What should you decide before contacting agencies?
Agencies can only quote accurately against a clear brief. Before you contact anyone, write down what the website must achieve, who it is for, roughly how many pages it needs, which features matter (bookings, payments, integrations), who will write the content, your budget range and your deadline. A one-page brief is enough.
For realistic budgets, see our guide to website design costs in the UK. If you are unsure what kind of build you need, our website development page explains the main options.
- Goal: more enquiries, online sales, recruitment or credibility, and how you will measure it.
- Must-have features versus nice-to-haves.
- Content: who writes the copy and provides photos, which often decides the timeline.
- Budget: a range, so agencies can propose a sensible scope rather than guess.
What criteria matter most when comparing agencies?
Look for relevant, live work you can test yourself, a clear process, technical standards (speed, SEO foundations, accessibility), honest pricing, and a support arrangement after launch. Size matters less than fit: a freelancer may suit a small brochure site, while a larger build with integrations usually needs a team with broader skills.
| Criterion | What to look for | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Relevant work | Live sites similar in size and purpose to yours | Visit them on your phone and run PageSpeed Insights |
| Process | Discovery, design sign-off, staging site, testing | Ask them to walk you through a recent project |
| Technical standards | Fast, accessible, search-friendly builds | Ask how they meet Core Web Vitals and WCAG 2.2 AA |
| Transparency | Itemised quote and clear assumptions | Compare what each quote includes and excludes |
| Aftercare | Defined support, updates and response times | Ask for the maintenance terms in writing |
Which questions should you ask a web design agency?
Good questions reveal how an agency actually works. Ask who will do the work, which platform they recommend and why, how they handle SEO and redirects, what happens if the project overruns, what is included after launch, and how you can leave them later with everything you need. Vague answers are a warning sign.
- Who will design and build the site: in-house staff or subcontractors?
- Why do you recommend this platform for us, and what are its downsides?
- How do you protect search rankings if we are replacing an existing site?
- How do you test accessibility, speed and security before launch?
- How many rounds of design changes are included, and how are extra changes charged?
- What does support cost after launch, and is it optional?
- If we move to another provider, what will you hand over?
Who should own the domain, hosting and code?
Your business should own its domain name, hosting account (or have it transferable), website content, design files and, for custom work, the code or a clear licence to use it. Get this in writing. Under UK copyright law, the creator usually owns copyright unless the contract assigns it, so ownership terms matter.
- Register the domain in your company's name, with logins you control.
- Ask for admin access to the CMS, hosting and analytics from day one.
- Check whether the theme, plugins or fonts carry licences that must be renewed.
- Confirm in the contract that copyright in bespoke work passes to you on final payment.
What red flags should you watch for?
Be cautious of guaranteed first-page Google rankings, prices far below every other quote without explanation, no written contract, reluctance to show live work, domains registered in the agency's name, long lock-in contracts for hosting, and any offer to buy reviews or links. These usually lead to problems later.
- Ranking guarantees: no one can honestly guarantee positions in Google.
- No discovery stage: a fixed price before anyone has asked about your business.
- Proprietary lock-in: a closed platform you cannot move away from without rebuilding.
- Fake social proof: fake or incentivised reviews are banned under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
- Pressure selling: discounts that expire today.
How do you compare website quotes fairly?
Put quotes side by side against the same brief and list what each includes: number of page designs, content writing, SEO setup, redirects, accessibility testing, training, hosting and support. The cheapest quote often excludes items that others include. As a typical UK market guide, small business sites cost £1,500–£5,000 excluding VAT.
| Type of project | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Template-based starter site (up to 5 pages) | £500–£1,500 |
| Small business or brochure site (5–15 pages) | £1,500–£5,000 |
| Bespoke custom-designed site | £8,000–£30,000+ |
| Ecommerce on Shopify or WooCommerce | £3,000–£15,000 |
| Website maintenance (basic) | £30–£100 per month |
These are indicative UK market ranges, not a Freehand HQ quote. Check whether each quote is shown including or excluding VAT.
What should a web design contract cover?
A good contract states the scope, deliverables, timeline, payment stages, how change requests are priced, who supplies content, acceptance testing, ownership and licences, data protection responsibilities, support terms, and how either side can end the agreement. If the agency will handle personal data on your behalf, UK GDPR requires a written processing agreement.
Your finished site will also need to meet UK legal requirements, such as showing your company details, a privacy notice and cookie consent where needed. Ask the agency how they handle these, and whether they will build in SEO-friendly website design foundations as standard. Our SEO-friendly website checklist is a useful list to hand them.