The 5 Critical Questions to Ask Any Web Designer (Reddit Must-Asks + Expert Additions)

The 5 critical questions to ask any web designer before you sign — Reddit must-asks plus expert additions from a Vancouver, BC web design and SEO agency.

Quick Answer

Ask any web designer these five before signing: (1) Can I visit 3 live client sites you built recently? (2) Who owns the domain, hosting, and CMS after launch? (3) What's included and what's explicitly out of scope in this price? (4) What's your typical mobile Lighthouse score? (5) What happens after launch — support, maintenance, and pricing? Reddit's r/smallbusiness and r/webdev return to these five in every hiring thread.

Web Design

Quick answer: the 5 critical questions

Question 1 — Can I visit 3 live client sites you built recently?

Not Dribbble mockups, not Figma files, not 'concept work' — three URLs of real launched businesses you can visit right now on desktop and mobile. Then load each through Google PageSpeed Insights. If the average mobile score is under 60, that's the quality you'll receive. According to a 2024 Web Almanac report, the median mobile Lighthouse Performance score across small business sites globally is 42 — a competent designer should be shipping 80+.

Question 2 — Who owns the domain, hosting, and CMS after launch?

The correct answer is you — always. The domain should be registered in your business name. Hosting should be on an account you control. CMS admin credentials should be handed over on launch day. Reddit's r/smallbusiness is full of horror stories where the designer 'made it easy' by registering everything under their own account, then held the entire web presence hostage when the relationship ended. Cloud Peak Solutions puts everything in the client's name on day one — non-negotiable.

Question 3 — What's included and what's explicitly out of scope?

Ask for a written scope document with two columns: 'included' and 'not included.' Included should cover: number of pages, revision rounds, copywriting, on-page SEO, analytics setup, hosting for year one, SSL, launch QA, and post-launch support window. Not included might be: additional pages, copywriting from scratch, brand identity, custom integrations, ongoing SEO. Related reading: What's Included in a Professional Website Design Package.

Question 4 — What's your typical mobile Lighthouse score?

A competent modern designer should confidently name a number — 80+, 85+, 90+. If they've never heard of Lighthouse or say 'scores don't matter,' walk away. Over 65% of small business traffic in Canada comes from phones, and Google's Core Web Vitals directly affect search rankings. According to Google's own research, 53% of mobile users abandon a site that takes more than 3 seconds to load. Speed is not optional in 2026.

Question 5 — What happens after launch?

Ask: what's the post-launch bug fix window (30 days is standard), what does monthly maintenance include and cost, who handles security updates and backups, and what happens when I need to add a page or feature 6 months from now? Every Cloud Peak Solutions package includes 30 days of free post-launch fixes plus a clear monthly maintenance plan — no surprise bills.

Bonus expert additions Reddit doesn't emphasize enough

Numbered list. (1) How do you handle SEO during the build — on-page checklist, schema markup, Search Console setup? (2) Do you build on standard platforms I can take elsewhere later (WordPress, Webflow, standard React) or a proprietary CMS? (3) What's the payment schedule — 100% upfront is a red flag; 50/50 or milestone-based is standard. (4) What's your communication cadence during the project — weekly updates or radio silence? (5) Do you have references I can actually call?

Red flag answers to watch for

Bulleted warning list. Vague pricing ('depends on what you need'). Refusing to name past clients. No written scope document. 100% payment demanded upfront. Domain to be registered in agency name 'to make it simpler.' No mention of mobile testing. 'We use our own custom CMS' (translation: you can never leave). Guaranteeing page-one Google rankings. If two or more show up, keep looking.

How to actually verify their answers

After the sales call, do three things. (1) Visit those 3 client URLs on your phone with mobile data. (2) Run each through pagespeed.web.dev and check mobile scores. (3) Search the designer's business name plus 'reddit' or 'review' on Google. Real work leaves real traces. See our launched Canadian small business work in the portfolio. Related reading: What Red Flags Should I Watch for When Hiring a Web Designer.

How Cloud Peak Solutions answers these five

We publish live client URLs in our portfolio. Domains, hosting, and CMS always stay in the client's name. Every proposal comes with a written scope, itemized inclusions, and out-of-scope items called out explicitly. Our launched sites consistently pass Google's Core Web Vitals thresholds on mobile. Post-launch we include 30 days of free fixes plus flat monthly maintenance in our Premium and Enterprise packages. For a written scope on your project, contact us for a free strategy call.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a professional small business website cost in Canada?

Most small business websites in Canada cost between $1,500 and $8,000 for a one-time build, or $23–$95 per month on a managed plan. See our current packages for exact pricing.

How long does it take to build a new website?

A typical small business website takes 2–4 weeks from kickoff to launch. Larger custom builds with e-commerce or booking systems usually take 4–8 weeks.

Do you handle hosting and ongoing maintenance?

Yes. Every Cloud Peak Solutions plan includes hosting, SSL, backups, security updates, and monthly content edits so your site stays fast and secure.

About the Author

This article was written by the team at Cloud Peak Solutions, a Vancouver-based web design and digital marketing agency helping small businesses across Canada and the US get more customers online through professional web design, local SEO, and Google Business Profile management. Learn more at cloudpeak.solutions.

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Cloud Peak Solutions offers free strategy calls for small businesses across Canada and the US.