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How to Choose a Web Development Partner (Without Getting Burned)

Hiring the wrong agency can cost you 6 figures and years of frustration. Here's the vetting framework we wish clients used before meeting us.

WPAgency.xyz · 11 min read

How to Choose a Web Development Partner (Without Getting Burned)

We’ve inherited dozens of failed projects. Every one started the same way:

“We hired an agency. They seemed great at first…”

Here’s what went wrong and how to avoid it.

The Red Flags (From Real Stories)

Red Flag #1: “We Can Build That in 2 Weeks”

The story: A SaaS company needed a marketing site rebuilt. Agency A quoted 2 weeks, $8K. Agency B quoted 8 weeks, $35K.

They went with Agency A.

12 months later:

  • Site still broken
  • No mobile version
  • Missing features
  • SEO destroyed
  • Agency ghosted them

What they paid:

  • Agency A: $8,000
  • Agency B: $45,000
  • Lost revenue during downtime: $120,000

Total: $173,000 instead of the quoted $35K.

The lesson: Unrealistic timelines are red flags, not selling points.

Red Flag #2: “Our Template System Works for Anyone”

The story: E-commerce company needed custom functionality. Agency used their template. Promised “we can customize anything.”

Reality:

  • Template wasn’t built for their use case
  • Every customization broke something
  • Core features never worked right
  • Migration to proper platform took 6 months

The lesson: Templates are fine for simple sites. Complex businesses need custom architecture.

Red Flag #3: “Don’t Worry About Technical Stuff”

The story: Healthcare company hired agency that “handles everything.” Never explained:

  • What platform they were building on
  • How backups worked
  • Who owned the code
  • What hosting costs would be

Post-launch disaster:

  • Hosting: $800/month (should be $50)
  • Code was encrypted (literally locked)
  • No source code access
  • Agency held them hostage

The lesson: If they won’t explain technical decisions, run.

Red Flag #4: “We’re Full-Service”

The story: “We do web design, branding, video production, social media, SEO, PPC, email marketing, and mobile apps!”

Jack of all trades. Master of none.

The result:

  • Mediocre website
  • Poor SEO (not their specialty)
  • Wasted budget on services they outsourced
  • No accountability

The lesson: Specialists outperform generalists on complex work.

Red Flag #5: “Deposit is 100% Upfront”

Standard industry practice: 30-50% deposit.

If they want 100%:

  • They have cash flow problems
  • You have zero leverage
  • High risk of getting ghosted

The lesson: Payment terms reflect business health and ethics.

The Green Flags

Green Flag #1: They Ask Hard Questions

Good agencies ask:

  • “Who’s your target customer?” (not “what colors do you like?”)
  • “What’s your conversion goal?” (not “how many pages?”)
  • “What’s your growth plan?” (not “when do you need this?”)
  • “Why is your current site failing?” (not “what’s your budget?”)

Why it matters: They’re thinking about business outcomes, not billable hours.

Green Flag #2: They Show You Real Work

Not just portfolios. Real details:

  • “Here’s the problem the client had”
  • “Here’s our approach”
  • “Here’s what we built”
  • “Here’s the measurable result”

Better: Case study with client testimonial. Best: Reference call with actual client.

Why it matters: Anyone can design pretty mockups. Results matter.

Green Flag #3: They Say “No” Sometimes

Questions good agencies decline:

  • “Can you copy this exact design?” (Copyright issues)
  • “Can you guarantee #1 Google ranking?” (Nobody can)
  • “Can you build Facebook?” (Scope reality)
  • “Can you do this for $500?” (Value their work)

Why it matters: Desperate agencies say yes to everything. Confident agencies have standards.

Green Flag #4: They Explain Trade-offs

Good agencies present options:

“We can use WordPress so you can edit content easily, but the site will be slower. Or we can use Astro for blazing speed, but content updates require developer help.”

Why it matters: Every technical decision has trade-offs. Honest partners explain them.

Green Flag #5: They Care About Maintenance

Questions like:

  • “Who will update the site after launch?”
  • “What’s your process for security patches?”
  • “Do you have a retainer plan for ongoing work?”

Why it matters: A website isn’t a project. It’s a product. Good agencies think long-term.

The Vetting Framework

Phase 1: Initial Screening (10 minutes)

Review their website:

  • Is it fast? (If their site is slow, yours will be too)
  • Is it clear? (If they can’t explain what they do, they can’t build clarity)
  • Recent blog posts? (Stagnant blog = stagnant thinking)
  • Case studies? (Results or just pretty pictures?)

Phase 2: Discovery Call (30 minutes)

Questions to ask:

  1. “What projects have you done similar to ours?”

    • Good answer: Specific examples with results
    • Bad answer: “Everything is custom, we can do anything”

  2. “Who will actually do the work?”

