Double edged sword there really Tony.
On the one hand, you have a guy in-house who you can, for want of a better word, 'control' and on the other hand, you have someone who you really dont know is doing what, when and where.
In-house certainly gives you much better access to the designer and i would think, quicker turnaround times on any potential changes etc etc.
Personally, if you are holding on to a designer in-house for aproximately 2 years before you need to find a replacement, i would say you are doing very well.
It also means that every 2 years you can get a fresh approach to the way your designs look and imho, 2 years is a good time frame to find out whether your current designers style is what you and your clients are looking / reacting to
Looking forward to seeing you and the rest of the Nat Net crew in Vegas bro
Regards,
Lee