Hiring a web developer is one of the most important decisions a small business makes. It's also one of the easiest to get wrong.
I've been on both sides of this. I run WebDev Wales, building websites for small businesses in South Wales. But before that, I watched businesses around me get burned by developers who overpromised, underdelivered, or disappeared entirely.
Here's what I've learned about what to look for and what to avoid.
The red flags
"I'll build it in WordPress with a premium theme"
This isn't automatically a red flag, but it becomes one when the developer presents it as custom work and charges custom prices. If someone quotes you thousands for a WordPress site using a pre-built theme like Astra or Divi, you're paying for assembly, not development.
Ask directly: "Are you building this from scratch or using a theme?" Both are valid approaches, but the price should reflect which one you're getting.
No portfolio or only showing template demos
Every developer should be able to show you live websites they've actually built for real clients. Not mockups. Not template demos. Real, functioning websites with real businesses behind them.
If they can't provide at least three examples of work they've done, that's a problem. If the examples they show all look suspiciously similar, they're probably reskinning the same template.
Vague pricing with no breakdown
"It'll cost between two and five thousand" is not a quote. A proper quote breaks down what you're getting: how many pages, what functionality, what's included in the hosting, what happens after launch.
If a developer can't give you a clear, itemised quote after discussing your requirements, they either don't understand your project or they're planning to add costs later.
They don't ask about your business
A developer who jumps straight to talking about technology without understanding your business is building for themselves, not for you. Before any technical discussion, they should ask:
- What does your business do?
- Who are your customers?
- What do you want your website to achieve?
- How do people currently find you?
- What's working and what isn't with your current site?
If they don't ask these questions, they'll build something that looks nice but doesn't actually help your business grow.
No mention of SEO
If a developer builds you a beautiful website that nobody can find on Google, they've failed. Basic SEO should be built into every project from the start:
- Proper page titles and meta descriptions
- Fast loading speeds
- Mobile responsiveness
- Clean URL structure
- Image alt text
These aren't extras. They're fundamentals. If your developer treats SEO as an optional add-on, find someone else.
The green flags
They show you real results, not just designs
The best developers talk about what their websites achieved, not just how they look. Did enquiries increase? Did the business start ranking for local search terms? Did bounce rate drop?
Design matters, but results matter more. A slightly less flashy site that generates leads beats a stunning site that nobody visits.
They explain things without jargon
If your developer can't explain their approach in plain language, they either don't understand it themselves or they're trying to confuse you into paying more.
Good developers translate technical concepts into business terms. Instead of "we'll implement lazy loading for above-the-fold content optimisation," they'll say "we'll make your site load faster so visitors don't leave before it appears."
They talk about what happens after launch
A website isn't a one-off project. It needs maintenance, updates, and occasional changes. Before you hire anyone, understand:
- Who hosts the website and what does it cost?
- What happens if something breaks at 10pm on a Friday?
- How do you make content changes?
- What's the ongoing cost after the initial build?
- Do you own the code and domain, or are you locked into their platform?
Developers who avoid these questions are setting you up for a surprise later.
They have a clear process
Professional developers follow a structured process: discovery, design, development, review, launch. They'll set timelines, show you progress, and ask for your feedback at each stage.
If someone says "I'll have it ready in a couple of weeks" with no further detail, expect delays.
Questions to ask before hiring
Here's a checklist you can use when talking to potential developers:
- Can you show me three live websites you've built for similar businesses?
- Will this be built from scratch or using a template/theme?
- Can you give me an itemised quote with a clear breakdown?
- What's included in terms of SEO?
- How will the site perform on mobile?
- What's the expected PageSpeed score?
- Who owns the domain, hosting, and code after launch?
- What's the ongoing maintenance cost?
- What's your process and timeline?
- What happens if I want changes after launch?
Any developer worth hiring will answer all of these confidently and clearly. If they get defensive or evasive, that tells you everything.
The honest truth about pricing
In the UK in 2026, here's roughly what different levels of website cost:
- DIY website builder (Wix, Squarespace): Free to £20/month. Fine for a hobby, limited for a real business.
- WordPress with a premium theme: £500 to £1,500. You get a functional site quickly. Limited customisation.
- Custom-built website: £2,000 to £10,000+. Built specifically for your business. Better performance, better SEO, more flexibility.
The cheapest option isn't always the worst, and the most expensive isn't always the best. What matters is that the price matches what you're actually getting, and that you understand the trade-offs.
Final thought
The developer you hire will shape how your business appears to every potential customer who finds you online. Take the time to ask the right questions, check their previous work, and make sure they understand your business before they start building.
A good developer is an investment. A bad one is a very expensive mistake.
Jack Warner is the founder of WebDev Wales, a web development studio based in South Wales. He builds modern, fast websites for small and medium businesses using Next.js and specialises in helping Welsh businesses establish a strong online presence.
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