10 Things to Watch When Outsourcing a Software Project

We've been on both sides of the outsourcing table. We've been hired to build projects from scratch, and we've been hired to rescue projects that went sideways with another team. Here's what we've learned.

1. Check their actual work, not their portfolio. Portfolios are curated. Ask for a reference from a recent client. Better yet, ask to see the codebase of a completed project (with permission). Clean code tells you more than a pretty screenshot.

2. Demand weekly demos. If a team can't show you working software every week, that's a red flag. 'We're still setting up the architecture' for three weeks means they're either struggling or padding timelines.

3. Define IP ownership upfront. Get it in writing before any code is written: you own the source code, the designs, the documentation, everything. No exceptions, no shared licenses, no 'we'll transfer after final payment' games.

4. Don't choose based on price alone. The cheapest bid often becomes the most expensive project. We've rebuilt apps that cost clients 3x the original budget because the first team cut corners. Technical debt is real and expensive.

5. Communication frequency matters more than timezone. A team in your timezone that updates you monthly is worse than a team 6 hours away that communicates daily. Ask about their communication cadence before signing.

6. Beware of bait-and-switch teams. Some agencies put their senior developers on the pitch call, then assign juniors to the actual work. Ask who specifically will write your code, and get their names in the contract.

7. Insist on version control access from day one. You should be able to see commits, branches, and progress in real-time. If they say 'we'll give you access at the end,' walk away.

8. Plan for maintenance before development starts. Every software needs updates, bug fixes, and security patches. Ask how maintenance will work post-delivery. Budget 15-20% of development cost annually.

9. Get a clear contract with milestones. Not 'pay 50% upfront, 50% at delivery.' Tie payments to specific, verifiable deliverables. This protects both sides.

10. Trust your gut on cultural fit. You'll be working with this team for months. If the first few interactions feel forced, overly formal, or like they're just agreeing with everything you say, it probably won't improve.