The quality of web development directly impacts a company’s bottom line. Bad development practices can lead to significant financial repercussions. Research from SonarSource indicates that over five years, the costs associated with bad code can reach up to $1.5 million, accompanied by over 27,000 developer hours spent addressing issues stemming from poor coding practices.
The financial impact of poor web quality is staggering; a study from CISQ (2018) indicated that poor web quality costs organizations $2.8 trillion in the U.S. alone. These figures highlight the importance of investing in skilled developers and robust coding practices, as the cost of neglecting quality can be crippling for businesses.
In this blog post, we will explore the long-term costs associated with hiring inexperienced freelance developers. We will also provide valuable tips on how to find skilled developers who can deliver quality work for your projects.

The Importance of Hiring Skilled Freelance Developer
In this competitive era, hiring skilled freelance developers is crucial for the success of your website. Experienced developers can create well-crafted websites that significantly enhance user experience, driving customer retention and increasing revenue. A smooth, user-friendly interface not only attracts visitors but also encourages them to return, fostering long-term loyalty.
Moreover, research done by ResearchGate shows that the productivity of developers can vary widely based on experience, with coding time between the worst and best developers differing by 20 times. Additionally, execution speed can vary by 10 times, and the time spent on debugging can differ by 25 times.
These disparities mean that opting for inexperienced freelancers may result in increased costs in terms of longer project timelines, more significant debugging efforts, and ultimately, a product that fails to meet business objectives. Therefore, it is critical to prioritize hiring experienced freelancers who can deliver quality work that aligns with your business goals.
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The Price You Pay for Hiring Cheap Unskilled Freelance Developers
When hiring freelance developers, settling for low-cost options often means compromising on quality. Bad developers can produce poorly structured code, leading to numerous technical issues down the line. Ultimately, the initial savings may pale in comparison to the long-term costs associated with these issues, making it crucial to prioritize quality over price when selecting freelance developers. Here are some common points of loss associated with hiring unskilled freelance developers.
1. Downtime and Lost Revenue
One of the most immediate and devastating effects of poor web development or hiring an unskilled developer is website downtime. Poorly written code is often riddled with bugs and errors. These issues can cause websites to crash or malfunction, resulting in unavailability. When a website goes down, it not only halts operations but also directly impacts revenue generation. According to a report by Gartner, the average cost of IT downtime is approximately $5,600 per minute, translating to an alarming $336,000 per hour. This figure highlights the sheer financial burden that downtime can impose on businesses, particularly in sectors where online presence is crucial, such as e-commerce and service-based industries.
2. Competitive Disadvantage
When a website is built poorly or optimized inadequately, it poses a significant competitive disadvantage. Customers expect seamless online experiences; when these expectations are not met, they quickly seek alternatives. A Google study revealed that 1 in 4 visitors will abandon a website if it takes more than 4 seconds to load.
For a retail website generating significant traffic, this abandonment can translate into thousands of dollars in lost sales. If a website that typically experiences 100,000 visitors monthly loses 25% due to slow load times, that’s 25,000 potential customers who may turn to competitors.
Moreover, according to Akamai, every 1-second delay in page response can lead to a 7% reduction in conversions. For an e-commerce site with a daily revenue of $100,00, a 7% drop in conversions due to slow load times equates to a $700 loss per day. Over a month, this could lead to losses of around $21,000.
4. Impact on SEO Performance
Poorly coded websites often suffer from slow loading times and navigation issues, which can severely impact their search engine rankings. Search engines, particularly Google, prioritizes user experience and site performance. Factors such as load times, mobile-friendliness, and overall site usability play a critical role in determining search rankings. A slow page load time can lead to high bounce rates and poor search engine rankings.
Research by Google indicates that as page load times increase, users are less likely to stay on a site. Specifically, the likelihood of users leaving rises by 32% when load times increase from 1 to 3 seconds and escalates to 90% when the load time reaches 5 seconds. This highlights the critical importance of optimizing web performance to keep visitors engaged and improve user experience.
A report from HubSpot indicates that 76% of users say the most important factor in a website’s design is the ease of use. If users find it difficult to interact with a website, they will leave, leading to higher bounce rates that negatively impact SEO and thus the ranking.
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An Example To Show How Bad SEO Performance Can Hit Your Revenue
Suppose you’re ranking on 1st position for a keyword with a monthly search volume of 1,000. According to reports, the first organic result typically gets around 39.8% of the clicks, the second position gets 18.7%, the third 10.2%, and the tenth only around 1.6%.
If you’re ranking on the 1st position, you’d likely receive around 400 visits from that keyword. With a typical conversion rate of 2%, that translates to 8 sales. If each product is priced at $100, you’d generate $800 in revenue per month from this keyword.
However, if your ranking drops to the 10th position, you’d only receive about 16 visits. With the same 2% conversion rate, you’d make just 0.32 sales, resulting in only $32 per month; a 96% drop in revenue from that one keyword.
Now, imagine the impact if we consider hundreds or thousands of keywords. This example shows how SEO, influenced by factors like website speed, can drastically affect your revenue. And remember, website speed is just one of many SEO factors, there’s much more to SEO than just page experience.
Moreover, a study conducted by Forrester revealed that enhancing user experience can boost conversion rates by as much as 200%.
5. Increased Technical Debt
Technical debt refers to the long-term results of implementing quick fixes or writing poor-quality code during software development. It accumulates when developers prioritize speed over quality, often taking shortcuts like bypassing code reviews, neglecting proper documentation, or failing to adhere to established best practices. This can lead to increased maintenance costs as unresolved issues can pile up and become more challenging to address later on . Understanding and managing technical debt is essential for maintaining the long-term health of any software project. While this might speed up initial development, it ultimately leads to more significant challenges down the line.
