web developer · tips · small business
How to Choose a Web Developer: 12 Questions to Ask Before Paying a Deposit
Twelve questions to assess a web design service before paying a deposit — domain and code ownership, year-two costs, guarantee, revisions, speed and support after launch.
This article is also available in Bahasa Indonesia
A good web developer can be recognised by their answers to simple questions: who owns the website when it is finished, what the following years cost, and what happens if something goes wrong after launch. The twelve questions below help you compare quotes fairly before paying a deposit.
We include PintuWeb's answer to each one, so you have a concrete point of comparison.
Ownership
1. Whose name will the domain be registered in? It should be yours or your business's. PintuWeb: once paid in full, the domain is entirely yours, together with its access.
2. Are the source code and hosting access handed over? Without the source code you cannot move to another provider. PintuWeb: once paid in full, the source code, admin access, hosting and domain are handed over in full.
Cost
3. What exactly is included in the price? Ask for the breakdown: design, number of pages, features, domain, hosting, SSL, basic SEO. PintuWeb: every package is itemised on the Pricing page.
4. What will year two and beyond cost? This is what most often surprises business owners. PintuWeb: domain & hosting renewal is around IDR 300,000–500,000 per year, stated up front.
5. How is payment structured? Staged payment protects both sides. PintuWeb: a 50% deposit, and the balance once the website is finished and you approve it.
Process
6. How many revisions are included, and what counts as one? PintuWeb: set by the package (for example, 2 design revisions in the Small Business Standard package); small changes are free during maintenance.
7. How long will it take, counted from when? PintuWeb: a landing page in 1–3 working days, a small business website in 3–5 working days, counted from receipt of the deposit and complete materials.
8. Can I see progress along the way? PintuWeb: you can open the preview yourself, and progress updates come over WhatsApp.
Quality
9. Can I open examples that are already live? Live examples are more honest than mock-up images. PintuWeb: 65 demos are open in our demo gallery.
10. How fast are their websites? Do not just take their word for it. Run one of their examples through PageSpeed Insights and see for yourself. PintuWeb: a PageSpeed score target of 90+ — a target, not an average claim.
11. Is basic SEO included? At minimum: page titles and descriptions, a sitemap, HTTPS, a heading structure and a mobile-friendly layout. PintuWeb: included in every website package, plus structured data.
After launch
12. What does the guarantee cover, and how does support work? Get it in writing: how many days, what is covered and how to report issues. PintuWeb: a 30-day bug-fix guarantee, then 1–6 months of maintenance depending on the package.
Red flags to watch for
| Red flag | Why it is risky |
|---|---|
| No mention of year-two costs | A cheap start can be followed by expensive renewals |
| Domain registered in the provider's name | Hard to move or take over the website |
| No examples you can open | The end result is hard to picture and judge |
| Full payment requested up front | You lose leverage if the result is not right |
| A promise of “guaranteed page one on Google” | Nobody can guarantee organic rankings |
Frequently asked questions
Freelancer or agency?
Both can be good. What matters is not the size of the team but the answers to the twelve questions above and work you can actually open.
Is a cheap service always bad?
Not always. A low price is fair for a simple website. Problems arise when a low price comes with a domain in the provider's name, no guarantee or unclear year-two costs.
What should be written in the quote?
Scope (pages and features), price and payment schedule, timeline, number of revisions, guarantee, renewal costs and cancellation terms.