Start with ownership of the essentials
Before signing, ask who owns the domain name, which account it will be registered in, and how you can access or transfer it later. Your website domain is part of your trading identity. Also ask who controls hosting, design files and content. A monthly managed service may include licensing or platform restrictions; those terms are not inherently wrong, but they should be explained in plain English before you commit.
Separate build costs from ongoing service
Request a written breakdown of design, hosting, routine updates, security maintenance, support, domain renewal and any paid integrations. For a decorator, a useful enquiry form or project gallery may be included in one quotation and treated as additional work in another. Make sure prices, payment dates, cancellation conditions and what happens after termination are explicit. Do not compare two website quotes by the headline amount alone.
Check what actually gets delivered
Ask how many pages are included, whether you supply project photographs and text, who writes the content and who checks the site on mobile. Agree how many rounds of revisions are reasonable, who approves the final version and whether testing includes the contact form, telephone links and analytics. A website that looks polished but drops enquiries is not a satisfactory handover.
Protect your existing visibility
If you already have a decorating website, ask the designer to inventory current URLs, map old pages to replacements and preserve useful content. Where addresses change, agree appropriate redirects. Confirm who handles search-console access and basic SEO metadata; never accept a guarantee of first place in Google. A redesign can improve the site, but migration mistakes can make existing pages temporarily disappear from search.
Get the exit process in writing
Ask how much notice is required, what files and data can be exported, and whether email addresses depend on the same provider. Check the contract for ownership, intellectual-property licence, reasonable support response terms and fees for extra work. This is a commercial checklist, not legal advice; obtain independent advice if a clause is unclear or the commitment is significant.
Questions to send before signing
A practical email to a provider could ask: “Will I control the domain account? Is the price for design only or does it include hosting and updates? Who writes and owns the text and image assets? How many revision rounds are included? What happens to email and enquiries if the agreement ends? Can I receive an export or migration assistance?” Keep the replies with the contract so assumptions are not left to memory.
For a decorating business, also ask to see the planned service pages and the exact route of an enquiry form submission. If prospective customers can attach photographs, establish how files are stored, who can read them and how they are deleted. Never rely on a verbal promise about “unlimited changes” without understanding reasonable scope, approval times or exclusions.
- Get scope, ongoing charges and exclusions in writing.
- Clarify rights to the domain, copy and project images.
- Check lead handling and any file-upload arrangements.
Further reading
Related guide: How Much Does a Painter and Decorator Website Cost in the UK?
Related guide: What Should a Painter and Decorator Website Package Include?