Hiring someone to build your website is one of those decisions that’s hard to judge if you’re not technical yourself. Everyone’s portfolio looks nice, everyone says they’re great, and the prices are all over the map. So how do you tell a safe pair of hands from an expensive mistake?
Here’s what we’d look at if we were on your side of the table.
Look at their actual work, not just their pitch
Anyone can write a good sales page. Ask to see real sites they’ve built, then go visit those sites yourself. Open them on your phone. See how fast they load. Click around. A studio’s own website is the one project they had full control over, so if that feels slow or clunky, take note.
If they can’t show you any live work, that’s worth a pause.
Ask who owns what at the end
This one catches people out. When the project’s done, do you own the code, the domain, and the accounts? Or does it all live on someone’s platform, where you end up renting your own website forever?
You want to own your site outright. Ask it directly: “If we part ways in a year, what do I walk away with?” A good answer is “everything.” (We dug into platform lock-in in The Hidden Cost of Page Builders.)
Get clear on what’s included
A lot of disputes come from fuzzy scope. Before you sign anything, make sure you both agree on:
- How many pages, and whether the design is custom or from a template.
- Who writes the words and provides the images.
- How many rounds of revisions you get.
- What happens after launch - fixes, updates, support.
If a quote is one number with no detail behind it, ask for the detail. (Our cost breakdown covers what usually drives the price.)
Watch for the red flags
A few things that should make you slow down:
- A price that seems too good to be true. Building a proper website takes real time. A rock-bottom quote usually means corners get cut somewhere you’ll notice later.
- Vague answers about timeline or process. Good people can tell you roughly how they work and how long it takes.
- No contract. Even a simple one protects both sides.
- All talk, no work to show. Enthusiasm is nice, but you’re paying for results.
Ask what happens after launch
A website isn’t “done” the day it goes live. Things break, browsers change, you’ll want small updates. Ask who handles that, and what it costs. The answer tells you whether you’re hiring someone for a quick job or a working relationship. The studios worth hiring are the ones still around to pick up the phone a year later.
Make sure you can actually work together
You’ll be trading messages with this person or team for weeks. Do they reply clearly and on time? Do they explain things without making you feel stupid? Can you point to one person who’s responsible? How the sales conversation feels is a fair preview of how the project will feel.
Get the important stuff in writing
Scope, price, timeline, and what you own at the end - written down and agreed by both sides before work starts. None of this is about distrust. It just makes sure you’re both picturing the same thing.
If you’d like a sense of the numbers and the schedule before you talk to anyone, our cost breakdown, timeline guide, and what to get ready lay out the basics honestly. And if you’d like to compare notes, tell us about your project - no pressure, no sales script.
