1. Will I own my domain, code, and content?
The most important question on this list. Some providers register the domain in their own name, host the site where you can't reach it, and hold everything hostage if you ever leave. A good answer: everything is yours (domain, code, content, logins), handed over in full. JMD's answer: yes, all of it, on every project.
2. Is the quote fixed, and is it itemized?
Hourly billing without a cap means you carry all the risk of overruns. A single vague number means you don't know what's included. A good answer: one fixed, itemized quote with every piece of work listed. JMD's answer: that's the only kind of quote I write.
3. Who does the work?
Plenty of agencies sell you a senior team and deliver a subcontractor you'll never meet. A good answer: a straight explanation of exactly who designs and who builds. JMD's answer: the person on your call does all of the work.
4. Can I see the site while it's being built?
With a "big reveal" at the end, you see problems only when they're expensive to fix. A good answer: a live preview link from early in the build, with feedback handled as you go. JMD's answer: you get the link in week one.
5. What happens if I already have a cheaper quote?
Watch how they react. Defensiveness suggests the price can't stand up to a comparison; a rushed discount suggests the first number was padded. A good answer: a calm, line-by-line comparison of scope. JMD's answer: I'll walk through the other quote line by line so you can see exactly what each piece covers, same scope, honestly compared.
6. How fast will it be on a phone?
Most of your visitors are on phones, and speed is a ranking factor on Google. Ask what they do about performance. A professional will have specific answers about images, fonts and loading. JMD's answer: hand-coded pages measured in real visitors' browsers, with every speed metric in the green.
7. Who writes the content?
"You send us the text" is how projects stall for months. A good answer: a clear plan, either your copy edited for the web or writing included in the scope. JMD's answer: either of us, agreed up front, with content planned in step one so it doesn't hold up the build.
8. What happens after launch?
Sites need occasional care: updates, new pages, small fixes. What you want to avoid is being stranded, or locked into a retainer you didn't ask for. A good answer: ongoing help that's optional, with a full handover if you'd rather run it yourself. JMD's answer: that's how it works here, and the choice is yours.
9. How do revisions work?
"Unlimited revisions" sounds generous but usually signals the first version won't be close. A good answer: feedback built into the process and handled as the build goes, so nothing piles up for the end. JMD's answer: revisions happen live against the preview link, as we go.
10. What's not included?
Every project has edges. Professionals can tell you exactly where they are; amateurs find out mid-project, at your expense. A good answer: an itemized scope that makes the boundaries plain before you sign. JMD's answer: it's all in the quote, and anything not written there gets raised before money changes hands.
Take this list to your calls
Here they are as a checklist. Tick them off during a call, or print this page and the boxes come out empty, ready for a pen.
- 1. Will I own my domain, code, and content?
- 2. Is the quote fixed, and is it itemized?
- 3. Who does the work?
- 4. Can I see the site while it's being built?
- 5. What happens if I already have a cheaper quote?
- 6. How fast will it be on a phone?
- 7. Who writes the content?
- 8. What happens after launch?
- 9. How do revisions work?
- 10. What's not included?
Use it on everyone, including JMD. A studio worth hiring will answer all ten without hesitating. If you're weighing a rebuild, start with the seven signs your site is costing you customers. Still deciding whether to hire anyone at all? Start with the website builder vs web designer comparison.