Hiring a web designer is a bit like hiring a builder: everyone shows you nice photos, and the problems only appear months later, when the domain is in someone else's name, nobody answers the phone and the site loads like it's 2012. The good news is that almost all of those problems can be spotted in one conversation, if you ask the right questions. Here are the 14 I'd ask if I were on your side of the table, why each one matters, and what a good answer sounds like.
Before you ask anything: know what you want the site to do
A designer can only give you a useful answer if you give them a useful question. Before the first call, write one sentence about the job of the site: "get more calls from people in Pleven looking for a plumber", "take table bookings", "sell our honey online across the EU". That sentence changes the pages, the features and the price. It also lets you judge every answer you hear against something concrete.
Questions about ownership (the ones people regret skipping)
"Whose name will the domain be registered in?"
The only good answer is yours. If the designer registers it for convenience, make sure you're the registrant and have the login.
"Who owns the design, the code and the content after I pay?"
You should get full rights to use, change and move the site. Get this in writing, not just a friendly "of course".
"Can I move to another host or designer later?"
If the site only works on their platform or their server, you're renting, not buying. That can be fine, but you should know it upfront.
A guide published this August by a UK agency lists "vague ownership terms" among its red flags for web projects, and I agree completely. I've seen businesses in Bulgaria lose years of Google rankings because an old provider disappeared with the domain.
Questions about scope, price and time
- "What exactly is included, page by page?" A written list of pages and features makes quotes comparable. A single lump sum with no breakdown makes them impossible to compare.
- "Who writes the texts and provides the photos?" This is the most common reason projects stall. Clarify it on day one, and budget for it if the answer is "you".
- "How many rounds of changes are included, and what does an extra change cost?" You want a clear process, not a surprise invoice.
- "When will it be live, and what do you need from me to hit that date?" A realistic timeline always comes with a list of your homework too.
For reference, my own websites start from €890 and go live in 2–5 weeks, with a written scope before anything starts. If a quote is much lower or much higher, the page-by-page list is where you'll find out why.
Questions about quality you can't see on launch day
Most sites look fine in a presentation. The difference shows up in speed, Google and legal risk. Ask about these directly:
- "Will it pass Core Web Vitals on mobile?" Google's "good" thresholds are 2.5 seconds for the main content to load, 200 ms response to taps, and a layout shift score of 0.1 or less.
- "How do you handle cookies and forms under GDPR?" You want a real consent banner (no tracking before consent), a privacy policy and forms that only collect what they need.
- "Which accessibility standard do you build to?" Contrast, keyboard use, alt texts and form labels. For online shops, the European Accessibility Act has applied since June 2025.
- "How will my old pages be redirected?" If you're replacing a site, missing redirects throw away the Google rankings you already have.
Nobody expects a bakery website to be fined millions. The point is that a designer who shrugs at these questions will leave the risk with you.
Questions about after launch
The site going live is the start, not the end. Ask:
- "What happens if something breaks in the first month?" Is there a free fix period? Mine includes three months of free care after launch.
- "Can I edit texts and prices myself, and will you show me how?" A short handover call saves you dozens of small paid requests.
- "Who does updates, backups and security, and what does it cost per year?" Get a number, even a rough one.
Good answers vs. warning signs
"Don't worry about that." A price before any questions. The domain in their name. No mention of cookies, accessibility or redirects. Only anonymous testimonials. Slow replies before you've even paid.
They ask about your customers first. Everything is in writing: pages, timeline, changes, ownership. They show real projects you can open. They explain the running costs without being asked.
How a designer answers questions before you pay is exactly how they'll answer them after.— a rule worth keeping in mind on every first call
Your checklist for the first call
Copy these into your notes and tick them off while you talk:
- Domain, hosting and code are in my name and I get the logins.
- I have a written list of pages and features.
- I know who supplies texts and photos.
- I know how many change rounds are included.
- I have a launch date and a list of what's needed from me.
- Mobile speed, GDPR/cookies and accessibility are part of the scope.
- Old pages will be redirected (if I have a site already).
- I know what support costs per year after launch.
Start with facts about your current site
If you already have a website, you can walk into that first call with real data instead of a feeling. Run the free website check: it shows speed, SEO and accessibility problems in a couple of minutes, and gives you better questions to ask any designer, me included.
And if you'd like to ask me these 14 questions directly, have a look at how I design and build websites for small businesses, or read about working with a web designer based in Bulgaria if you're elsewhere in the EU. I'll answer every one of them in writing.