Build the site with AI or get agency quotes? Tried it myself and hit a wall

Orhan O***3 months ago·36 messages·5.6K views#website with ai #web design quote #agency selection #site development

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3 months ago#1

I launched a small venture in Milan to sell ceramics and home decor items across Italy, both wholesale and retail. To keep expenses low, I've spent the last three weeks trying to build a website myself using AI-based site builders. I've already spent 220 euro on various subscriptions. On desktop it didn't look bad at first glance, but the moment I dug into the details, I hit a total wall.

The responsive layout breaks with blocks overlapping on mobile, the Italian and English language toggles get tangled up, and I can't connect local payment gateways. On top of that, I can't get the AI to properly structure the cart for Italian e-commerce invoicing and consumer protection laws. Time is running out and I really don't want to postpone the launch any longer.

I'm at a crossroads: Is it even realistic to push through and fix these issues with AI tools, or should I hand this over to a professional agency or developer? If I ask for quotes, should I ask them to build on top of this half-finished AI prototype, or start clean from scratch?

Hakan U***MemberCommunity member

Joined: Apr 2024
Message: 43

3 months agoMost Helpful#2

Short answer: AI can handle basic UI mockups and draft copy, but multilingual architecture local payment processing, and regulatory compliance require an experienced developer. Your best path is handing the current prototype to an agency as visual reference while having them build the technical stack from scratch.

AI tools generate static pages and layouts quickly, but they fall short when tying together dynamic backend workflows, localized routing and payment integrations. Technical requirements like Italian electronic invoicing or local consumer rights go well beyond the prepackaged templates of general AI models. Pushing further here will only burn more time and subscription fees.

When requesting quotes from agencies or freelancers, hand over the AI build as a 'design guide and wireframe' not a codebase. Make sure the scope clarifies three things: 1) the architecture used for Italian and English multilingual routing, 2) how local payment gateways and order management tie in and 3) whether you can easily manage and update content through an admin panel after handover.

Having a developer fix auto-generated pages often takes more billable hours than building from scratch, since AI-generated code tends to be bloated and disorganized. Asking them to recreate your visual mockup onto a clean, open-source CMS will protect your budget and get you to launch much faster.

Zerrin T***Member

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3 months ago#3

Scrap the code you have, but keep full-page screenshots. That basically gives you a complete briefing with your design style, typography, and product layout ready to go. Tell an agency, 'Rebuild this from scratch with clean code,' and you can wrap the whole project up in two weeks.

Yasemin K***Member

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3 months ago#4

We made the exact same mistake last year for our Rome office. Spent 300 euro on tools, paid a student 400 euro to fix it, and ended up with nothing to show for it. Eventually paid a local dev 1,800 euro to build it cleanly on WordPress. Really wish we had just hired someone from day one.

edit: I wrote something wrong above, sorry about that.

Gamze U***Member

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3 months ago#5

Where AI really hits a wall is multilingual URL structures and the webhook mechanisms of local payment gateways. Code generators just throw div elements together randomly on the visual layer, which completely breaks responsive design on mobile. E-commerce simply cannot run securely on AI-generated code without proper backend session management.

Hatice A***MemberCommunity member

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3 months ago#6

Be careful before asking an agency for a quote. Plenty of small agencies are just churning out sites using AI tools or 50 euro off-the-shelf themes anyway, then slapping you with a 2,500 euro invoice. In any quote you receive, make sure they spell out in writing which engine the site will be built on and itemize all maintenance costs.

Yusuf E***Member

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3 months ago#7

How many products in total will be displayed on the site, and are you planning to ship outside Italy? If you have fewer than 20 items, standard templates from hosted e-commerce platforms might do the trick instead of hiring an agency—have you considered that?

Mustafa A***Member

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3 months ago#8

When gathering quotes, make sure to specify the following to agencies: 1) Size of the product catalog and variants, 2) Requirement for Italian and English language switchers to work independently, 3) Compatibility with Stripe and local debit cards, 4) Post-delivery training and a 3-month bug-fix warranty.

Vahide K***Member

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3 months ago#9

Don't beat yourself up over it getting this far and putting together a visual draft is already an achievement. At least you know exactly what you want. Leave the technical side to a professional and focus on sourcing and sales; time is money.