Checklist: What to Check Before Hiring a Web Developer

Hiring a web developer without preparing first is one of the most common, and most expensive, mistakes small businesses make. The typical result: a missed deadline, a scope that "grew" without any agreement, features that fell by the wayside and a website that is not quite what was promised.

This checklist is meant to prevent exactly that. It is split into four stages: before you contact anyone, while you assess candidates, in the contract and after delivery.

Before You Contact Anyone

Many web projects go wrong because the client was not clear about what they wanted before hiring. Decide internally:

• Concrete goals: should the site generate enquiries, sell products, present services or build authority?
• Target audience: who are the ideal visitors? Which devices do they use?
• Required pages and features: a list of the essential pages and the features you cannot do without (for example online booking, chat, a client area)
• A realistic budget: a clear range helps the professional propose suitable solutions
• Deadline: is there an important date (product launch, event, campaign)?
• Autonomy: do you want to update content yourself, or would you rather outsource maintenance?

While Assessing the Professional

Portfolio

• Are there at least 3 finished projects with working links?
• Is there a project in your sector, or with similar challenges?
• Do the portfolio sites load fast and work well on a phone?
• Is the design professional, or generic?

Technology

• Which technologies do they use, and why? (Can they explain the choice simply?)
• Do they use WordPress, plain HTML/CSS/JS or something else?
• Do they hand over the source code at the end?

Way of Working

• How do they gather requirements before starting?
• What are the project stages, and what do you receive at each one?
• How many rounds of revisions are included?
• How do they handle changes of scope during the project?

Communication

• Do they reply within 24 hours in the first exchanges?
• Do they explain technical concepts in a way you understand?
• Do they ask smart questions about your business before quoting a price?

In the Contract

Never go ahead without a written contract. The essentials:

• Detailed scope: a list of pages, features and what is explicitly excluded
• Payment milestones: never 100% upfront. A common structure is 30% at the start, 40% when the design is approved and 30% on final delivery
• Deadlines with specific dates: and responsibilities on both sides (for example, you have 5 days to approve each delivery)
• Code ownership: who owns the delivered code?
• Number of revision rounds: how many changes are included before extra costs apply?
• Post-launch support: 30 days of bug fixes is the reasonable minimum
• Maintenance plan: is there an optional monthly maintenance service?

After Delivery

Before you mark the project as finished, check:

• Does the site load correctly on iOS (Safari) and Android (Chrome)?
• Do all forms send and arrive correctly?
• Do all internal and external links work?
• Is the PageSpeed Insights score acceptable (at least 70)?
• Is Google Analytics recording visits correctly?
• Has the site been submitted to Google Search Console?
• Did you receive the access credentials (hosting, domain, FTP/Git, CMS)?
• Did you receive training or documentation to manage the content?

The 20-Point Summary

1. Site goals defined internally
2. Target audience and devices identified
3. List of required pages and features
4. Budget and deadline set before asking for a quote
5. Portfolio with 3+ real projects and working links
6. A project similar to yours in the portfolio
7. Portfolio sites tested on mobile
8. Technology explained in simple terms
9. Source code included in the delivery
10. Project stages and deliverables documented
11. Number of revision rounds defined
12. References or contacts from previous clients
13. Written contract with detailed scope
14. Payment milestones (never 100% upfront)
15. Code ownership defined in the contract
16. 30 days of post-delivery support included
17. Tested on iOS and Android before final acceptance
18. Forms and links verified
19. Google Analytics set up and tested
20. Access credentials received and documented

My web development services include a detailed contract and documented deliveries in every plan, with training and 30 to 60 days of post-launch support from the Professional plan upward. You can see how the process works, then get in touch through the form or WhatsApp for a transparent quote with no surprises.