Most website projects that go wrong do so for reasons you could have spotted before signing: a portfolio that does not hold up, a quote without a page list, or a domain registered in the developer's name.
This checklist shows how to choose a website development company in practical steps: how to check a portfolio, which speed and SEO basics to ask about, who must own the domain, hosting and files, what to agree about maintenance, which contract points to write down, and the red flags that mean you should walk away.
Quick answer: Shortlist three companies and send each the same written brief. Open their live sites on your own phone, ask how they handle speed and SEO basics, insist that the domain and hosting stay in your name and that source files are handed over, compare written quotes line by line, and agree on post-launch maintenance before you sign.
Check the portfolio properly
A portfolio page is a sales document. Treat it as a list of sites to check, not as proof of quality.
- Open the live sites. Are they still online, on the same design, and working? Dead links and abandoned sites tell you something.
- Use your phone. Many of your visitors will. Check menus, forms and click-to-call buttons on a small screen.
- Look for sameness. If three "custom" sites share the same layout, fonts and sections, they may be one theme with different logos.
- Check the page source. On WordPress sites, the source often shows the theme name in the theme folder path. A theme is fine when it is disclosed and priced as one.
- Test speed. Run two portfolio sites through PageSpeed Insights and read the mobile result.
- Speak to an owner. Ask one past client how changes and problems were handled after launch.
Speed and SEO basics to ask about
You do not need to be technical to ask these questions. You only need clear, specific answers.
| Ask | Why it matters | A clear answer includes |
|---|---|---|
| How will you keep pages fast on mobile? | Slow pages lose visitors, and Google measures loading, responsiveness and layout stability as Core Web Vitals. | Image compression, limited scripts, caching, and testing before launch. |
| Can I edit the title and meta description of each page? | Every page needs its own title and summary in search results. | Per-page fields in the admin panel, or a list they set during the build. |
| Will you set up an XML sitemap, robots.txt and Search Console? | These help Google find and index your pages. | Yes, with Search Console verified in your own Google account. |
| What happens to my old page addresses? | Changed addresses without redirects lose existing search visibility and break old links. | A list of old URLs mapped to new ones with 301 redirects. |
| Will you add structured data? | Schema markup helps search engines understand your business. | Organization or LocalBusiness schema where it fits, tested before launch. |
| How will enquiries be tracked? | You need to know which pages bring leads. | Analytics with form and call tracking, set up in your account. |
Google's guidance on Core Web Vitals explains the speed measures, and our website launch checklist lists what to verify before go-live.
Domain, hosting and source files: who owns what
- Domain: registered in your business name with your email, and the registrar login with you.
- Hosting: an account in your name, or documented admin access that you can take over.
- Website admin: an administrator login for you, separate from the developer's.
- Source files: the code, the database, and design files such as layouts and original images, handed over at completion.
- Licences: paid themes, plugins, fonts and stock images licensed to your business.
- Email and Google accounts: business email, Search Console and Analytics owned by you, with the developer added as a user.
Put this list in the contract. If a company resists any item on it, ask why before you go further.
Maintenance after launch
A website needs care after launch: software updates, backups, security patches, renewals and content changes. Agree on these before you sign:
- How long the bug-fix warranty lasts after launch, and what it covers.
- Who applies updates, and how often backups are taken and where they are stored.
- The monthly or yearly price of a care plan, and exactly what it includes.
- How content changes are requested, and the usual turnaround.
- What happens if the site goes down outside working hours.
Our website maintenance page shows what a care plan typically covers.
Contract points to put in writing
- Scope: a page list and a feature list, not "complete website".
- Milestones: payments tied to sign-offs such as design approval, development and launch.
- Revisions: how many design rounds are included.
- Content: who writes the text and supplies the photos, and by when.
- Acceptance: how you test and approve the site before launch.
- Timeline: dates, and which of them depend on you.
- Ownership: domain, hosting, files and licences, as listed above.
- Confidentiality: an NDA if you share business details.
- Billing: a GST invoice for every payment.
- Exit: what you receive if the project stops midway.
Red flags to walk away from
- A "custom design" that turns out to be a theme demo with your logo added, priced as bespoke work.
- Refusing to hand over source files, or saying the code belongs to the agency.
- Registering your domain in the developer's own name.
- A very low build price followed by an unexplained yearly renewal fee for the website itself.
- Promises of first-page Google rankings or a fixed number of leads.
- No written scope, or full payment demanded before work starts.
- No GST invoice, or reluctance to put anything in writing.
How EthicsComputer can help
Our website development packages start at ₹4,999 for a static site and ₹6,999 for a local business website with Google Maps setup, and from ₹18,000 for a professional site with 5–8 custom pages, typically delivered in 7–10 business days. Every project includes a mutual NDA, a written specification, milestone sign-off and full source code and IP handover on completion. For budgets, see our website development cost guide, and if you are weighing platforms, read WordPress vs custom website.
Want a website quote you can compare line by line?
Send your page list and goals, and we will reply with a written scope that answers the questions in this checklist.
About the author
Vinay Grover founded EthicsComputer in Rohtak, Haryana in 2018 and leads its cybersecurity, software and AI work for clients across India and abroad. EthicsComputer is ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO 20000-1 certified.