A study by McKinsey emphasizes that technical debt accounts for about 40% of IT balance sheets. Additionally, companies incur an extra 10-20% in costs to address technical debt on top of project expenses. Notably, 30% of CIOs surveyed believe that over 20% of the budget allocated for new products is redirected to resolving technical debt issues. This increase stems from the need for more extensive and frequent debugging, refactoring, and testing of poorly written code. Freelancers who produce low-quality work can inadvertently create a backlog of issues that necessitate significant time and financial resources to resolve.
For example, if a company spends $10,000 on initial development, addressing technical debt could add an additional 10-20% to the costs. This means they may have to pay between $1,000 and $2,000 more for dealing with technical debt, bringing the total expense to $11,000–$12,000.
Furthermore, the National Institute of Standards and Technology reported that the cost of fixing software bugs found post-delivery can be 30 times greater than if they are addressed in the earlier stages of development.
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6. Poor Scalability
A website that is not designed with scalability in mind can severely hinder a company’s ability to grow. Poorly structured code may lead to slow performance during traffic spikes, ultimately resulting in lost revenue and a poor user experience.
A study by Amazon found that every 100 milliseconds of latency in website response time can lead to a 1% decrease in sales. So, if a retail website generates $10,000 in sales per day, a 100-millisecond delay could equate to a loss of $100 in revenue each day. Over a month, this could mean a staggering $3,000 lost due to a lack of proper scaling.
7. Impact on Brand Reputation
A poorly functioning website can have severe repercussions for a brand’s reputation, significantly affecting customer perceptions and behaviour. In an era where online experiences are paramount, the functionality and reliability of a website directly correlate with a company’s image. Research by Google highlights that 53% of mobile site visits are abandoned if a page takes longer than 3 seconds to load.
According to a study by Adobe, 38% of users will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive. A slow-loading site can contribute to poor aesthetics, resulting in a negative first impression and increased bounce rates. The consequences of a poorly functioning website extend beyond immediate customer interactions. Over time, persistent issues can tarnish a brand’s reputation.
In the age of social media and online reviews, negative experiences can quickly escalate. According to BrightLocal, 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses, and 80% trust these reviews as much as personal recommendations. Negative reviews stemming from website performance issues can significantly damage a brand’s image.
A clear example of it can be seen in the case of Netscape. Once the leading web browser with a staggering 90% market share in 1995, Netscape ultimately lost its dominance due to various code quality issues. These problems, stemming from hurried development and inadequate updates, contributed to its decline, leading to its shutdown in 2007.
8. Security Vulnerabilities
The importance of robust development practices cannot be overstated. Poor coding and inadequate security measures can expose businesses to significant risks, not only affecting their operational integrity but also resulting in substantial financial losses due to security breaches. According to the IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report 2023, the average cost of a data breach is approximately $4.45 million.
For businesses, especially smaller ones or those operating on tight budgets, such financial burdens can be crippling. Companies with poor security practices often face higher costs due to inefficient incident response processes and the scale of breaches.
According to Cybersecurity Ventures global spending on cybersecurity is expected to exceed $1.75 trillion cumulatively for the five-year period from 2021 to 2025.
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9. The Cost of Replacing Freelance Developers
The financial implications of replacing a bad freelance developer are considerable. According to the 2023 Developer Skills Report by HackerRank, the average time to hire for full time technical roles is around 66 days. This highlights the challenges companies face in finding skilled software developers. Freelancers are even harder to vet, as they often require specific expertise for short-term projects. A study by Toptal suggests that it can take anywhere from several days to months to find the right freelancer.
Newly hired freelancers often need time to get acquainted with the existing codebase. Additionally, they may require extra time to diagnose issues stemming from poor coding practices. This can lead to project delays and increased costs.
The costs associated with replacing unskilled freelance developers can be substantial, impacting both finances and project timelines.
How To Hire Skilled Freelance Developers?
Finding the right freelance developer is essential to ensuring your project runs smoothly and successfully. The search can be daunting, with many factors to consider, such as technical expertise and reliability. We will explore different options to help you navigate the process.
Trusted Freelancing Platforms
Platforms like Codeable are known for having expert WordPress developers who undergo a rigorous vetting process before being accepted. Beyond initial approval, developers are subjected to further testing and training. Unlike traditional freelance platforms where competitive bidding drives down prices, Codeable encourages collaboration among developers. Instead of undercutting each other, they work together to provide a unified project estimate based on the requirements. This method ensures that the focus remains on delivering quality results rather than competing on price.
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WordPress Agencies
For businesses looking for more robust, ongoing support, reputable WordPress development agencies are an excellent choice. While larger agencies often focus on high-budget, enterprise-level projects, there are smaller agencies that cater specifically to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Our WordPress agency Lime Street, specializes in providing tailored WordPress development solutions for SMBs, ensuring that your project receives the attention and expertise it deserves.
Moreover, opting for a retainer plan with a WordPress agency offers several benefits. With a retainer, you secure monthly hours of dedicated work, ensuring your projects are prioritized and handled promptly. Retainer clients often benefit from consistent support, regular maintenance, and proactive monitoring of their website.
Conclusion
The impact of poor coding practices extends far beyond immediate project costs. The accumulation of technical debt, lost revenue due to downtime, competitive disadvantages, poor SEO performance, and damage to brand reputation are all significant financial implications of hiring inexperienced freelance developers. Investing in quality development upfront may save time and money in the long run, allowing companies to avoid the pitfalls that arise from subpar coding practices.
Ultimately, businesses must recognize that the initial savings from hiring less experienced developers can quickly evaporate, leaving them with long-lasting financial burdens and operational challenges.