POSSIBLE CONTEST for VBulletin skin

Hi everyone!, I´ve been contacted by a customer that has been refered to me, and he is in need of a vBulletin design, here is the message I got from him:

"I have a web site design project that needs some customization and I was referred to you as one of the best out there for site design. I have a Vbulletin 3 forums and an index page, I am looking for a total design and have set aside funds to do this."

Soo.... this is my question: I really don´t quiet get the vBulletin stuff yet, and Im kind of busy right now to commit to learn it...if I sugest him to post his contest here as a guaranteed... how many people will be willing to participate and which one do you think is a fair price?

Please, let me know ASAP... I would hate to leave a customer hanging!.

Take care
Bella

Hey Bella, does he need it coded or just the design? I am designing a vb3 skin right now for a client, and if it is just the design needed I can enter...

Hi davidude, I think he needs it coded, but let me ask him.

I think we could suggest him posting a design only contest and then have it coded. If I am not mistaken the coding only will cost him around $50. Considering that he will get high quality work for $150 it might be a great deal, considering the market prices for original high quality vB skins starting from $300.

Hi resurepus, sounds good to me, I sent him an email and Im waiting for his answer. what I would like to asure him, is that there will be someone with the ability to code his design... I would hate to give him a design and then no possibility of coding it. I know there are very talented and experienced people at this forum

Ok People.... everyone with experience on vBulletin... I need you to pay attention to this simple questions:

1 - who will be willing to participate? (I know davidude can)
2 - is there anyone that can code the design if the winner don´t know how? (in exchange of money of course, not fo free).

Sorry to be so picky before bringing the contest holder... but when someone is refered to me, I like to take care of him

I have seen very talented people here, I just want to know if they are willing to enter this contest.

Please answer ASAP!

If I am not mistaken AshAbed was offering his services as a coder. We might contact him to see if he is still interested. As for design, we might need to ask designers in our next newsletter which should be sent out pretty soon.

Hi resurepus =). Yes, earlier today I sent a PM to Ashbed, to SeanB and to vBMechanic and Im waiting for them to answer... hope they do !

Take care
bella

Replied to the pm, I may be interested in the job of coding if the contest takes place soon enough - in about two weeks I won't be around for a bit

I can do the designing part... at I can give it a try

Hi Bella

My advice would be to hire a separate designer that knows vBulletin skins and then if they do not code the skins as well, hire the coder yourself and make it clear what you expect. There was a huge mess on Yaxay a while back with a skin contest because the duties were not spelled out clearly and someone dropped the ball. It's tough coordinating 3 people to finish 1 project, especially when going the contest route which tends to be for less money than you would normally pay.

Personally I don't take projects that involve me coding someone else's design.. I did it here on DC's skin and it was not fun. If the graphic designer is not used to doing skins, there are always missing bits, pieces, and buttons. The designer has to understand how templates work and change depending on your logged in status. Penguin did an excellent job filling in those bits here.

Let me know if you have other questions.

My advice would be to hire a separate designer that knows vBulletin skins and then if they do not code the skins as well, hire the coder yourself and make it clear what you expect. There was a huge mess on Yaxay a while back with a skin contest because the duties were not spelled out clearly and someone dropped the ball. It's tough coordinating 3 people to finish 1 project, especially when going the contest route which tends to be for less money than you would normally pay.

If the graphic designer is not used to doing skins, there are always missing bits, pieces, and buttons.

Thats very true - I was the one hired to fix the problem on yaXay and even filling in the left out parts of the skin to quite a bit of time... possibly even as long as it would've taken for me to code the skin from scratch because keeping in contact with the designer and person who ran the contest is kind of complicated.

I did not mean to imply anything about anyone involved in that Yaxay issue, just wanted to point out that there can be problems when running a contest that involves multiple workers trying to complete one project. I don't know the details of what went on there, just what was posted publically.

It certainly can take longer to 'fix' something than to just do it from scratch!

cheers