What to ask before hiring a web designer

Most website trouble starts with something nobody asked at the start: who owns it, who can change it, and what it costs next year. Ask these, and get the answers in writing.

Check the official rules. Rules and dates change, so check them with the official sources before you rely on them: ADA.gov (the US Department of Justice), the W3C's WCAG pages and Section508.gov. PageKiwi helps you find problems and get closer to meeting the rules. It can't promise a website meets them, it isn't legal advice, and we can't take responsibility for decisions made from it.

Ten questions

  1. Will the domain be in my name, in my account? It should be. It's the one thing you can't easily replace.
  2. Will I have my own log-in, with full control? Not just "send us your changes".
  3. Can I change the text and photos myself? Ask them to show you how before you sign off.
  4. What does it cost every year after launch? Hosting, domain, plugins, licenses, support.
  5. What does a small change cost later? An hourly rate, or a monthly plan?
  6. Who does updates and backups, and how often?
  7. Will it work well for people with disabilities? Ask about accessibility (WCAG). Town, city and county websites must meet WCAG 2.1 AA from April 2027 or 2028.
  8. Will it be fast on a phone? Ask them to show you a site they built, on your own phone.
  9. If you're unavailable, how would someone else take over? Common tools, not a custom system only they know.
  10. Can I speak to two past customers?

Before you pay the final bill

Run your new site through Link Check, Picture Check and Site health. Anything they find is fair to ask your designer to fix before you sign off.

Accessibility is worth asking about up front: fixing it later costs more. Website accessibility: where to start, with the tools that help and what the law asks.