Most website problems that owners describe to me began before any design work: nobody wrote down who owns the domain, which accounts the business can log in to, or what “done” means. Those are cheap to settle before a deposit and expensive to untangle afterwards.
Here are the questions worth asking any web designer, including me, with the answers I give. Get the answers in writing, in the scope or agreement, not only in a call.
01 / OWNERSHIPWho will own the domain, the code and the content?
The domain matters most. ICANN describes registrants as the people or businesses that have acquired the right to use a domain name through a registrar. If a designer registers your domain in their own name or account, you may not control it when you part ways. Ask for it to be registered in your business's name, in an account you can log in to.
My answer: the domain is registered in your name. You own the finished custom code and content after final payment. Third-party tools, themes, fonts and services stay under their own licenses, and the agreement says which ones are used.
02 / ACCESSWhich accounts will I be able to log in to?
List every account the site depends on: domain registrar, hosting, email, forms, analytics, booking or review tools. For each one, ask whose account it is and who pays for it. A site you cannot log in to is a site you cannot move.
My answer: we confirm who owns each account and which subscriptions are needed before work starts, and you receive the agreed access at handover.
03 / SCOPEWhat exactly is included, and what is extra?
A useful scope names the pages, the forms and what they connect to, who supplies copy and photos, how many rounds of review are included, and what counts as extra work. Vague scopes lead to surprise invoices or unfinished sites.
My answer: you review a written scope with the deliverables, a schedule and a final quote before work begins. Additional pages, features, integrations and migrations are quoted separately.
04 / PROGRESSWhen will I see the work?
Ask when you will see something real, not only at the end. Seeing the key page early is the cheapest moment to change direction.
My answer: you review the key page before the full build, and the progress along the way.
05 / HANDOVERWhat happens at launch, and after?
Ask what you receive at launch, who fixes problems found afterwards, and what ongoing help costs. If you stop working together, could another developer pick the site up from what you have?
My answer: launch includes a documented handover with the access and documentation needed to keep the site running. Ongoing Website Care is optional, $150/month for a supported site, and you can cancel anytime.
06 / THE SHORT LISTBefore you pay, have in writing
The domain registered in your business's name and account.
Who owns the code and content, and when.
Every account the site uses, whose it is, and who pays.
The pages, forms and integrations included, and what is extra.
When you will review work, and how many rounds of changes.
What the handover includes.
If you are comparing prices as well, what a small business website costs explains what moves a quote. When you are ready, ask for a website quote or read the Business Website scope.