The story we hear most from new clients has nothing to do with design. It goes like this: "Someone built it for me a few years ago, now they don't answer, and I don't even know where the site is hosted or who owns the domain."
None of this is inevitable. You just need to ask the right questions before you pay, and get the answers in writing. Here are 12 of them, in the order that matters.
Ownership: the questions you should never skip
- Is the domain registered in my name or yours? The domain (e.g. yourbusiness.com) is your address on the internet. It should be in your name or your company's, with access you control. If it's registered in someone else's name, in practice they control your address.
- Who owns the website once it's fully paid for? The code, the design, the copy, the photos. Get it in writing. If one day you want to switch providers, can you take the site with you?
- Will I have administrator access? Even if you don't plan to use it, you should have it. Without it, every change depends on one person.
Costs: what you pay now and what you pay later
- What exactly does the price include? How many pages, how many languages, whether copy, photos, basic SEO, the contact form and Google Analytics are included. A price without a list is just a number.
- What are the yearly costs after launch? The domain and hosting are usually paid every year. Ask how much they cost, who pays, and what happens if they're not paid.
- How does payment work? A common split is a deposit at the start and the rest before launch. Be careful with requests for 100% upfront.
Process: how you'll work together
- How many revision rounds are included, and what counts as a revision? "Unlimited revisions" usually means nobody has thought about it. A clear number (e.g. 2 rounds for the design) is more honest.
- What do I need to prepare, and by when? Logo, copy, photos, details of your services. Most delays come from missing material, not from the developer.
- How long will it take, and what would delay it? A reasonable deadline comes with conditions: "3 weeks from the day you send us the copy" is more believable than "3 weeks".
- What happens if I don't like the design? Some providers have a guarantee, others don't. It's worth knowing before you pay the deposit.
After launch: the part people forget
- Who maintains the site, and what does it cost? Updates, backups, security. If the answer is "it doesn't need any", that's a bad sign for a site you'll keep for years. More in our maintenance guide.
- How quickly do you respond when something breaks? Ask for a concrete timeframe, not "immediately". A realistic deadline that's kept is worth more than a promise that isn't.
How to read the answers
There's no perfect answer to every question. What tells you the most is how the provider answers. If they answer clearly, with numbers and in writing, they'll most likely work the same way. If every answer is "don't worry, we'll sort it out", problems are likely to show up exactly where nobody spoke.
You can ask us these questions too. We prefer clients who ask a lot at the start, because then there are no surprises at the end.
If you're comparing quotes, our article on choosing an agency also helps you tell serious offers from ones that only look cheap.
Have a quote and not sure about it?
Send it to us and we'll tell you what's missing, even if you end up not working with us.
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