What to Ask Before Hiring a Web Developer

You know exactly what questions to ask before you hire a sub in your own trade. Web development is not your trade, so it is harder to tell a good answer from a smooth one. These are the questions that actually separate the two.

"Do I own the website and the domain when it's done?"

This is the single most important question, and it has a single correct answer: yes, immediately, no exceptions. Some developers build your site on a platform they control, or register your domain under their own account "for convenience." If you ever want to leave, you find out you were renting, not buying. Ask this first, and ask them to put the answer in writing.

"Is there a contract or a minimum term?"

A minimum term only protects the developer, not you. If the work is good, you will not want to leave. If it is not, a 12-month contract just means 12 months of paying for something that is not working. A developer confident in their own work does not need to lock you in to keep you.

"What happens to my phone number and reviews if I cancel?"

Ask this directly, because it rarely comes up until it is too late. Some setups route your calls through a number the developer owns, or attach your reviews to a listing they control. Cancel, and you lose the number your customers already have saved, or the reviews you spent a year earning. Your phone number and your Google reviews should always live with you, not with whoever built your site.

"How long will it actually take to go live?"

Vague timelines are a warning sign, not a formality. A developer who has done this before can tell you, in a first conversation, roughly how many weeks it takes once your content is ready. "It depends" is a fine start to that answer. "We'll see" is not.

"What happens after launch if something breaks?"

A website is not a one-and-done purchase, it needs updates, security patches, and the occasional fix. Ask what that costs, whether it is optional, and who you actually call at 9 PM if the site goes down before a busy Monday. If the answer is "there's a contact form," keep asking.

"Can I see real examples, not just a portfolio slide?"

Anyone can screenshot a homepage. Ask to see a live site they built for a business like yours, and ask that business owner how it has actually performed, not how it looks. A developer who is proud of their work will hand you the link without hesitating.

The short version

None of these questions are about price. They are about what happens after you pay: who owns what, what it costs to leave, and who shows up when something goes wrong. A developer who answers all six without flinching is one you can trust with the thing that puts your phone number in front of customers. NutmegBuilds answers all six the same way, every time: you own it, there is no contract, and your number and reviews are always yours. If you want to hear it directly, a free call costs nothing and takes about twenty minutes.