How to choose a web designer in Southampton and Hampshire

I’m a web designer in Southampton, so I’ll be upfront: I want you to hire me. But I’d rather you hired well. These are the questions I’d ask anyone, including me.

Arthur, ELMFOLD · Southampton · · 7 min read

Ten questions to ask

  1. Who will I actually talk to, and who builds it? The answers should be the same person or a clearly named team.
  2. Can I see sites you built that are live and selling? Not just mock-ups.
  3. Who writes the words? If it’s you, budget the time.
  4. Is the design from scratch or a theme? Both are fine; you should know which you’re paying for.
  5. Is the price fixed, in writing? And what would change it?
  6. How do payments work? A deposit and stages tied to approvals is normal.
  7. Who owns the site, domain and accounts? It should be you, in your name.
  8. What happens after launch? Who fixes things, for how long, and what does ongoing help cost?
  9. How will you protect my Google rankings? Ask about redirects if you have a site already.
  10. How many projects do you take at once? It tells you how much attention yours will get.

Local or remote?

A local designer is easy to meet, and some people value that. Most of the work happens in writing and in your browser either way, so the more important question is whether they understand your kind of business.

I’m in Southampton and work with businesses across Hampshire, the rest of the UK and the US, mostly in writing so nobody waits for a call.

X-ray your current siteFree, automatic, about a minute→

Red flags

  • No prices anywhere, and no willingness to give a range.
  • The domain or store registered in their name, not yours.
  • Reviews you can’t trace to real businesses.
  • “We’ll sort the words out later.”
  • Pressure to sign this week.

Questions people ask

How much does a website cost in Southampton?

It depends far more on who builds it than where they are. My websites start at £6,000 and online stores at £8,500, fixed in writing.

Do I need to meet my web designer in person?

Not necessarily. Clear writing, regular previews and fixed approvals matter more than meetings.

What’s the difference between a web designer and a developer?

A designer decides how it looks and works; a developer builds it. I do both, plus the words.

Want me to look at yours?

The free project plan takes about four minutes and gives you a written plan with a fixed price. You keep it whether or not we work together.

Ask me the ten questions See the service
More guides