What to prepare before you hire a developer

The best projects start before the first call. An hour of preparation gets you quotes that are faster and closer to the final price, fewer surprises along the way, and a result that fits your business. None of this needs technical knowledge.

1. Know what it's for

Write one sentence: what the website or app should do for your business. "Let customers book a grooming appointment without calling" is more useful to a developer than "a modern website". Then add who will use it and what they need to get done on their first visit. Everything else follows from this.

2. Split must-haves from nice-to-haves

List every feature you can think of, then move each one into one of two columns. Must-haves are what the business needs on launch day. Nice-to-haves can wait for a second version once you see how people use the first. This single step is the biggest lever you have on price and timing.

3. Collect examples

Find two or three websites or apps you like, from any industry, and note what you like about each: the layout, the booking flow, the tone, the colours. Examples say more than any description, and a few you dislike help too.

4. Gather your brand and content

Pull together your logo files, brand colours and any fonts you use. Draft the text for the main pages, even roughly; a developer can polish it, but only you know your business. Choose photos you own or are licensed to use. Content is the most common reason projects run late, so having it early saves time and money.

5. Find your accounts and logins

Make a list of where your domain is registered, where any current site is hosted, and the tools you already pay for. Check you can log in to each one. Keep these to yourself for now; a good developer will ask for access in a safe way when the work starts, and will never need your personal banking details.

6. Decide on a budget range and a timeline

You don't need an exact figure, but a range helps a developer suggest the right size of first version instead of guessing. Do the same for timing: note any real deadline, like an opening date or a season, and whether it can move. If you're not sure what's realistic, our website cost guide has typical ranges.

7. Pick a decision maker

Projects slow down when feedback comes from several people who disagree. Decide who gives feedback and signs off, and how quickly they can reply. A day or two turnaround keeps a project moving.

The checklist

• One sentence on what the website or app is for
• Who will use it, and the main thing they need to do
• Your must-have features, and a separate list of nice-to-haves
• Two or three sites or apps you like, and what you like about them
• Your logo, colours and fonts, if you have them
• Text for the main pages, even as a rough draft
• Photos you own or have the rights to use
• Logins for your domain, hosting and any current site
• The tools it needs to work with (booking, payments, email, accounting)
• A budget range you're comfortable with
• A target date, and whether it's fixed or flexible
• Who on your side makes decisions and gives feedback

Questions to ask any developer

• What exactly is included in the price, and what isn't?
• How and when do I pay? A deposit and payments tied to milestones you can see are a good sign.
• Who owns the code, design and content once it's paid for?
• How will I see progress before it's finished?
• What happens after launch? Is there a period of free fixes, and what does ongoing support cost?
• Can I see similar work or talk to a past client?
• What would you leave out of the first version, and why?

You can see how we answer these on our pricing and payment policy page.

Red flags

• A firm price before anyone has asked what the project is for.
• No written scope, or a scope that says "website" and little else.
• Full payment up front for a project that takes weeks.
• Unclear answers about who owns the finished work.
• Pressure to decide today.