Web Design in California

You should. Insist that the domain is registered in YOUR name (not the designer's), you hold the hosting account credentials, and the contract transfers full rights to the design and code on final payment. Designer-owned domains are the single most common lock-in trap in this industry.

A content management system (WordPress, Webflow, Shopify) lets you edit text, images and posts without a developer. If you'll update content more than a few times a year — blog, menus, listings — you need one. If the site is a static business card, skipping the CMS makes the site cheaper, faster and harder to hack.

Five that separate pros from dabblers: Can I see 3 live sites you built and still maintain? Who actually does the work — you or subcontractors? Will I own the domain, hosting and code? What's included in the price and what costs extra? What happens if I want changes after launch?

Distinguish two things: technical SEO basics (clean structure, fast loading, meta tags, sitemap, mobile-friendliness) should be included in any competent build. Ongoing SEO — content, keywords, link building — is a separate monthly service. A designer bundling 'SEO' vaguely into one price is worth interrogating.

Three price bands exist everywhere: DIY builders (Wix, Squarespace) at a monthly subscription, freelancers for custom small-business sites at a mid four-figure project price, and agencies at 2-4x freelancer rates with more process. The biggest cost driver is page count and custom functionality, not visual polish.

Typically $50-150/hr, with basic custom sites at $500-5,000 and small-business projects commonly landing at $2,000-10,000. Agencies start around $5,000-15,000 for comparable scope with more process and strategy.

Consumer-facing businesses — restaurants, retail, medical, services — are the main targets of serial plaintiffs, and settlements typically cost more than building accessibly would have. Ask for WCAG 2.1 AA and keep an accessibility statement page.