Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Web Developer

Before you hire a web developer, ask these five questions: Will I own the website, code and accounts? What is the fixed price and what is excluded? How long will it take? How will the site be found on Google? And what happens after launch? The answers tell you almost everything about who you are about to work with.

A website is one of the few business purchases where the wrong choice can quietly cost you for years — in lost enquiries, in being locked into a platform, or in paying again to rebuild. The questions below are the ones we wish every business owner asked us, because the good answers are easy to give and the bad ones are easy to dodge.

1. Will I own everything — the website, code, content and accounts?#

This is the most important question to ask before hiring a web developer, and the one most often skipped. Some agencies build on platforms you can never leave, or keep your domain and hosting in their own accounts so you cannot move without starting over.

Our answer is simple: you own everything we build. Your code, content, domain and accounts stay in your name, with no lock-in. If you ever want to take it elsewhere, you can. Ask any developer this directly and watch how clearly they answer.

2. What is the fixed price, and what is not included?#

“It depends” is a fair starting point, but you should leave the first conversation with a real number and a clear scope. Ask what is included, what counts as an extra, and whether things like content loading, revisions or training cost more later.

We quote a fixed price upfront. Business websites start from R5,500 and e-commerce stores from R16,000, once-off (prices exclude 15% VAT, correct as of 2026). For a full breakdown of what drives the number up or down, read our guide on how much a website costs in South Africa, and see our transparent pricing.

3. How long will it take, and what could slow it down?#

A typical business website takes four to eight weeks depending on complexity. Be wary of anyone promising “a few days” for a serious site, and equally wary of vague open-ended timelines.

Ask what would slow the project down. The honest answer is usually content — photos, copy and product information from your side. A developer who tells you this upfront is setting you up to succeed, not making excuses in advance.

4. Will the website actually be found on Google?#

A beautiful site that no one can find is a cost, not an asset. Ask how the site is built for search: clean code, fast loading, proper page structure and basic on-page SEO from day one.

A fast, well-structured website is the foundation. Ranking on Google is then a marketing job, not a one-time setting you switch on.

If you want ongoing visibility, that is a separate, ongoing effort — see our SEO and digital marketing work. A good developer will be honest about where the build ends and marketing begins.

5. What happens after the website launches?#

Find out who you call when something breaks, what support costs, and whether you are free to maintain the site yourself. Avoid arrangements where you cannot make a small change without paying for it every time.

Our view is that support should be something you choose because it is useful, not because you are trapped. You can see how we run projects end to end on our how we work page.

A quick checklist to take into your first call#

Question	A good answer sounds like
Ownership	”You own the code, domain and accounts.”
Price	”Here is a fixed quote and what’s excluded.”
Timeline	”4–8 weeks; content from you is the variable.”
Google	”Built fast and SEO-ready; ranking is ongoing.”
After launch	”Support is optional, and you’re never locked in.”

The short version#

The best questions to ask before hiring a web developer are about ownership, fixed pricing, timelines, search visibility and after-launch support. Clear, confident answers are a good sign. Vague answers, platform lock-in or prices that only appear later are red flags worth walking away from.

If you want straight answers to all five questions for your specific project, tell us what you need and a real person will reply within one business day.