really dint think that they are up to the challenge why waist your time and your money?

Other Replys:It depends usually changes can delay launch of the site. If you can live with that then go for it. I have built dozens of sites. Some people can not do some things that you are looking for if you show them an example online, then they should be able to copy it or simulate it.

This is a battle that both sides really can not win you all will probably have to come to a compromise or cut ties.

RJ

Other Replys:How concerned are you with launching the site quickly? If you can wait a little more, if you can put off the launch, have the fork-lift it. Otherwise it may become a %26quot;polishing a turd%26quot; effort, and you%26#039;ll never be happy with what you got. What you can, and what you cannot demand from the company also depends on what%26#039;s in the contract that you probably signed. Look it over. See the small print :)

On the other hand, if you decide to re-design things, and they%26#039;re big changes, you may never end up finishing the project - or by the time you do, someone else would have launched their version of your idea. At a certain point you have to decide what%26#039;s %26quot;good enough,%26quot; and flow with it. Set the minute details aside for now. Get the backbone and foundation that you really like going. Sites can ALWAYS be edited and updated - provided they%26#039;ll give you the code.

So, to me it sounds like a question of detail vs launch date - time frame for the two. I can yap here all I want, but the decision is ultimately yours to make :)

Best of luck.

Immy Grant