I'm a developer. I build websites for small businesses. And if I were the one hiring someone like me, these are the ten questions I'd ask before signing anything — because I've seen what happens when they go unasked.
None of these are trick questions. A capable, professional developer answers all of them straightforwardly. What you're really doing is filtering out the ones who can't or won't — and checking that whoever you hire has thought seriously about your interests, not just the build.
1. Who Owns the Site, Domain, and Code?
This is the most important question on the list. Ask it first.
When the project ends, you should own the code outright, the domain should be registered in your name (not the developer's), and the hosting account should be in your control. Some developers — particularly those who sell "monthly website packages" — retain ownership of the code as leverage to keep you paying a recurring fee. That's their business model. It might even be fine for you. But you need to know going in.
A good answer is unambiguous: "You own everything. I'll transfer the repo to your GitHub account and make sure the domain is registered to you."
A red flag: any version of "it's hosted on my servers, so..." or "I'll need to stay involved to keep it running."
2. What Exactly Is Included in the Price?
Get a scope document, not a verbal description.
"A five-page website" is not a scope. A scope says: which five pages, what each page contains, which forms or integrations are included, whether images and copy are provided by you or the developer, whether the mobile layout is separate work, and what "done" looks like. Without this, both parties have different pictures in their heads and the conflict comes later.
A fixed price is only as good as the scope it's attached to. If the scope is vague, so is the price.
A red flag: a single total figure with no breakdown of what's included. If a developer can't tell you what's in and what's out, disputes about "extra" work are inevitable.
3. What Happens After Launch?
Most quotes cover the build only. Changes after launch — adding a page, updating a layout, fixing something that breaks — are almost always billed separately. Ask what's included, for how long, and at what rate.
A professional answer: "The quote covers the build and a defined fix period for any launch bugs. After that, changes are billed at my hourly rate, or we can agree a small monthly retainer if you'd prefer predictable costs."
Something to watch: vague promises of "ongoing support" with no definition of what that means or what it costs.
4. Can I Edit Content Myself?
If you want to update your own pages — change prices, add a blog post, update your services — the site needs to be built on a content management system (CMS) you can actually use. Ask what CMS they plan to use and whether you can see a demo or documentation for it.
Most modern CMS options are genuinely user-friendly. But some developers build on custom systems that only they can maintain, which creates a dependency that suits them, not you.
A good sign: they name a widely used CMS and offer a handover session to show you how it works.
A red flag: "just email me the changes whenever you need them." That arrangement means you're permanently dependent on them for every content update, with no way to edit anything yourself.
5. What's the Timeline and What Do You Need From Me?
For a small business site, a freelancer should typically be done in 1–3 weeks. Longer timelines aren't necessarily bad — it depends on complexity and their current workload — but get a clear commitment and ask what could cause it to slip.
A good answer names a realistic date range and lists what they need from you before they can start — copy, photos, brand assets, approval at specific stages.
A red flag: a confident completion date quoted before they've asked you a single question about the project. No one can estimate accurately without understanding the scope.
Equally important: what do they need from you? Projects slow down when clients go quiet. If you're not available for two weeks during the project, say so up front. A good developer factors your availability into the plan.
6. Can I See Sites You've Built That Are Still Live?
Portfolio screenshots are easy to fake or cherry-pick. A live site you can click around tells you much more: whether it loads quickly, whether it works on your phone, whether the content has been maintained, whether the developer's other clients are happy enough to keep using it.
Ask for three to five live links. Then check them on mobile. Check how fast they load. Look at whether the business actually seems to use the site. A red flag: portfolio sites that are slow, broken, or look abandoned — or a developer who can only show screenshots, never live links.
7. What Do Changes Cost Later?
You will want changes. New services, updated pricing, a different hero image, a booking system you didn't think of at the start. Ask what the process is and what it costs.
Hourly billing is the norm for post-launch changes. Ask what their hourly rate is. Rates for a skilled freelancer vary widely depending on location — typically €35–70/hour for someone based in Lithuania, and €80–150/hour for Western Europe or US-based developers. Neither is wrong, but you want to know before you're billed.
A red flag: no defined process — "we'll sort it out later" — or a full hourly rate charged for a five-minute text update with no minimum or flat-fee option for small jobs.
Some developers offer a change-request bundle upfront. If you know you'll want ongoing changes, that's often a more predictable option.
8. What Happens If We Stop Working Together?
This is the exit question, and it's a reliable professionalism test.
A developer who has set things up fairly will have a quick, confident answer: "You own everything. I'd hand over the repo, any credentials, and document anything non-obvious. You could bring in another developer immediately."
Hesitation here, or an answer that involves ongoing fees to "unlock" the code, tells you they've structured the relationship to benefit themselves. That's not necessarily malicious — it's just a model you should be aware of before you're in it.
9. Where Will It Be Hosted and Who Pays?
Hosting should be in your name and your account. Typical cost for a small business site is $10–30/month depending on the platform. Some developers host client sites on reseller accounts and charge a markup — again, not necessarily wrong, but you should know.
Ask: will the hosting account be in my name? Will I be billed directly? What happens to the site if I stop paying you?
A clean setup: you have your own Netlify, Vercel, or similar account; the developer deploys to it; you pay the platform directly.
A red flag: hosting that can only be purchased through them, registered in their name. Walk away if they can't explain how you'd move your site elsewhere if you wanted to.
10. How Do We Communicate During the Project?
This sounds mundane, but it's where projects quietly fail. Ask: how often will you update me? What's the best way to reach you? What's your response time for questions?
A professional developer has a clear answer and sticks to it. You don't need daily standups for a small website, but you should know roughly when to expect updates and what channel to use if something's urgent.
Also useful to know: do they have other projects running in parallel? If they're managing twelve other clients at the same time, your project sits in a queue.
A red flag: no defined channel, or replies that take a week during the sales phase. If they're slow to respond when they're trying to win your business, they'll be slower once they have it.
One Final Thought
A good freelancer answers all ten of these without flinching. They've thought about ownership, exit terms, communication, and post-launch work because they've built websites before and know these are the real concerns.
If you get clear, confident answers from someone who isn't me — hire them. That's the point. The goal isn't to find reasons to walk away; it's to know you've made an informed decision either way. You can see what I offer at Buno Labs if you'd like to work together, but whoever you hire, use this list.
For context on pricing — what a freelancer versus agency actually costs and why — read How Much Does a Small Business Website Cost. If you're still figuring out the timeline side, How Long Does It Take to Build a Website covers that in detail.