    • Good answer: Introduces you to the team
    • Bad answer: “Our team” (no names, offshore mystery)

  3. “What’s your typical engagement structure?”

    • Good answer: Phases, milestones, deliverables explained
    • Bad answer: Vague timelines, no clear process

  4. “How do you handle scope changes?”

    • Good answer: Change order process explained
    • Bad answer: “We’re flexible!” (translation: chaos)

  5. “Can you walk me through your last project that went wrong?”

    • Good answer: Honest story with lessons learned
    • Bad answer: “All our projects are successful!” (liar)

Phase 3: Technical Deep Dive (60 minutes)

If they pass initial screening, dig deeper:

  1. Architecture Discussion

    • Ask them to explain platform recommendation
    • Red flag: They push one platform for everything
    • Green flag: Platform choice matches your needs

  2. Security & Compliance

    • How do they handle security?
    • Experience with relevant compliance (HIPAA, PCI, GDPR)?
    • Red flag: “We use plugins for that”
    • Green flag: Proper security architecture plan

  3. Performance Standards

    • What’s their target load time?
    • How do they test performance?
    • Red flag: “Fast enough”
    • Green flag: Specific metrics (LCP < 2.5s, etc.)

  4. Code Ownership

    • Do you own the source code?
    • Where is it hosted?
    • Red flag: “Our proprietary system”
    • Green flag: “Your GitHub repo, you own everything”

Phase 4: Reference Checks (30 minutes)

Ask for 3 client references. Call them.

Questions to ask:

  1. “Did the project finish on time?”
  2. “Were there surprise costs?”
  3. “How did they handle problems?”
  4. “Would you hire them again?”
  5. “What would you change if you could do it over?”

Red flag: They give you references who are friends, not clients. Green flag: References are real clients who speak candidly.

The Contract Red Flags

Dangerous Clauses

  1. “All work is proprietary to [Agency]”

    • You should own your code and content
    • This lets them hold you hostage

  2. “Changes after sign-off cost $200/hour”

    • Reasonable: Change order process with estimates
    • Unreasonable: Infinite billable at premium rates

  3. “Hosting must be through our preferred provider”

    • Often they mark up hosting 300-500%
    • You should control your infrastructure

  4. “Termination requires 90 days notice”

    • Reasonable: 30 days
    • Unreasonable: Anything longer

Must-Have Clauses

  1. Clear scope of work

    • Specific deliverables
    • Acceptance criteria
    • Timeline with milestones

  2. Payment tied to milestones

    • Not “monthly installments”
    • Tied to completed, accepted work

  3. IP ownership transfer

    • Clear statement that you own everything after payment

  4. Post-launch support

    • What’s included?
    • How long?
    • What costs extra?

The Budget Reality Check

What Things Actually Cost

Simple marketing site (5-10 pages):

  • Cheap: $5,000 - $10,000
  • Professional: $15,000 - $30,000
  • Premium: $40,000 - $60,000

Complex business site:

  • Cheap: $15,000 - $25,000
  • Professional: $40,000 - $80,000
  • Premium: $100,000 - $200,000

Custom web application:

  • Cheap: $50,000 - $100,000
  • Professional: $150,000 - $300,000
  • Premium: $500,000+

The rule: If someone quotes 50% below these ranges, they’re either:

  • Offshore and quality will suffer
  • Lying about scope
  • Planning to upsell you constantly

The Three Questions That Matter Most

After all the vetting, it comes down to:

  1. “Can they actually do this?” (Capability)

    • Technical skills match requirements
    • Portfolio proves relevant experience
    • References confirm delivery

  2. “Will they do it right?” (Quality)

    • Process is sound
    • Communication is clear
    • Standards are high

  3. “Can I work with them for years?” (Partnership)

    • Values align
    • Mutual respect
    • Long-term thinking

If all three are “yes,” you’ve found the right partner.

If any is “maybe,” keep looking.

Our Bias (Full Disclosure)

We’re writing this because we’re tired of cleaning up messes.

Our perspective:

  • We turn down 60% of inquiries (wrong fit)
  • We charge premium rates (worth it)
  • We think long-term (years, not months)
  • We tell hard truths (even when it costs us)

We’re not for everyone:

  • If you need quick and cheap, we’re not it
  • If you want to micromanage pixels, we’re not it
  • If you won’t invest in quality, we’re not it

We are for:

  • Businesses that view websites as infrastructure
  • Leaders who value expertise over price
  • Companies ready to invest in getting it right

The Bottom Line

Choosing a development partner is like choosing a business partner.

Ask:

  • Do they understand my business?
  • Do they have proven expertise?
  • Do they communicate clearly?
  • Do they think long-term?
  • Do I trust them with something critical?

Price is important.

Trust is everything.

Looking for a partner who thinks like this? Let’s have an honest conversation about whether we’re the right fit.