New project old domain should I 301 redirect while new sites built

[MikeDelaCruz77]

I just took on a larger scale e-commerce project and came across a tricky road block that I need some advise on. Ok I'm building the site from scratch and due to it's complexity it may take 3-4 months before I have it designed and coded. The client has a domain name that has some decent page/domain authority and I would hate to loose that while the sites being built.

Currently I have nothing to display as his previous site got hacked and it was deleted by the previous web admin. Being that a blog has already been approved as part of the project I already installed wordpress to keep the domain fresh however here's the issue, I installed wordpress in a folder called blog and debating if I should 301 redirect or 302 redirect his index here? The blog will always reside in the blog folder even after launch.

Will performing a 301 redirect pull all the juice away from my index page? I'm assuming yes. IF so what would occur once the project is complete and I make the ecommerce site live in the index page?

Thanks in Advance!

• Mike

[RobertFisher]

Jose,

My first question would be: Are you absolutely sure nothing exists of the old site. I have heard this many times and had top shelf server pros go in and recreate. Are you sure in any case there was no back up? etc.

If you have no other option, my inclination is that you should get a page up to speak to customers first. Let them know what has happened and provide a time line to resolution. When you say larger scale, that is the scary part for me. So, my next inclination is to do a 302 to the blog and then do the 301 when the new site is up and do it url to url.

Mozzers I am prepared to be wrong on this, so pitch in please.

Best

[MikeDelaCruz77]

Thanks for the feedback Robert. Sadly nothing exists of the old site. I'm going with your recommendation on the home page and 301ing the inners once live.

Thanks again!