Hiring a web designer in Cardiff or the Vale? Ask these questions first

If you search for a web designer in Cardiff, you'll find plenty. Agencies with smart offices in the city centre. Freelancers working from home in Penarth or Pontypridd. Designers who'll never meet you at all.

They'll all tell you they build great websites. So how do you choose?

I'm a web designer myself, based in Barry, so treat this as a guide from someone on the other side of the table. These are the questions I'd want a client to ask me, and the answers that should make you comfortable or cautious, whoever you end up hiring.

Quick answer: Before you hire anyone, ask: what exactly is included, what will I pay every year afterwards, who will own the domain and files, how long will it take, what happens after launch, and can I see similar work? Compare the answers side by side. Being local is a bonus, not a requirement.

Three questions we'll come back to:

• Does it matter whether the designer is local?
• How can you tell good work from a nice-looking portfolio?
• What should make you walk away?

Does local matter?

Here's the first question, and the honest answer is: it helps, but it isn't essential.

Most web design work happens on screens and calls. A designer in Manchester can build a perfectly good website for a café in Cowbridge.

But a local designer has some real advantages:

• You can meet in person. Some people find it much easier to explain their business over a coffee than on a video call.
• They may know your area. A designer who knows that customers in Barry also search for Penarth and Dinas Powys, or that "the Vale" means something to local people, can reflect that in your site.
• Local search knowledge. If your customers are local, your website needs to work for local searches, so a designer who thinks about that from the start is useful.
• Accountability. It's harder to disappear when you're just down the road.

So: prefer local if everything else is equal. Don't pick a weaker option just because they're closer.

Question 1: what exactly is included?

Quotes for "a five-page website" can mean very different things. Ask for a written list:

• How many pages?
• Who writes the text? (This changes the price a lot.)
• Are photos included, or do I supply them?
• How many rounds of changes do I get?
• Is basic setup for Google included: page titles, descriptions, Search Console, Analytics?
• Is a contact form included? Does it go to my email?

My guide to what a small business website costs in the UK has a simple table for comparing quotes on exactly these points.

Question 2: what will I pay every year?

The build fee is only part of the cost. Ask for every ongoing cost, in writing:

• Domain renewal.
• Hosting.
• Any platform subscription.
• Email.
• Care plans or support packages.

Also ask who you'll pay. Some designers bill you for hosting; others set it up so you pay the provider directly. Both are fine, as long as you know.

Question 3: who will own it?

This is the one people regret not asking.

• Will the domain be registered in my name, in an account I can log in to?
• Will I get the website files if I leave?
• Will I own my Google Business Profile, Search Console and Analytics?

A good answer is short and confident. A vague one is a warning sign. I've written a full guide on checking who owns your website, because the consequences of getting this wrong only show up years later.

Question 4: how long will it take, and what do you need from me?

Timelines slip far more often because the client is busy than because the designer is slow. Ask:

• What's a realistic timeline from first call to launch?
• What do you need from me, and by when?
• What happens if I'm late sending text or photos?

A designer who gives you a clear process, with dates, is usually one who's done this many times.

Question 5: what happens after launch?

Websites need a little care after they go live: fixes, small changes, updates, the odd question.

• How long is support included for after launch?
• What does a small change cost after that?
• How quickly do you usually reply?
• Is there a monthly plan, and is it optional?

Be cautious of any arrangement where stopping a monthly payment means your website goes offline, unless you've chosen that deliberately (as you would with a website builder subscription).

Question 6: can I see similar work?

Here's the second question. A portfolio shows what a designer can make look good. It doesn't always show whether those websites work.

When you look at examples, check them on your phone, not just in screenshots:

• Do they load quickly?
• Can you tell what each business does within a few seconds?
• Is there an obvious way to get in touch?
• Do they look like real, live websites, or only mock-ups?

It's fair to ask whether an example is a live client site or a sample concept. Plenty of designers, me included, show sample designs alongside client work. What matters is that you know which is which. And if you can, ask whether you could speak to a past client.

Warning signs

Here's the third question. Be cautious if a designer:

• Guarantees first-page Google rankings. Nobody controls Google's results. Google's own help pages say there's no way to request or pay for a better ranking in its local results.
• Won't put the domain in your name.
• Can't explain the ongoing costs before you sign.
• Pushes you to decide quickly with a "today only" price.
• Can't show any live examples or put you in touch with a past client.

None of these automatically means the person is dishonest. But each one deserves a clear answer before you hand over money.

Making the final choice

Once you have answers from two or three designers, put them side by side. Look at:

1. What each quote includes.
2. The three-year cost, not just the up-front price.
3. Ownership of domain, files and accounts.
4. Timeline and support.
5. Whether you liked talking to them.

That last one matters more than people admit. You'll be working together for a few weeks, and possibly years after that. Choose someone who explains things clearly and who you'd be happy to ring with a question.

If you're in Barry, Cardiff, Penarth or anywhere across the Vale and you'd like a no-obligation view of your current site, the free website check below is a good place to start, whoever you end up hiring. And if you're weighing up a builder like Wix against a designer, my guide on Wix, Squarespace or a custom website might help you decide whether you need a designer at all.