The 7 questions to ask anyone building your website

Seven questions expose almost every bad web development deal before you sign it: who owns the domain and code, is the price fixed in writing, what exactly is included, when is delivery, how many revisions are included, what happens after launch, and can you show me something similar you built. Any developer worth hiring answers all seven in one conversation without flinching. Here is what each question surfaces, and what a good answer sounds like.

1. Who will the domain, hosting and code be registered to?

The correct answer is: you, the client, for all three. This is the question that prevents hostage situations, where leaving your developer means losing your web address or starting from zero. Everything I set up is registered in the client’s name from day one, and I consider any other arrangement a red flag regardless of who offers it.

2. Is the price fixed, and can I have it in writing?

“It depends” is an acceptable answer for five minutes, not for a quote. A professional can scope your project and commit to a number. I send a written fixed quote within 48 hours; my base prices are public, starting at USD 400 for a starter website. If you hear an hourly rate for a well-defined site, read how to read a development quote before agreeing to anything.

3. What exactly is included, and what costs extra?

The answer should be a list, not a vibe: pages, features, forms, and what is billed separately. In my quotes, domain and hosting are separate and at cost, and extras like brand identity (from USD 300) or analytics setup (from USD 100) appear as their own lines. Vague inclusions are where surprise invoices are born.

4. What date will it be live?

A price without a date is half a commitment. Expect a concrete answer: my starter sites take 7 days, full websites or web apps 2 to 3 weeks, custom systems 4 to 6 weeks, and the date is written next to the price. “It depends on my other projects” tells you where you rank.

5. How many revision rounds are included?

If the answer is zero, your first feedback becomes an invoice. If the answer is unlimited, the developer has never finished a project on time. Two structured rounds, which is what I include, is the honest middle: enough to correct course, bounded enough to keep the date.

6. What happens after launch?

You want to hear a concrete aftercare offer and permission to decline it. Mine is maintenance at USD 30 to 60 per month, optional, with per-change billing as the alternative for quiet sites. Be wary of mandatory retainers, and equally wary of “you won’t need anything,” which means goodbye.

7. Can I see something similar in production?

Not mockups: live things with real users. I point people at systems running for SOMOS DER, an event production company with more than 150,000 attendees, including QR accreditation at pase.somosder.ar and a supplier portal with more than 1,000 users at laburo.somosder.ar. Whoever you interview, click their links and check the sites actually work on your phone.

Frequently asked questions

What is the single most important question?

Ownership. A mediocre site you own is fixable; a great site registered to someone else is a liability. Ask question one first and let it disqualify people early.

Should cheap developers get the same seven questions?

Especially them. A low price with wrong answers on ownership, scope, or revisions is how cheap becomes expensive, a pattern common enough that I wrote it up separately.

What if the developer answers well but has no similar work?

Weigh it honestly: everyone starts somewhere, and a strong quote with clear terms reduces risk. But price should reflect experience, and question seven is where you find out which one you are paying for.

How fast should answers come?

In one conversation, or one day. Someone slow and vague while selling to you will not get faster after you pay.

Want my answers to all seven, applied to your project? Message me on WhatsApp and you will have a written price and delivery date within 48 hours.