About this guide: Web Design Websites is published by Web Designer Limited and sells websites and hosting. We don’t earn commission from anyone mentioned here. Where our own services come up, we say so. More about us.
The short version
- Write a one-page brief: what the site is for, the pages you need, who supplies the words and photos.
- Ask the same questions of every designer, especially about ownership, hosting and ongoing fees.
- Get written proposals and compare them line by line.
- Keep the domain, hosting and logins in your own name.
- Sign a short contract covering scope, price, payment stages, ownership and what happens if you part ways.
The guides
Questions to ask a web designer
The questions that separate a clear, accountable web designer from a vague one, and what good answers sound like.
Quote & contract checklist
What a web design quote and contract should spell out, line by line, so you can compare proposals fairly.
Own your domain & hosting
Why the domain should be in your name, how to check who the registrant is, and what to ask about hosting and logins.
Red flags
Warning signs in a web design pitch: ranking guarantees, domain held in their name, no written scope, and more.
Our interest. Web Designer Limited, which publishes this guide, also sells websites and hosting, so we have an interest in this topic. You can follow this guide with any provider.
Questions people ask
Who writes this guide?
Web Designer Limited. Each page lists its sources and the date it was last reviewed.
Do you recommend specific web designers?
No. We don’t rank or recommend designers and we don’t take referral fees. The guides are checklists you can use with anyone.