--- title: "Planning to hire a website? The 6 mistakes that will cost you money" description: "Planning to hire a website for your business? Avoid these 6 costly mistakes, ask the right questions and arrive at the quote with clear answers before you sign." date: "2026-08-25" category: "Websites for business" keywords: "website mistakes, mistakes when hiring a website, hire a website, what to ask before buying a website, website budget, tips for hiring a web designer" portada: "/portadas/portada-errores-al-encargar-una-web.webp" --- Hiring a website is one of the most important decisions you can make for your business. And also one of the most treacherous: most problems don't show up on launch day, but months later, when you discover the domain isn't yours, that your website doesn't show up on Google, or that every single change costs a fortune. The good news is that almost all of these headaches can be avoided before you sign. These are the six most expensive mistakes businesses make when hiring their website. ## 1. Not knowing what you need before asking for a quote "I want a website" is not a specification. Without knowing whether you need a single page so people can find you and call you, or a website with a catalogue, bookings and a client area, it's impossible for anyone to give you a quote that actually works. A good provider will ask you about your business, your customers and your goal. If nobody asks you anything and you get a price on the spot, be suspicious: they're selling you the template they already had. We help you clear this up in our article on [one page or several for your business](/blog/en/web-de-una-pagina-o-varias). ## 2. Choosing based on price alone The cheapest quote is almost never the cheapest. A €200 website that doesn't show up on Google, looks bad on mobile and nobody maintains will cost you dearly in lost customers. Compare scope, not prices: does it include the domain and hosting? Is it optimised for Google? Does it work on mobile? Who can request changes and how much do they cost? If two offers differ by €400, the difference is usually in what you can't see. We tell you what prices are realistic in our article on [how much a business website costs](/blog/en/cuanto-cuesta-una-pagina-web-para-negocio). ## 3. Not asking who owns the domain and the website This is the classic one. The designer buys the domain in their own name, delivers your website… and two years later, when you want to switch providers or make a claim, you discover that your business name on the internet isn't yours. Before signing, ask and insist that it's in writing: the domain and the website access must be yours. When the project is finished, ask for the full credentials. That's not distrust: it's standard practice for any serious professional. ## 4. Not looking at real work or talking to previous clients Portfolios are full of pretty screenshots. Instead, ask for real websites of businesses similar to yours and take two minutes to open them on your phone: does it load fast? Is it clear what they do? Do you feel like contacting them? And if the provider has long-standing clients, ask to talk to one. The question is simple: "would you hire them again?". The answer says more than any portfolio. ## 5. Hiring the website without photos or content ready A website is 30% design and 70% content: your real photos, your texts, your prices, the way you work. If you hire the website with nothing prepared, the result will be a template with stock photos and generic texts that say nothing about your business. Spend an afternoon taking photos of the premises, the team and the work well done. And don't let the text be written only by "the website guy": nobody talks about your business better than you; the provider should polish and organise, not invent. ## 6. Not asking what it costs to maintain it afterwards "It's done" doesn't exist: a website has hosting, a domain, updates, price changes, opening hours and occasional fixes. Many businesses discover the real cost when the annual invoice arrives. Ask from the start: how much does the domain and hosting cost per year? Is maintenance included? How much do they charge for each change? Get it in writing and you'll compare without surprises. ## The questions you have to ask before hiring your website Print this list and take it to the meeting: 1. Will the domain and the access be mine? 2. What exactly does the price include? 3. How long does it take and what do you need from me? 4. Is it optimised for Google and does it look good on mobile? 5. Can you show me real websites of businesses like mine? 6. Who provides the photos and the texts? 7. Can I see it before it goes live and request changes? 8. What happens if a form fails or there's a problem? 9. How much does it cost to maintain each year? 10. When it's done, do you hand over the domain and the access? ## Conclusion Mistakes when hiring a website don't happen out of bad luck: they happen because nobody asked. With these six traps and the list above, any business walks into the conversation with the ground already won. If you want to arrive with your homework done, [request your free design proposal](https://www.pedroaren.com/solicita-web/en) and we'll get back to you with clear options and prices, so you can compare.