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, always.
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 price with every deliverable listed. JMD's answer: that's the only kind of quote we write.
3. Who actually 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 is the person doing the work — all of it.
4. Can I see the site while it's being built?
A "big reveal" at the end is where budgets and relationships go to die: by the time you see a problem, fixing it is expensive. 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 tells you the price wasn't sturdy; a rushed discount tells you the first number was padded. A good answer: a calm, like-for-like comparison of scope. JMD's answer: share the written quote and, once we've reviewed it, we beat it — same scope, nothing trimmed.
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 actually do about performance — a professional will have concrete 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 shaped for the web, or writing included in the scope. JMD's answer: either of us, agreed up front, and content is planned in step one so it never becomes the bottleneck.
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: exactly that — your choice.
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, handled as the build progresses rather than saved for a painful 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 if it's not written there, we'll say so before money changes hands.
Take this list to your calls
Here they are as a working checklist — tick them off live on 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 actually 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?
0 of 10 asked
Seriously — use it on everyone, including us. A studio worth hiring will enjoy these questions. If you want the money side too, the Vancouver pricing guide covers real market ranges (with a 30-second ballpark estimator), and if you're weighing a rebuild, start with the seven signs your site is costing you customers.
One answer worth repeating: bring any certified written quote, tell us everything you want built, and once we've reviewed it, your JMD price comes in below it — same scope, nothing trimmed.