7 Things to Check Before Paying for a Website

Before signing with a web agency — check these 7 points. Could save thousands and months of frustration.

A Checklist I Wish I Could Give Every Client BEFORE They Pay

In 20 years I've seen hundreds of cases where a business owner paid for a website and then came to me saying: "We need to redo everything." Not because the previous developer was malicious — but because the client didn't know what to ask and what to check before paying.

One of the most vivid examples — an engineering company director who'd paid an agency 3,500 euros. Got a website that looked OK. But after a year it turned out:

Google wasn't showing them — SEO hadn't been done at all
Mobile looked broken — nobody had tested it
Contact form had been silently broken for 3 months
Code and domain belonged to the agency — he couldn't leave

He was a hostage. And he's not the only one — I hear stories like this regularly.

That's why I created this checklist. If you're planning to order a website — read it before signing anything.

1. Is it clear what the website will DO for your business?

Not "look modern" — specifically: how many inquiries/month? How will you measure success? If the developer doesn't ask this in the first conversation — they're building a picture, not a business tool. Read more about the right approach.

2. Is SEO included — not just "SEO friendly"?

"SEO friendly" means nothing specific. Ask for details: unique meta title/description per page? Sitemap? Google Search Console? Speed optimization? If SEO is "extra" — that's a warning sign. SEO is a foundation, not an option.

3. Will you SEE the website BEFORE it goes live?

Good process: wireframe → design concepts → your approval → development → testing → handover. At each stage you should be able to influence the result. If someone promises "ready in 2 weeks" with no interim reviews — you'll get something different from what you imagined.

4. Is mobile a PRIORITY, not an afterthought?

65% of traffic is mobile. If the developer starts with desktop and "adapts later" — that's 2015 thinking. Modern is mobile-first. Bad mobile drives clients away faster than anything.

5. What about CONTENT?

Who writes text? Who prepares images? If the answer is "you'll send it" — honestly consider if you have the time and skill. Bad content in beautiful design = expensive packaging with nothing inside.

6. Who MAINTAINS it after handover?

Security updates, content changes, hosting, analytics — who does it? How much per month? If there's no maintenance plan — demand one BEFORE signing. I regularly see situations where six months later the client needs help but the developer stopped answering calls.

7. Do YOU own everything?

Domain, hosting, code, design files, CMS access — all YOURS? Can you take it to another developer? If not — you're a hostage. Demand a clear contract clause: after full payment, EVERYTHING belongs to the client.

Red Flags I've Learned to Spot

Proposal arrives same day — without any business research
Fixed price before understanding requirements
No mention of SEO, analytics, or mobile
No IP transfer clause in the contract
All portfolio examples look the same — one template, different colors
Developer can't show case studies with measurable results

The Main Principle

A website is a business investment. Treat it accordingly — clear goals, measurable results, the right partner.

Start with a free assessment.

FAQ

Do I really need to check all of these?

Yes. Each point exists because I've seen real cases where skipping it was costly.

What if the agency can't answer these questions?

Find another one. A serious partner answers all 7 clearly. If they can't — they're not ready for your project.