10 Questions to Ask a Web Designer Before Paying a Deposit
Ask these ten questions and you'll dodge most of the horror stories — the disappearing designer, the site you can't edit, the "pay us or lose your website" call. The first question matters most: when this is finished, who owns the domain, the site and the code? The only acceptable answer is "you do".
Why the deposit moment matters
Before money moves, you're choosing freely between designers. After it moves, leverage flips: your project, your domain and sometimes your business's entire online presence sit in someone else's hands. Every question below takes thirty seconds to ask, and a professional will answer all ten happily — the reaction to being asked is itself information.
The ten questions
- 1
Who owns the site, the code and the content when we're done?
The only good answer: you do, outright, once paid. Anything else — licensing arrangements, "we retain the code", ongoing fees to keep "your" site — is the setup for problems later.
- 2
Is the domain registered in my name?
Your domain should be registered to you, in an account you control. Designers registering client domains under their own name is the single most common way businesses lose their web address in a dispute.
- 3
What exactly does the price include?
Number of pages, revision rounds, mobile layouts, the enquiry form, connecting your domain — in writing. Vague inclusions are where "that'll be extra" lives.
- 4
What will it cost per month after launch?
Hosting, maintenance, "care plans" — get the ongoing number now and what it covers. A cheap build with an expensive mandatory care plan is not a cheap build.
- 5
Can I update the site myself?
Maybe you never will — but the answer tells you whether you're buying independence or dependence. If you can't, ask what a typical small change costs and how fast it happens.
- 6
Who writes the words?
Content is the #1 cause of blown timelines. Know from day one whether they draft it, polish yours, or expect finished copy from you — and what happens to the schedule if it's late.
- 7
Can I see live sites you built — and ring one owner?
Screenshots can be faked and portfolios borrowed; a live site plus five minutes with a real client can't. Good designers offer this before you ask.
- 8
What happens if we part ways mid-project?
Projects derail. You want to hear: you pay for work completed, you keep that work, and the domain was yours all along. Get it in the agreement.
- 9
Will it be findable on Google?
Listen for concrete basics — page titles, mobile speed, getting indexed, a sitemap. "SEO included" with no detail means nothing, and a #1-ranking guarantee means run.
- 10
What happens after launch when something breaks?
Who do you contact, how fast do they respond, what does it cost? A site is a running thing; "the project ends at launch" is an answer too — just one you want to know in advance.
The ownership map
Questions 1 and 2 in one picture — this is the end state you're checking for:
Red flags vs green flags
| Topic | Red flag | Green flag |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | "We keep the domain — it's easier" | Everything registered in your name |
| "#1 ranking guaranteed" | Realistic talk about timeframes | |
| Paperwork | "We don't really do contracts" | Everything in writing, happily |
| Payment | 100% upfront | Deposit, balance at launch |
| Proof | Screenshots only | Live sites + a client you can ring |
The one-line test
A professional has been asked all ten questions before and answers them in five relaxed minutes, because the answers are already in their standard agreement. Someone who bristles, deflects, or makes you feel difficult for asking has answered the only question that matters — how they'll treat you once they have your deposit.
Where to next
- What a full build includes — compare answers against this
Use our own service list as the benchmark for anyone you interview.
- PRNT. — shop, quote builder and live gallery in one build
The kind of work the ten questions are designed to surface.
Put us on the spot
Genuinely — ask us all ten. Our answers: you own everything, the domain's in your name, the price and inclusions are public, and every site in our portfolio is live and checkable.