Look at live websites they built, not just screenshots. Ask who does the work, who writes the copy, what the price includes, how many rounds of revisions you get, who owns the domain and the finished site, and what it costs each month after launch. Get all of it in a written scope before you pay anything. Walk away from guaranteed rankings, quotes with no detail, and anyone who wants your domain registered in their name.
Hiring a web designer is hard to judge from the outside. Every portfolio looks good, every quote sounds reasonable, and the differences only show up halfway through the project. I’m a web designer, so read this knowing that. But these are the same questions I’d ask if I were hiring someone, and the answers should be easy for any designer worth hiring, me included.
Start with live work
Ask for links to sites they built that are live right now, not just mockups or screenshots. Open them on your phone. Do they load quickly? Can you find the phone number in a few seconds? Do the forms work? A screenshot can’t tell you any of that. If you can, look for work in a business like yours, or at least one with the same kind of customer. You can see the live sites I’ve built on my portfolio.
The questions to ask
Bring the same list to every conversation so you can compare answers fairly.
| Question | A straight answer sounds like |
|---|---|
| Who actually does the work? | A name, and who you’ll talk to week to week |
| Who writes the copy? | A clear yes or no, and the price difference either way |
| Where do the photos come from? | Your own, phone shots of real work, or a quoted shoot |
| How many rounds of revisions? | A number, and what counts as a round |
| Who owns the domain and the finished site? | You do, in accounts in your name |
| What does it cost each month after launch? | A specific figure, and whether it’s optional |
| What happens to my existing search traffic? | A plan to keep useful pages and redirect the rest |
Red flags worth walking away from
A promise of first page rankings or a set number of leads. Nobody controls Google, and anyone who guarantees results is guessing or selling something else. A quote that’s a single number with no list of what’s included. A designer who wants to register your domain in their own name. A contract that locks you into their hosting with no way to take your site with you. Pressure to sign this week. And no live work you can actually open and use.
Ownership is the question people forget
Your domain should be registered to you, in an account you can log in to. Once the site is paid for, you should be able to move it if you ever need to. Ask where the site will be hosted and what happens if you stop paying for care. A good answer is simple: you own it, and you can leave. I wrote a full post on who owns your website, domain and hosting if you want the detail.
What a written scope should include
Before you pay anything, get the job in writing. A good scope lists the pages being built, who writes the copy, where photos come from, the features included (forms, booking, payments), the number of revision rounds, what happens to your old site and its search traffic, launch checks, who owns what, the price and payment terms, the timeline and what it depends on, and any monthly costs after launch. If something matters to you and it isn’t in the scope, assume it isn’t included. My website brief guide helps you describe the job the same way to every designer you talk to.
Local or remote?
A web designer doesn’t need to be in your town. Most of the work happens over calls, email and shared documents anyway. What matters is that they understand your customers and your market, answer when you need them, and can get proper photos of your work when the site calls for it. I work with businesses across Canada from my base in Lake Country, BC, and the process is the same wherever you are.
Comparing quotes
Website quotes in Canada vary a lot, and a big gap isn’t always a red flag. Two quotes can describe very different jobs. Line them up against the same scope: pages, copy, photos, features, revisions, ownership and monthly costs. The cheaper quote often leaves out the copy or the launch checks, and those get added back later. I explain what moves a price in how much a website costs in Canada.
How I answer these
You deal with me directly. My quotes are written and list the scope. They include two rounds of consolidated revisions. Your domain stays in your name, and you own the paid for site. Landing pages start at $1,500, business websites are $3,900 to $4,900, and stores start at $6,500, all CAD plus applicable GST/HST. Care after launch is optional at $79 to $249 a month. The scopes are on the packages page.
Next step
Take this list into every conversation, including one with me. See how I build websites for businesses across Canada, or book a free thirty minute call and ask me anything on it. If you’re hiring for marketing as well as the site, my questions for choosing a marketing company cover the monthly side.
Common questions
What should I ask a web designer before hiring them?
Who does the work, who writes the copy, where photos come from, how many revisions you get, who owns the domain and site, what it costs monthly after launch, and how they protect your existing search traffic.
Should my web designer own my domain?
No. Your domain should be registered in your name, in an account you can log in to. A designer can be added as a user to manage it.
Is it a red flag if a web designer guarantees rankings?
Yes. Nobody controls Google’s results. A designer can build a site that is fast, clear and easy for Google to understand, but no one can honestly promise a position.
Does my web designer need to be local?
No. Most of the work happens remotely. What matters is that they understand your customers, respond when you need them, and can sort out real photos of your work.
What should a website quote include?
The pages, copy, photos, features, revision rounds, plan for the old site, launch checks, ownership, price, payment terms, timeline and any monthly costs after launch.
Official guidance
For the platform rules and technical guidance behind this topic:
Working from Lake Country. On location in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Vernon, and Penticton.