Choosing a web design agency is hard. The work all looks similar from the outside. Pricing varies by 10x for what sounds like the same thing. Everyone has a polished pitch deck. And by the time you realize you've picked the wrong one, you're three months in and $5,000 deep with nothing to show for it.
The 12 questions below will tell you almost everything you need to know about an agency in a single 30-minute conversation. Ask all of them. Pay attention to which answers make the agency squirm.
1. Who specifically will be working on my project?
What you're listening for: Real names. The actual person who will design and build your site. Not "our team" or "our specialists."
Red flag: Vague answers about a "team" with no individuals named. This usually means your project will be handed off to a junior or outsourced.
2. Can I see 3 recent live sites you've built — not just screenshots?
What you're listening for: Live URLs you can click on, look at on your phone, and load yourself.
Red flag: Polished portfolio screenshots but no clickable live sites. Some agencies show work they didn't actually build, or sites that are no longer live, or designs that were never shipped.
3. What does your typical timeline look like?
What you're listening for: Specific weeks/days, broken down by phase, with realistic ranges.
Red flag: "It depends" with no range, or a suspiciously short timeline with no explanation of how they'll achieve it.
4. What does the contract say about ownership of the final code and design?
What you're listening for: "You own everything once final payment clears." Period.
Red flag: Hedging, exclusions, or "we license the design back to you." If you're paying for it, you should own it.
5. What happens if I want to leave you and host the site somewhere else later?
What you're listening for: A clear answer about migration. Either "we'll hand over a complete export package" or "you're on your own platform from day one."
Red flag: Anything that sounds like vendor lock-in. Some platforms are technically proprietary and impossible to migrate off. Find out before you sign.
6. What's included in the price, and what's extra?
What you're listening for: A specific list — pages, design rounds, revisions, content entry, training, support window.
Red flag: "Don't worry, we'll figure that out as we go." This is how $5,000 projects become $12,000 invoices.
7. How many revisions are included?
What you're listening for: A specific number (usually 2–3 rounds for design, unlimited for minor copy fixes).
Red flag: "Unlimited revisions" is a red flag in disguise — it usually means the agency expects to bake the cost into a higher base price OR will start charging at some unstated point.
8. What's your post-launch support look like?
What you're listening for: A specific window (30, 60, or 90 days) and a clear path to ongoing care after that.
Red flag: "We're always available" with no defined window. This usually means you'll get ignored once the invoice is paid.
9. Can I see a sample of your contract or proposal before I commit?
What you're listening for: "Yes, here it is." Confidence in their own paperwork.
Red flag: Hesitation, or "we send it after the kickoff fee." Never pay anything before you've seen the contract.
10. What payment terms do you offer?
What you're listening for: A reasonable split (deposit + milestone + final), or financing options if you'd prefer monthly payments.
Red flag: 100% upfront with no deliverables, OR 100% on completion with no deposit (which means you can't commit them either).
11. What happens if we're not happy with the design?
What you're listening for: A real revision process with a specific number of rounds, plus a clear explanation of what triggers additional cost.
Red flag: "We've never had that problem." Yes they have. They're lying.
12. Why should I choose you over the agency I talked to yesterday?
What you're listening for: A specific, honest answer about what they actually do differently. Even just "We're smaller, faster, and you'll work directly with the person building your site" is more useful than a sales pitch.
Red flag: Generic agency-speak. "We're passionate about quality and innovation" tells you nothing.
The meta-test
The best way to evaluate any agency isn't the answers themselves — it's how the agency reacts to the questions. The good ones give clear, specific, honest answers without getting defensive. The bad ones hedge, deflect, or get visibly uncomfortable.
Ask all 12 questions. Take notes. By the end of the call, you'll know.
If you're evaluating us
Here are our answers, in advance:
- Who works on your project: Direct contact with the studio principal, no handoffs.
- Live sites: Available on request — including this one.
- Timeline: About 7 days for most projects, 1–3 weeks for complex builds.
- Ownership: 100% yours after final payment, including all source files.
- Migration: Full export package on request after final payment. No lock-in.
- What's included: Listed line-by-line on our pricing page.
- Revisions: 2–3 rounds depending on package, plus minor copy fixes during build.
- Post-launch support: 30–90 days depending on package.
- Contract: Sent before any payment is made.
- Payment terms: Flexible — pay-once or in-house monthly financing.
- Unhappy with design: Built into the revision rounds. We don't move forward without your approval.
- Why us: Premium small-studio quality, 7-day turnaround, financing built in, no agency overhead.
→ Get a free quote and we'll answer any other question you have