Hiring a web designer can feel risky. You're spending money on something you can't fully evaluate until it's done.
Here's a practical checklist used by hundreds of small business owners, questions to ask, red flags to spot, and what to look for in a portfolio.
Key takeaways
- Before hiring, ask 10 key questions covering similar past work, timeline, written contract and scope, what's included after launch, how SEO is handled, hosting and ownership of your domain and content, and the payment schedule (avoid 100% upfront).
- Walk away from five red flags: no portfolio or identical-looking work (template farm), no written contract, guaranteed Google rankings, 100% payment demanded upfront, or refusal to commit to a timeline in writing.
- Look for responsive design across their portfolio, real SEO knowledge (schema, page speed, meta tags), at least a 30-day post-launch warranty, transparent pricing on their site, and verifiable testimonials.
- Evaluate a portfolio by opening at least 3 of the designer's live sites and checking them on your own phone, load speed (under 2s is good), clear above-the-fold CTAs, and whether each design fits its business.
- Trust communication signals: a designer who is slow, vague, or condescending during the sales process will be the same during the project. Hire someone responsive and clear even if they cost a little more.
10 questions to ask any web designer before hiring
- Can I see 3 sites you've built for businesses similar to mine?
- What's your typical timeline from kickoff to launch?
- Do you provide a written contract with scope and milestones?
- What's included after launch, and what costs extra?
- How is SEO handled in your build process?
- Will my site work on mobile? Can I see a mobile version of your portfolio?
- Who hosts the site? Do I own the domain and content?
- What happens if I want to leave, can I take my site with me?
- What's your payment schedule? (avoid 100% upfront)
- Who do I contact if something breaks at 9pm on a Friday?
Related: how we handle SEO in every buildwhat our web design service includes
5 red flags to walk away from
- No portfolio, or all the work looks identical (template farm)
- No written contract or vague scope
- Promises guaranteed Google rankings (no one can guarantee this)
- Asks for 100% payment upfront before any work
- Won't quote a timeline or won't commit to one in writing
What to look for
- Responsive design across their portfolio (test on your own phone)
- SEO knowledge, ask specifically about schema, page speed, and meta tags
- Post-launch support, at least a 30-day warranty
- Transparent pricing on their site, not buried behind discovery calls
- Real testimonials with full names and businesses you can verify
Want to see how a transparent agency does it? Browse our portfolio.
View portfolioHow to evaluate a portfolio
Don't just scroll. Open at least 3 of the designer's actual live sites and check:
- Does it look good on YOUR phone, not just their case study mockup?
- How fast does it load? (Use pagespeed.web.dev, under 2s is good)
- Does it have clear CTAs above the fold?
- Does the design match the kind of business it's for, or does everything look the same?
- Are reviews and testimonials prominent and credible?
Related: see real client case studies
Trust your gut on communication
If a designer is slow, vague, or makes you feel dumb during the sales process, they will be slow, vague, or make you feel dumb during the project. The way they communicate before you sign is the way they communicate after.
Hire someone who's responsive, clear, and respects your business, even if they cost a little more.
Toronto, Mississauga, Ottawa, Vaughan, Markham, or Brampton? You can check our local pricing and process before you book a call.
See pricingFrequently asked questions
Want to work with a transparent agency?
Jacob
Founder of Elevate Web Design. Building fast, conversion-focused websites for small businesses across Canada and the US since 2018.