Before You Pay for a Website: The Contractor's Hidden-Fee Checklist
The questions to ask any web designer or agency before you sign — so a cheap quote doesn't turn into an expensive contract.
What's inside
- Ownership
- Up-front cost
- Monthly fees
- Contract & leaving
- Changes & updates
Website quotes are hard to compare. One company says $500, another says $3,000, another says "$0 down, just $299 a month." The real cost is usually hidden in who owns what, what you pay every month, and what happens if you ever want to leave. Ask every company these questions before you sign anything — and get the answers in writing.
Check your website quote
Step 1 of 6
Ownership
Go through the quote you got. For each question, tap how the company answered — or that you haven't asked yet.
Will the domain name (yoursite.com) be registered in my name, with login access I control?
Do I own the website itself — the design, text, and photos — or am I renting it?
If I leave, can I take the website with me to another host or designer?
Will my Google Analytics and Google Search Console accounts be set up in my name, with me as the owner?
Will you ask for ownership of my Google Business Profile? (The right answer: they should only ever need manager access — you stay the owner.)
Up-front cost
What exactly is included in the price — how many pages?
Is there a separate setup fee, design fee, or "onboarding" fee?
Is writing the text included, or do I have to write it myself?
Are photos included, or am I paying extra for stock photos?
Monthly fees
Is there a monthly fee? If yes, how much, and what exactly does it pay for?
Is hosting included? If not, what does hosting cost and who pays it?
What does the domain renewal cost each year, and who pays it?
Is the monthly fee locked in, or can it go up?
Contract & leaving
Is there a minimum contract length (6, 12, 24 months)?
What's the cancellation fee, if any?
What happens to my website if I stop paying? (If the answer is "it goes offline" or "we keep it," you're renting, not buying.)
Changes & updates
How much do changes cost after the site is live — new photos, new service, new phone number?
How fast do you make changes when I ask?
Can I make simple edits myself if I want to?
Does it actually get calls?
Is click-to-call on every page on mobile?
Will each of my main services get its own page?
Will the site name the towns I serve?
Is basic on-page SEO included (page titles, descriptions, Google submission)?
Is there a quote/contact form, and where do those leads go — my email, my phone, a CRM?
Can I see 2–3 live sites you've built for other contractors?
Red flags
- The domain is registered in their name
- The site disappears if you cancel
- "Free website" with a long monthly contract
- They won't show you real sites they've built
- Vague answers about what the monthly fee covers
- They want ownership of your Google Business Profile
Compare the real cost
Fill this in for every quote you get. The cheapest quote on day one is not always the cheapest after three years.
Real-cost calculator
Step 1 of 4
What's the up-front price on this quote?
Include any setup, design, or onboarding fee.
Is there a monthly fee?
Domain + hosting per year, if it's billed separately?
If you stop paying, do you keep the website?
The rest is free
Get the full checklist free
Want a straight answer to every question on this list?
Raid Contractor Marketing builds websites for home-service contractors at a flat $500 with no monthly fees, and you own everything. Ask us any of these questions —
Questions
Yes. No credit card, no trial, no catch. Enter your first name and email and the whole thing is yours.