>This is worth a considerable amount and I would not be willing to hire you vs. hiring 3 lesser developers to get the same job done. It would be too much of a risk.
This is a fair point, but consider that having the expert work on it to start with, even if the expert leaves at some point, would mean you have a far more maintainable code base than if you'd started with three junior developers.
Probably the best answer is a compromise: Get the expert to put down the "bones" of the project with the understanding that they would commit to training a (less expensive) project maintainer (or a team of them). EDIT: Also have the expert screen your maintainer(s) so you don't end up with idiots. :)
The value of having good code to start with can't be overstated. There are times when I've come in and told people that they should start from scratch than try to maintain their pile of garbage code created by junior developers.
This is a fair point, but consider that having the expert work on it to start with, even if the expert leaves at some point, would mean you have a far more maintainable code base than if you'd started with three junior developers.
Probably the best answer is a compromise: Get the expert to put down the "bones" of the project with the understanding that they would commit to training a (less expensive) project maintainer (or a team of them). EDIT: Also have the expert screen your maintainer(s) so you don't end up with idiots. :)
The value of having good code to start with can't be overstated. There are times when I've come in and told people that they should start from scratch than try to maintain their pile of garbage code created by junior developers.