It’s no secret that having a good website is essential for success in today’s online-focused world. But a good website doesn’t happen on its own. It takes a team of talented designers, content experts, and developers to bring it to life.
When you are considering revamping your website, one of the first decisions you must make is whether to tackle the job in-house, or to outsource and hire a website developer.
This can be a difficult decision, one involving several factors such as staff capabilities, time, and money. And in Houston, the decision can be even trickier with how many web development companies exist in the area.
To help make the choice easier on you, let’s compare the pros and cons of in-house development and outsourcing in the Houston market, as well as break down some of the key factors you want to take into consideration before making your final decision.
Focused on using internal resources, in-house development means your site is being built by your company’s own development team.
Going this route with website development typically comes with an easier communication flow because the people designing and building your site already work for the company and have easier access to other team members, they need to complete the project. Because of this, you also have more control over the project, leading to more flexibility because you can easily step in and change direction if needed.
If you are worried about security or sharing private company information, in-house development ensures your sensitive data is handled internally, rather than having to share access with an outside team.
On the flip side, one of the biggest cons of in-house development is finding – and paying – the right experts to complete the job. An in-house team may have more limited skillsets, making it harder to accomplish everything you want to with a new site.
And because your internal team typically still has other work, they are responsible for, completing a new site can take longer.
Outsourcing development refers to hiring an external company or freelancer to handle your website development project, rather than using internal resources.
By outsourcing to a website development company in Houston, you are essentially ensuring a faster timeline because they have a workflow focused on completing projects in a timely manner, and they will be focused on your project, rather than having to handle other internal tasks as well. And this expedited timeline can come at a cheaper cost to you because you are not paying a salary and benefits to a full-time employee.
Another pro of outsourcing your web development is receiving a scalable and flexible site – something that can grow with your business without the need for rebuilding when the time comes. This helps cut back on long-term maintenance costs when it comes to your site.
The main cons to outsourcing include more communication barrier, less control over the project, and dealing with the hassle of finding the right development partner for your business – all of which can lengthen your timeline.
With a better understanding of in-house vs. outsourced website development in Houston, you might be starting to lean one way or the other for your website needs. Before you get the ball rolling on your new website, here are some other factors to think about:
While you may have the resources internally to build a website, it’s important to think about the full scope of the project. If you need a site with complex functionalities, hiring a web development company in Houston might be the better play. That way you are getting a dedicated team of experts you trust can make it happen, without using all your internal resources.
If you want your site to come together as soon as possible, hiring a local web development expert in Houston might be a safer bet, because you would be getting a professional who is dedicated solely to your project until it’s complete. And if it’s a site that will need to be scalable as your company expands over time, you want to make sure it can do so without concern.
At the end of the day, business is all about money. Working with an in-house developer saves you time and money by not having to find a web development partner and pay them for their services, which could be a bonus for your business. On the other hand, if you need those team members to also continue with their normal day-to-day work while trying to build a new site, that can lengthen your timeline for completion – something that you wouldn’t have to worry about with outsourcing.
By hiring a website development company in Houston, you still have easy access to the team even though they aren’t working in house – including trusting that they know they area and will be easy to communicate with. And typically, web development companies offer long-term support options, providing you with the ability to not have to have full-time employees whose sole focus is maintaining your website.
Choosing between in-house and outsourced web development is not a one-size-fits-all decision. It depends on your company’s goals, resources, timeline, and budget.
In-house development offers more control, stronger communication, and greater data security, but often comes with higher costs and time commitments. On the other hand, outsourcing can deliver faster results, specialized expertise, and long-term flexibility – especially in a city like Houston with a strong pool of local talent.
As a website design and development company based in Houston, we pride ourselves on helping local businesses thrive online. If you are considering hiring an outside web development partner, check out the services we offer and send us a message. We’ll schedule a free consult meeting to learn more about you – and for you to see if we might be a good fit for your business!
