Search for "web design companies" and you will find hundreds of results, from freelancers to large agencies. They all promise "modern design" and "SEO". The difference shows after you pay: who picks up the phone, who holds your passwords, how much each change costs.
We are writing this after 21 years and 600+ projects, many of which were fixes to websites someone else had built. The problems we see keep repeating, and almost all of them could have been avoided with the right questions before signing.
The 12 questions you should ask
1. Who will own the domain?
The domain (e.g. yourbusiness.gr) must be registered in your own name or under your own tax ID. If the company registers it in its own name, the day you want to leave you will need its consent to take it. This is the most common trap we see.
2. Will I have the admin passwords?
You should have an administrator account on your site and access to the hosting, or at least the ability to get a full backup. If the answer is "you don't need it, we'll handle it", ask for it in writing anyway.
3. What platform will it be built on?
WordPress, Shopify or "our own system"? Open systems such as WordPress are used by thousands of developers, so you don't depend on any single one. A company's closed system means that if it shuts down or gets more expensive, you start from scratch.
4. What exactly does the price include?
How many pages, who writes the texts, how many rounds of changes, whether the domain, hosting, SSL, email, forms, map and a second language are included. A low price that doesn't include texts and hosting often ends up more expensive than a higher one that includes everything. See in detail what a website costs in 2026.
5. How much does it cost each year after that?
Ask about the second year: hosting, domain renewal, updates, support. Some charge little for the build and a lot for maintenance. A reasonable cost for a small business is around €100 a year for domain and hosting, and from €50 a month if you want maintenance that includes changes.
6. How long until it's ready?
Ask for a specific date from the moment you hand over your material. With today's AI tools, a business presentation website takes a few days. If they say "two to three months" for a simple site, something is wrong with how they are organised.
7. Can I see real, live projects?
Not just images in a portfolio: ask for links to sites that are online today. Open them on your phone. Do they load quickly? Can you find the phone number with one tap? See, for example, our own projects by industry.
8. Do they have reviews from real clients?
Reviews on a Google Business Profile are hard to "fake". Read the negative ones too, and above all how the company replied.
9. What SEO is done, specifically?
"We do SEO" means nothing. Ask: will every page have its own title and description? Will it be connected to Google Search Console? Will schema markup be added? Will it be fast on mobile? These are the basics that should be included in the price.
10. Will ChatGPT and Gemini find me too?
More and more customers first ask an AI "who does a good job at…". A properly built site has a clean structure, answers to frequently asked questions and business details that machines can read. More in the article how to get ChatGPT to recommend you.
11. Who will pick up the phone if the site goes down?
Ask for a name and a phone number, not just a support form. Ask how quickly they respond and whether support is charged.
12. How does payment work?
The usual and fair arrangement is 50% at the start and 50% on delivery. Avoid paying the full amount upfront, and always ask for an invoice or receipt.
Warning signs
- They won't give you a written quote stating what is included.
- The domain will be registered "temporarily" in their name.
- They can't show you live projects.
- They promise "first place on Google in a month".
- The price is very low, but every change afterwards is charged separately.
Large agency, freelancer or small team?
Large agency: many specialists, but expensive and often slow for small businesses. Freelancer: cheap and flexible, but if they fall ill or stop working, you are left without support. Small, experienced team: usually the best balance for a business that wants a proper result, a reasonable price and someone who answers.
How we work
At WebDragon the domain is always registered in the client's name, and we provide admin access and a written quote listing everything included. Website design starts from €250, delivered in 3 days, and an e-shop from €700, with the domain and hosting free for the first year. If you'd like to ask us the 12 questions, call us on +30 213 010 5653.
