The wrong agency costs you months and money. These 15 questions show you how an agency works before you sign.
The work and the dates
1. How long will it take, and what could slow it down?
A good answer names real risks, like late feedback or a change of plans. A date with no reasons behind it is a guess.
2. What happens when we change our minds?
Ask how a change is priced and how it moves the date. Get the answer in writing.
3. Who will do the work?
Ask to meet the people who will build your site. The person who sells it may not be the one who builds it.
The price and the contract
4. What does this price include?
Ask for a quote with one line for each item. Look for hosting, photos, moving your old pages and training. If something is not listed, ask about it.
5. When do I pay?
Ask what you pay and when. If you pay up front, ask what happens if the work is late or wrong. When you buy a Build from us, you pay the Price in your AI Plan up front. A build works to its written checklist, or we keep working at no charge.
6. What happens if it goes over budget?
One agreed price puts the risk on the agency. Paying by the hour puts it on you. Know which one you are signing.
7. How do I end the contract?
Ask what you keep if you leave. Ask what you would owe.
Who owns the work
8. Will I own the design, the code and the content?
Ask what you own and when. Get it in writing. For a Build you buy from us outright, the answer is yes. You own it when it launches: the code, the designs and every asset. In a Membership, the terms differ. Your domain, content and data are yours from day one. The code and accounts pass to you at payment 13.
9. Can another team take over the site later?
Ask what the site is built with. A site built on common tools is easier for someone else to pick up. A platform only the agency knows ties you to that agency.
10. What files and logins will I get?
Ask for the design files and the code. Ask for each login and a copy of your words and photos.
Help after launch
11. What happens after launch?
Ask how long support lasts, what it covers and what costs extra.
12. Who keeps the site updated?
Sites need updates. If the agency does not do them, ask who will.
13. How fast do you answer when the site is down?
Ask for a time in writing. Ask what counts as an emergency.
Red flags
14. Can I talk to recent clients?
A good agency has clients who will take your call. Call them.
15. Tell me about a project that went wrong.
Every agency has one. A straight answer shows they learn from it. A defensive answer shows they do not.
One more: look at their own website.
If their site is slow or broken, expect the same for yours.
Before you sign with an agency
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