Questions to Ask a Web Designer Before You Hire, Including the Nine That Uncover Hidden Costs

A web designer's quote tells you what the build costs. It rarely tells you what happens afterwards, and that is where the costs sit that business owners complain about two years later. Not because anyone lied, but because nobody asked.

What the individual running costs of a website normally are is covered in How much does a website cost per month. This checklist is about what that bill tends to leave out.

Key takeaways

• Ask about fit first: portfolio, process, timeline, references and platform.
• Then ask about the hidden costs: hosting after year one, domain ownership, licenses, change rates and exit terms.
• The domain should be registered in your name, not the designer's.
• Without a written agreement, the designer usually owns the copyright in the site.
• As a business, you are bound by the contract you sign, so get terms and renewals in writing.

Part 1: five questions about fit

1. Can I see sites you built for businesses like mine? Look for live sites, not just screenshots.
2. What does your process look like, from first call to launch? A clear answer is a good sign.
3. How long will it take, and what do you need from me? Most delays come from content the client still has to supply.
4. Can I speak to two past clients? Treat it as a red flag if nobody is available.
5. What platform will you build on, and can I edit the site myself? This decides what every later change costs you.

Part 2: nine questions that uncover hidden costs

6. What does hosting cost after the first year?

Many hosts and website builders advertise an introductory price for the first twelve months. After that, the regular rate applies, and it is often several times higher. It is in the terms, but most people notice at the first renewal.

7. Whose name is the domain registered in?

When a designer registers the domain for you, they often list themselves as the registrant. You won't notice while things go well. When you want to switch, you need the transfer code, and only the registrant can get it. A formality turns into a negotiation.

8. Which paid licenses are in the site, and who renews them?

Premium themes, page builders, form plugins, backup tools: a WordPress site often runs on five to ten licenses, each with its own renewal date. When one lapses, updates stop and the site gets less secure. Who pays and whose account they sit on is rarely in the quote. The full list with prices is in The real cost of a WordPress website.

9. What does a text change cost after launch, and in what increments?

"Changes billed as needed" sounds fair. In practice, many designers bill in 15 or 30 minute blocks, so a new phone number costs half an hour. With a few small changes a month, that becomes your largest running cost. Typical rates: Web design agency cost.

10. Does the maintenance plan cover fixing what an update breaks?

Many plans promise "updates and security". They mean updates. If an update breaks something, the repair is often billed separately, so you pay for the maintenance and then for its side effects. More in What website maintenance really costs, and what else a plan should cover in Website care plans.

11. Whose name are the image and font licenses in?

A designer buys a stock photo licensed to themselves. If you switch designers later, you may not be allowed to keep using it, and using an image without a proper license can lead to a payment demand from the rights holder. Ask for licenses in your name, and for fonts that are hosted with the site rather than loaded from a third party.

12. Is accessibility part of the build?

The US Department of Justice has consistently taken the position that the ADA applies to the websites of businesses open to the public, and its guidance on web accessibility explains what that means in practice. Building accessibility in from the start costs far less than retrofitting it. We are not lawyers; check your own situation if you are unsure.

13. How long is the contract, how does it renew, and how do I cancel?

Auto-renewal protections in consumer law mostly protect consumers, not businesses. A business website contract means whatever it says, and renewing for another twelve or 24 months is not unusual.

14. What do I get if I leave, in what format, and at what cost?

The most expensive surprise comes last. Some providers don't hand the site over when you cancel, some do for a fee, and website builders often offer no full export. Then the next designer isn't moving your site, they are rebuilding it. Who legally owns what, and how to get it in writing: Do you own your website? Why we do it differently: No lock-in.

The nine cost questions, with good answers

One cost no table shows: after three to five years a site that was never developed further looks dated, and the next project starts. What that costs: Website redesign cost.

Frequently asked questions

The bottom line

Hidden costs are rarely fraud. They are questions nobody asked. The fourteen above take half an hour before you sign and save you most of the surprises afterwards.

To see what your current site runs on, and which of these costs can apply to you, start with the WordPress check.