The best website projects start before the first call. Knowing what to prepare before hiring a web designer saves weeks, keeps the budget under control and gets you a site that works for your business. Here’s a simple checklist you can work through in an afternoon.
The short version
Know your goal, your customers and your budget.
Everything else on this list helps, but these three make the biggest difference.
Book a callWhy preparing before hiring a web designer matters
A web designer can only quote accurately when they understand what you need. The clearer you are at the start, the more precise the price and the fewer surprises later.
It also speeds things up. The most common delay in a website project isn’t design or code — it’s waiting for content and decisions. I explain this in how long it takes to build a website.
The checklist: what to prepare before hiring a web designer
1. Your goal
What should the website do for your business? More phone calls, online bookings, quote requests or sales? Pick one main goal. Every page will be designed to move visitors towards it.
2. Your customers
Who are they, and what do they need to know before they buy? Write down the questions you answer on the phone every week. Those questions are some of the best content your website can have.
3. Your budget
A rough range is enough. It helps the designer suggest what fits instead of guessing. If you’re not sure what’s realistic, my website price guide explains what drives the cost.
4. Your timeline
Is there a date the website needs to be live by — a launch, a busy season or an event? Mention it early, so the plan works backwards from it.
5. The pages you think you need
A quick list is fine: home, services, about, contact, maybe a page per service or location. Your designer will help you refine it, but a starting point makes the first conversation faster.
6. Your texts
Rough drafts are perfectly fine. If you’d rather not write them, decide early who will — you, someone on your team or a copywriter — because content is what most often holds a launch back.
7. Photos and logo
Real photos of your work, team and place build more trust than stock images. Gather your logo files too, ideally in the original format. If you don’t have a logo or brand yet, that usually comes first — see Brand & logo.
8. Websites you like (and don’t)
Two or three examples of each, with a sentence on why. They don’t need to be from your industry. This tells a designer more about your taste than any description.
9. Access to your accounts
Find the logins for your domain, hosting, current website, Google Business Profile and analytics. Check that they’re in your name: your domain and website should always belong to you, not to whoever built them.
10. One person who decides
Choose one person to give feedback and make the final call. Feedback from many people is useful; decisions by committee slow everything down.
Your website project checklist
Save this list and tick it off before your first call:
- One main goal for the website
- Who your customers are and the questions they ask
- A rough budget range
- Any deadline the site needs to meet
- A first list of pages
- Draft texts, or a decision on who writes them
- Real photos and your logo files
- 2–3 websites you like and 2–3 you don’t
- Logins for your domain, hosting and current site
- One person who gives feedback and decides
What you don’t need to prepare
Don’t let preparation become a reason to wait. You don’t need:
- A detailed design brief or technical specification
- Final, polished texts
- A sitemap or wireframes
- To know which platform or tools to use — though if you’re curious, here are the most popular website builders
What happens on the first call
Bring whatever you have. I’ll ask about your goal, your customers and your budget, fill in the gaps with you, and come back with a plan, dates and a clear quote. Bring your own questions too — here are 10 questions to ask a web designer before you hire them.
Frequently asked questions
What should I prepare before hiring a web designer?
Start with your goal, your customers and your budget. If you can, add a deadline, a first list of pages, draft texts, photos, examples of websites you like and access to your domain and hosting.
Do I need to write all the website content myself?
No. Rough drafts are enough to start, and your designer can help shape them. If you want all the content written for you, mention it early, as it adds time and cost.
What if I don’t know my budget yet?
That’s common. A website designed and built by me starts at €2,000, and the price guide explains what makes it cost more or less. A short call can help you find a realistic range.
Do I need a logo before I get a website?
It helps, because the website’s look is built around your brand. If you don’t have one yet, it’s usually best to create the logo and visual identity first, then the website.
Who should own the domain and hosting?
You should. Keep them in your own name and accounts, and give your designer access when needed. That way the website always stays yours.
Ready to start your website?
You don’t need everything on this list to book a first call. Bring what you have, and we’ll work out the rest together.
