Choosing who builds your new site is a decision you live with for years. A poor choice means wasted money, missed deadlines and a site that no one can maintain. The good news: you do not need technical knowledge to sift through the candidates. You need the right questions and a careful eye on the answers.
The 10 questions to ask every quote
1. Can I see a portfolio of live sites?
Not screenshots, but real addresses you can open. Browse them on your phone, check the speed and see whether the style appeals to you. Ask too which of the projects were built entirely by the team and which only in part.
2. Who owns the code and the domain?
This is the question that saves the most future drama. The domain should be registered to you, and the code and full access handed over to you after the final payment. If the contractor insists that everything stays with them, think twice.
3. What happens after the site goes live?
A site is not a one-off product. Ask whether there is a period of free fixes, what support covers afterwards and how much it costs. A clear answer here marks a contractor who thinks long term.
4. What are the deadlines and what do they depend on?
A serious contractor gives a plan with stages: design, development, testing, launch. They will also tell you what they expect from you: copy, photos, feedback. A deadline without a plan is a wish, not a commitment.
5. What exactly does the price include?
The number of pages, the design, the mobile version, the contact form, training on how to run the site, hosting and a domain for the first year. Anything not written down is, by default, not included. You will find more about pricing on our web development page.
6. What SEO foundation is in place?
Not a full SEO campaign, but the foundation: a clean heading structure, meta descriptions, fast loading, a mobile version and correct structured data per schema.org. A site without this foundation starts with a handicap you pay dearly for later.
7. Who writes the content?
Copy is the most underrated part of a project. Settle in advance whether you provide it, whether the contractor writes it for an extra fee, or whether your drafts will be edited. Undefined content is the number one cause of delayed projects.
8. Is there a staging environment?
A working copy at a hidden address lets you see progress and approve changes before they go public. This is standard practice, not an extra.
9. What happens if something breaks after launch?
The site goes down, the form stops sending, a payment will not go through. Ask how a problem is reported, how quickly they respond and what is covered by support versus what is charged separately.
10. Is there a written contract?
A contract protects both sides: scope, deadlines, payments, number of revisions, ownership of the code. A contractor who avoids a contract is telling you something important about the way they work.
A good agency versus a risky contractor
Here is what the differences look like, gathered in one place. No single criterion is a verdict on its own, but several matches in the right-hand column are a signal to keep looking.
| Criterion | A good agency | A risky contractor |
|---|---|---|
| Portfolio | Live sites with real addresses and an explanation of who did what | Screenshots, other people's templates or "we are updating the portfolio right now" |
| Ownership | The domain belongs to the client, the code and access are handed over | Everything stays with the contractor "to make support easier" |
| Quote | Spells out what the price includes, the stages and the deadlines | One lump sum with no scope and no plan |
| Communication | Asks questions about your business before giving a price | Gives a price straight away without asking anything |
| After launch | Clear support terms, a response time for problems and a contract | "We will sort it out", with no contract and no support commitment |
The red flags you should not overlook
- A price many times lower than every other quote, with no explanation why.
- Promises of “first place on Google” as part of the build. Google officially warns that no one can guarantee rankings.
- A refusal to give you access to the domain and hosting in your own name.
- No contract, no stages, no written communication.
- Pressure to pay everything up front.
A good contractor is not afraid of questions. They expect them, because they know the answers.
What to do now
Download the ten questions, send them to the candidates and compare not just the prices, but the completeness and honesty of the answers. The contractor who answers concretely and without evasion usually works the same way on the project itself.
Frequently asked questions
Do I absolutely have to pick the cheapest quote?
No. A price only makes sense in relation to what it includes. A low quote with no SEO foundation, no testing and no support often turns out more expensive a year later, when the site has to be rebuilt. Compare scope, not just the bottom line.
What does it mean to own the code and the domain?
The domain should be registered in your name or your company's, and the code and hosting access should be handed over to you after the final payment. That way you can switch contractors at any time without losing your site.
How long does it take to build a site?
It depends on the size: a small presentation site usually takes a few weeks, while a more complex project with custom features can run into months. What matters is that the contractor gives you a plan with stages and tells you what is expected from you at each one.
Do I need a written contract to build a site?
Yes, always. The contract should describe the scope of work, the deadlines, the payments, the number of revisions, the ownership of the code and what happens if either side is late. Serious contractors offer a contract themselves.
What is a staging environment and why should I want one?
A staging environment is a working copy of the site at a hidden address, where you see progress and approve changes before they go public. Without it, changes are made on the live site, which risks errors in front of real visitors.
Related reading
Ask us the ten questions.
Tell us about your project and you will get concrete answers, a clear quote and a plan with stages. We reply within 24 hours.