Choosing a web designer feels like a gamble. You have heard the horror stories: someone pays thousands of dollars, waits months, and ends up with a website that looks like it was built in 2015. Or worse, the designer disappears.
Here is how to find the right person without getting burned.
Look at Their Own Website First
If a web designer's own website is slow, ugly, or hard to navigate, that tells you everything. Their site is their best work under no client constraints. If it is not impressive, yours will not be either.
Ask About What Happens After Launch
Building a website is the easy part. Maintaining it is where most designers fail you. Before you sign anything, ask:
- Who handles updates after launch?
- What does ongoing maintenance cost?
- Who owns the website files and domain?
- What happens if I want to leave?
If they cannot answer these clearly, walk away.
Demand a Timeline in Writing
"A few weeks" is not a timeline. Get a specific launch date in writing. At MayhemTBD, most sites launch in under 7 days. If someone tells you 8-12 weeks for a small business website, they are either overcommitted or overcomplicating it.
Check for Hidden Costs
Some designers quote a low price and then charge extra for hosting, SSL certificates, email setup, SEO, mobile responsiveness, and content changes. Ask for an all-in price that includes everything you need for the first year.
Ask If They Know Your Industry
A bakery website and a law firm website have completely different requirements. If your business is in a regulated industry, your designer needs to understand the content requirements that apply to your field. A pretty design that violates advertising rules is worse than no design at all.
Red Flags
- No portfolio. If they cannot show you real work, they do not have any.
- Vague pricing. "It depends" without a range is a negotiation tactic, not honesty.
- No contract. A handshake deal protects nobody. Get everything in writing.
- They do not mention mobile. In 2026, over 60% of web traffic is mobile. If mobile is not the first thing they talk about, they are behind.
- They want to "own" your domain. You should always own your domain name. Period.
What Good Looks Like
A good web designer shows you their work, gives you a clear price, delivers on time, and sticks around after launch. They ask questions about your business before they talk about design. They explain things in plain English. And they make you feel like you are hiring a partner, not a vendor.
That is exactly how we work at MayhemTBD. If you want to see what an honest, transparent web design process looks like, let us have a conversation. No pressure, no pitch. Just a real person who wants to help.