You can recognise the right web developer before you ever see a design, from three things: they ask about your business before quoting a price, they give you a written deliverables list, and they leave you owning the domain, the hosting and the code. If any one of those is missing, the risk sits with you.
Most bad experiences with websites do not start with bad code. They start with a vague agreement.
Want a second opinion on a quote you already have? Send us the quote and we will tell you what is missing from it — free, and with no expectation that you work with us.
Table of Contents
Before you start looking: write your brief
Most problems are solved by one page of text, written before the first phone call.
What it should contain:
- What your business does, in two sentences.
- What you want a visitor to do (call, submit a form, order, book).
- Roughly how many pages you imagine, and which ones.
- Two or three sites you like, and why.
- What you already have: logo, copy, photographs.
- When you want it live, and why then.
- A budget range.
That last one worries people. In practice, hiding your budget produces quotes that cannot be compared to each other. Give a range, not an exact figure.
If you do not know what is realistic, our detailed guide to website costs in Greece has tables by project type. For an online store, see e-shop costs.
Freelancer or agency?
There is no right answer in general. There is a right answer for the size and risk of your particular project.
| Freelancer | Small studio | Large agency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | Lower | Middle | Higher |
| Communication speed | Direct | Direct | Via a project manager |
| Continuity risk | High (one person) | Medium | Low |
| Breadth of skills | Narrow | Broad | Full |
| Post-launch support | Depends on availability | Usually contracted | Contracted with an SLA |
| Suits | Simple sites, landing pages | Corporate sites, e-shops | Complex builds, ERP, integrations |
The practical rule: if the website is your main sales channel, do not put the whole build in the hands of one person with no backup. If it is a presence and a business card, a freelancer covers it comfortably.
How to read a portfolio properly
A nice screenshot tells you nothing. Three things do.
1. Open the sites, do not look at images. Many portfolios show work that no longer exists or has since changed hands.
2. Test them on a phone. Open three projects on mobile. If they scroll sideways or the buttons are tiny, yours will too.
3. Measure the speed. Run two or three of them through Google PageSpeed Insights. You do not need to understand every metric — if they all come back red on mobile, that is a pattern.
And one question that separates people quickly: “Which part of this project did you do?” On team projects, the answer is revealing.
The 12 questions to ask before signing
Ask everyone the same questions. The answers are your real comparison tool.
On scope
- What exactly does the price include, as a list of deliverables?
- Who writes the copy and who sources the photographs?
- How many rounds of revisions are included, and what does the next one cost?
- Is baseline SEO included — titles, structure, speed, schema?
On the technical side
- Which platform will it be built on, and why that one?
- Will I be able to change text and images myself?
- What mobile loading speed are you committing to?
- How are backups taken and where are they stored?
On the relationship
- Who is my point of contact, and what is their response time?
- What happens if I am the one who is late sending material?
- What does maintenance cost from year two?
- Will the domain, hosting and accounts be in my name?
The twelfth matters most. The answer should be a clean “yes”, with no explanation attached.
Who owns the site?
This is where most businesses get locked in. Ask for four things to be stated explicitly in the contract.
| Asset | Who should own it | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | You, in your own name | Without it you are nowhere |
| Hosting | You, with your own credentials | Otherwise you cannot leave |
| Code & content | You, on final payment | Especially if you paid for custom design |
| Accounts (Analytics, Search Console, Business Profile) | You as owner | The provider joins as a manager |
Your provider can absolutely administer all of it. The point is that you can revoke their access without losing your business.
Not sure what your contract says? Send it to us for a free read. We will flag only the clauses that tie you in.
The 8 red flags
- Quoting a price on the first call, without asking anything about your business.
- Promising first place on Google by a specific date. Nobody can guarantee that.
- No written quote with a breakdown — just a total in a message.
- Asking for 100% upfront. Normal is 30–50% to start.
- Registering the domain in their own name “for convenience”.
- No mention of maintenance or year-two costs at all.
- Replying in days already at the quoting stage. After signing it gets worse.
- A price far below everyone else’s. Something is excluded — find out what.
None of these necessarily means bad intent. They do mean you need to ask more before proceeding.
What a proper quote contains
A serious quote fits in two or three pages and covers:
- Scope: a list of pages and features, with numbers.
- What is not included: just as important as what is.
- A timeline with milestones, and what is needed from you at each one.
- Payment terms: instalments tied to deliverables.
- Rights and access after handover.
- Defect warranty: usually 30–90 days of free bug fixing.
- Maintenance cost from year two.
If “what is not included” is missing, ask for it. That line determines whether surprise costs appear later.
Is funding available for a website?
Periodically yes, through digitisation schemes for small and medium businesses. The terms change with each round, so the check happens at the moment you are interested.
The critical rule stays the same: do not start spending before approval. See what currently applies in our guide to ESPA funding for websites and e-shops.
Frequently asked questions
What should a website cost?
A 5–8 page corporate site typically runs €800–€1,800; one with a blog and multiple languages €1,800–€3,500. The full ranges are in the cost guide.
Does the developer need to be in my city?
Not technically. It helps if you need on-site photography, staff training, or simply prefer meeting face to face.
How long does a typical project take?
Three to five weeks for a corporate site, six to ten for an e-shop. Delays usually come from copy, not development.
What do I do if I am already stuck with a bad provider?
Request access to domain, hosting and backups in writing. With those in hand, moving to a new provider takes days.
Do I need a maintenance contract?
If the site has forms, payments or personal data, yes. Security updates are not optional.
The five-minute checklist
Before saying yes to any quote, confirm five things:
- I have a written deliverables list.
- I know what is excluded.
- The domain and hosting will be in my name.
- I know what year two costs.
- I have opened at least three of the provider’s live projects on a phone.
If all five are yes, your risk has already dropped sharply.
And once the site is live, the next job is visibility. Start with our guide to local SEO and Google Business Profile.
Next step Book a free project scoping meeting with the team at The Dev Alley. We will listen to what you need and tell you honestly whether it fits your budget.
