Questions to Ask Website Design Companies Before You Sign Anything

Dear Hannah,

Your mom tells me the dog grooming shop opens in Boise next month, and that you are getting quotes from website design companies. I am proud of you, kid. I am also your uncle who ran a plumbing business for thirty-one years, so you are going to get some advice whether you want it or not.

I hired three web people in my career. One was great. One was fine. One cost me a summer of headaches. The difference was never the price. It was the questions I did or did not ask before I signed. So here they are, written down, so you can keep this letter next to your laptop.

Before you talk to any website design companies, know your one job

Before you call anyone, write one sentence on a sticky note: what should a stranger do when they land on your site? For you, I would guess it is "book a grooming appointment." For me it was always "call Walt."

Every question below gets easier once you know that sentence. And you will notice quickly which designers ask you about it and which ones just want to show you colour palettes.

Questions about ownership and money

Start here, because this is where people get burned.

• "Who owns the domain, the site and the content?" The answer should be you. In writing. My third web guy owned my domain, and getting it back took longer than re-piping a hotel.
• "What is included in the price, and what costs extra?" Ask about copywriting, photos, extra pages, forms and changes after launch.
• "Are there ongoing fees?" Hosting, maintenance and software licences are normal. Surprises are not. Get them listed.
• "How do payments work?" Usually part up front and the rest at milestones or launch. Be wary of anyone who wants everything before a single page exists.

Questions about how the work gets done

This is where you find out whether they have a real process or just good intentions.

• "What is the timeline, step by step?" A good answer has stages: planning, design, building, review, launch. A bad answer is "a few weeks, probably."
• "What do you need from me, and when?" Half the delays in my projects were my fault, because nobody told me they were waiting on my photos.
• "How many rounds of changes do I get?" Not because you should be difficult, but because you should know.
• "Who will I actually talk to?" One named person is worth more than a ticket system and a smile.

Questions about customers finding you

Hannah, a beautiful website that nobody sees is like a van with your name on it parked in a garage. Ask these:

• "Will the site be built so people in Boise can find me on Google?" You want to hear about page titles, descriptions, service pages, your address and opening hours, and connecting with your Google Business Profile.
• "Is it fast and easy to use on a phone?" Your customers will be holding a leash in one hand and a phone in the other. Design for that.
• "Can people book online?" For a grooming shop, an online booking link or form could save you hours of phone tag every week.

And if anyone promises you the top spot on Google, thank them for their time and hang up. Nobody honest can promise that.

Questions about life after launch

Launch day feels like the finish line. It is really the first day of business.

• "Who fixes things if the site goes down?"
• "How do I update prices, hours or photos?" Either they teach you, or they do it for you. Know which.
• "How are updates and backups handled?" Websites need maintenance like water heaters do. Ignore it long enough and it floods.
• "Can I see a site you launched a year ago that is still with you?" That one tells you whether clients stay.

How to read the answers

Here is my plumber's rule: listen for specifics. "We test every form before launch" is a specific. "We take care of everything" is a slogan.

Also notice how they treat a simple question. If they make you feel foolish for asking what hosting is, imagine how they will treat you when something breaks.

The best website design companies I dealt with did three things: they asked more questions than I did, they wrote everything down, and they told me when an idea of mine was a bad one. That last part is rare. Treasure it.

One more tip. Some companies list their packages openly, with what each one includes. That makes comparing much easier, because you can line up what you are getting, not just the totals. I found one that does this, Web Design Studios, and their services page is a decent way to see what a clear offer looks like.

A short checklist to take to every call

1. Who owns the domain, site and content?
2. What is included, and what costs extra?
3. What are the ongoing fees?
4. What is the timeline, stage by stage?
5. What do you need from me?
6. How will local customers find the site?
7. Is it fast and easy on a phone?
8. Can customers book or contact me easily?
9. Who supports the site after launch?
10. Can I talk to the person doing the work?

Print it. Tick the boxes. Do not sign until every one has a clear answer.

Love, and good luck with the poodles,

Uncle Walt

Got your questions ready? Bring them to us

Walt's list is a good one, and we are happy to be held to it. At Web Design Studios, we build mobile-ready, search-friendly websites, landing pages and online stores for small businesses, with packages that spell out exactly what is included. Ask us anything on that checklist.

👉 Review our packages and pick the website service that answers every question →

Clear answers first. Signatures second.