You have three professional-looking proposals and prices that differ twofold. Most buyers compare price or go by feeling, and feeling misleads. These five questions tell you more than any portfolio.
1. What technology stack do you use, and why?
A good answer is specific: “We work on Laravel and Vue because we deliver faster, maintain more easily and the code stays yours.” A red flag is “we use whatever you need”. It means every project becomes an experiment. Technology should be chosen on experience.
2. Who will work on the project: your own team or subcontractors?
Subcontractors are fine, but you have the right to know. If the answer is vague, quality control and deadlines become your problem. Ask directly: are the designer, developer and project manager your employees? If not, ask how the studio controls subcontractors’ work. For a cross-border engagement, also ask who you will speak to day to day and in which language.
3. What does the process look like: stages, communication, revisions?
A good studio can explain how it works. Ask:
- What are the project stages, and what do I receive at the end of each?
- Where does communication happen: e-mail, Slack, another tool?
- How many revision rounds are included?
A studio that cannot answer concretely will run your project the same way. We work in fixed stages: discovery, design, development, testing, handover, and you approve each before we continue.
4. What happens after handover: hosting, support, code?
The most forgotten question, and often the most expensive. Ask:
- Does the code belong to me or to the studio?
- Where will the site be hosted, and can I move it?
- Is support available after handover, and in what form?
Some suppliers build on proprietary platforms, and then every fix goes through them at their rates. Also ask where your data is stored; for EU businesses that is a GDPR matter. We hand over the full code and access, so the site stays yours after the project ends.
5. Can I speak to two or three of your clients?
The simplest filter, and the one studios avoid most. A confident studio will say yes and give contacts for similar projects. “Confidentiality” as a blanket excuse is weak, since clients can agree to give a reference if asked. When you call, do not ask “was it good?” Ask “what went wrong, and how did the studio handle it?”
Three red flags in behaviour
- A deadline without detail. “Ready in three weeks” with no stage plan is a sales tactic, not a promise.
- The price changes after signing. Good studios forecast cost. If it rises after every meeting, there is no process.
- Silence after the advance payment. Two weeks of energy, then quiet. If it happens during discovery, it will repeat in development.
Ask us the same questions
We want you to make a good decision, even if that means choosing another studio. If these questions seem reasonable, ask them to us and we will answer directly. Before comparing quotes, it also helps to read why website quotes differ so much and what a website costs in Latvia. Our services are described separately.
