What to ask before you hire someone to build your website

Updated September 26, 2026

What should you ask a website builder before agreeing to the work? You do not need to know how to code, but you should understand what you are buying and who will help after launch. Bring questions about ownership, costs, upkeep, and leaving to the first conversation, while changes to the proposal are still easy.

What will the finished website help customers do?

Start with the customer's job. A garage door company may need someone with a stuck door to find a phone number quickly, while a cabinet painter may need visitors to review finished kitchens and request an estimate. Tell the builder which services you want inquiries about and which jobs you do not take.

Ask for a written page list and a plain explanation of what each page will contain. "A business website" is too vague. You should know whether the proposal covers service descriptions, project photos, your service area, contact options, and common customer questions.

Discuss features before agreeing to the price. If you need appointment booking, photo uploads, or a connection to existing office software, describe the actual task. Ask the builder to demonstrate the proposed approach. Do not assume a contact form can perform the same job as a scheduling system.

Whose name will the domain be registered in?

Your domain is the website address you put on trucks, estimates, and business cards. Ask who will be recorded as the registrant and who can manage the account. ICANN describes the registrant as the person or entity registering the domain through a registrar in its guide for domain holders.

Request registration in your own name or your business's name, as appropriate. Ask how you will confirm that information, receive renewal notices, and recover access if your contact person leaves. An account that only a former employee can access is an avoidable operational problem.

Keep the domain discussion separate from ownership of the finished site. Also ask about the text, logo, original photographs, licensed images, and any custom work. Your ability to take each item elsewhere should be clear in the proposal. The guide to who owns your domain explains the different roles without requiring technical knowledge.

What will I pay at launch and afterward?

Ask for all expected costs in one written summary, with one-time charges separated from recurring charges. A website build, domain renewal, hosting, email, and future edits are different items even when a provider bundles some of them together. Confirm which ones are included and which ones you must arrange yourself.

Use questions that make the quote concrete:

Does the price include writing the text and preparing my photos?
Are forms, booking tools, or other outside services extra?
What will adding a service page cost later?
Are there recurring support, maintenance, or renewal charges?
What work or purchases require my approval before billing?

Compare quotes using the same needs and time period. A painter who only needs a service area correction occasionally has different upkeep needs from a business changing seasonal offers throughout the year. Read the subscription and one-time website comparison if the proposals use different billing models.

How do changes and support work after launch?

Choose an ordinary update and ask the builder to walk you through it. For example: "We have stopped offering gutter installation and need that removed from the site." Where do you send the request, who handles it, and when should the change appear?

Ask whether revisions before launch and updates after launch have different rules. Find out what counts as a small change, a new page, or a separate project. If a monthly allowance applies, ask how requests are counted before assuming several edits fit into one request.

Also ask who responds if the website is unavailable or inquiries stop arriving. If you will be responsible for updates, request a demonstration using your actual site before handoff. A login without instructions may leave you paying someone else to make basic edits. These questions about website contracts can help identify terms that need a clearer explanation.

What will we check before the site goes live?

A preview should let you act like a customer. Open it on your phone, find your main service, locate the areas you cover, and use the contact options. Check the displayed number and test that the call button opens the right number. Submit a test inquiry and confirm it reaches the person who will answer it.

Agree on a short launch checklist:

Names, hours, service descriptions, and locations are accurate.
Photos show the right work and have permission for use.
Text and buttons remain usable on a phone.
Forms provide clear labels and understandable errors.
Existing important pages have a plan if their addresses change.

Ask what the builder does about accessibility and how those checks are performed. Ask a lawyer if you need advice about legal obligations. Also ask what search setup includes. Google's hiring guidance cautions against guaranteed first-place rankings, so expect explanations of the work instead of ranking promises.

What happens if I want to leave?

Ask this before you start, even when you like the provider. You want a predictable process if your needs change or the relationship ends. Find out how to give notice, what final charges might apply, and how long the site will remain available during a move.

Separate the parts of the handoff. Taking your domain does not necessarily mean taking the website's software or moving it unchanged to another host. Ask which files, text, photographs, and account access you receive, in what format, and whether another provider can use them.

Also mention business email if it uses the same domain. Ask who will coordinate the change so that a website move does not overlook your inbox. Put the responsibilities in writing, and ask a lawyer about contract language you do not understand. The guide to leaving a web designer gives you a practical handoff checklist.

Frequently asked questions

Should I ask to speak with a past customer?

Yes, especially for a larger project or ongoing relationship. Ask about communication, unexpected costs, and how updates were handled after launch. A useful reference describes the working experience rather than only saying the site looked good.

Is a verbal promise enough for a small website?

Ask for a written summary even when the project is small. It gives both sides the same page list, price, responsibilities, and expectations to work from. You can resolve unclear wording before it turns into a disagreement.

Do I have to write all the website text?

That depends on the agreement, so ask before hiring. Even when writing is included, you need to supply accurate service details and approve the final wording. A builder cannot safely guess your qualifications, service area, or availability.

Should the lowest quote win?

Only if it covers what you need and you understand the ongoing arrangement. Compare included work, your own time, update costs, and the exit process. A low starting price and a useful long-term fit are separate things to check.

The short version

Ask what you are getting, what you will keep control of, and what happens after launch. Get the costs, update process, and exit arrangements in writing. Test the site as a customer before approving it.

Front Step Sites offers websites for $99 a year with the domain included, registered in your own name, and no setup fee.