I have issues with my website layout and I am thinking, I should clone one and modify it according to my needs? Is it a good idea? Is it something common in designing new websites? Note that I am willing to pay to redign it but it is hard to find the right person.
Is cloning a website a good idea?
website features
As with Bruno's answer, copying exact templates is related to copyright laws.However, looking at a site that you like and reverse-engineering certain elements of it is perfectly legal. If a customer doesn't know exactly what they want their site to look at, I have them go out and look for sites with designs they like and send me the link. After that I use techniques from their site on the one I'm building.It's not stealing if you don't make an exact replica. Using concepts (Such as this banner here, navigation looks like this, side bar with these elements there, etc.) from another site is common in the web design world.