Seven questions to ask before you hire anyone to build your website or app

A portfolio shows what someone made for other people. It does not show what working with them is like, what happens when something breaks, or who owns the result. These seven questions do.

1. Who will actually build it?

The person on the sales call is not always the person writing the code. Ask by name. Subcontracting is not a problem in itself; finding out halfway through is.

2. Will I own the code, the domain and the accounts?

The answer should be an unhesitating yes, in writing. The domain should be registered in your name, and hosting, analytics and payment accounts should belong to your business, with the studio invited as a user.

3. What exactly is included — and what is not?

Number of pages, languages, revisions, copywriting, photos, SEO setup, training. The cheapest quote often becomes the most expensive project once the exclusions arrive as invoices.

4. How will I see progress?

Look for a live preview link you can open on your phone every week, not a presentation at the end. Problems found early cost minutes; found at launch, they cost weeks.

5. What happens after launch?

Ask what is covered for the first weeks, what a fix costs afterwards, and how fast someone answers when the site is down. Silence after launch is the most common complaint about agencies anywhere.

6. How fast will it be on a phone?

Most of your visitors arrive on a mobile connection. Ask for a performance target and how it will be measured — a serious studio will name a tool and a number.

7. Can I talk to someone you built for?

Not a testimonial on their site — a phone number. Five minutes with a past client answers questions you did not know to ask.

Anyone worth hiring will be glad you asked. Hesitation on question two is the only answer you need.