10 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Web Designer or Agency

Hiring a web designer or agency without asking the right questions is one of the most common — and costly — mistakes UK businesses make. The right questions surface assumptions, reveal process maturity, and expose potential risks before you sign anything.

Whether you’re speaking to a solo freelancer or a full-service agency, this list of ten questions will help you evaluate who you’re dealing with and what you’re actually buying.

Questions About Ownership and Control

Question 1: Who owns the website after it’s built? This sounds obvious, but it’s not. Some agencies retain ownership of the code or templates as leverage to keep you on a retainer. You should own your website outright — including the code, content, and domain name.

Question 2: Who holds the domain registration? Ideally, the domain should be registered in your business’s name and under an account you control. If an agency holds it, you’re dependent on them for renewals and transfers.

Question 3: What platform will the site be built on, and can I manage it myself? Whether it’s WordPress, Webflow, or a bespoke build, you should understand what you’re getting and whether your team can make basic content updates without needing to call the agency every time.

Questions About Process and Quality

Question 4: Can you show me recent examples of similar work? Portfolios are curated — ask specifically for examples that match your sector or functionality requirements. Ask whether those sites are still live and performing well.

Question 5: Who will actually be building my site? Large agencies sometimes sell on the strength of senior staff but deliver through junior team members or offshore contractors. Know who your day-to-day point of contact is and who is writing the code.

Question 6: How do you handle revisions and what’s included in the quoted price? Scope creep is the most common source of project disputes. Understand what’s included, how many revision rounds are allowed, and what happens if your requirements change mid-project.

Questions About Longevity and Support

Question 7: What happens after launch? A website is not a one-off purchase — it needs maintenance, updates, and ongoing improvements. Ask whether the agency offers post-launch support, and what that looks like in practice.

Question 8: Do you include SEO foundations as standard? A beautifully designed website that search engines can’t index is wasted money. Meta titles, structured headings, image alt text, sitemap submission, and fast page load times should be baseline, not optional extras.

Question 9: How do you measure success, and will you report on it? If an agency can’t tell you how they’ll measure whether the site is performing, that’s a concern. Basic analytics setup and a post-launch review call should be standard practice.

Question 10: What are your payment terms and what are the cancellation provisions? Understand the full financial commitment before you sign. A reasonable deposit (typically 30–50%) is normal, but be cautious of agencies that demand full payment upfront before work begins.