Who owns the site and the domain?
This is the most important question. The domain should be registered to you, not to the agency. The site's files, copy and images should be handed over to you too, with usage licences made clear. If you ever want to change supplier, you must be able to take everything with you.
What exactly is included?
Number of pages, languages, copy, photos, features, external services: everything should be written in the proposal. Ask what isn't included as well: that's where misunderstandings almost always start.
- Agreed pages and languages
- Who writes the copy and who supplies photos
- Features and external services
- Recurring third-party costs (domain, hosting, subscriptions)
How do changes work afterwards?
Ask whether you'll be able to update copy and photos yourself, whether you'll get a manual and how later changes are quoted. If there's a care fee, get what it covers in writing, with concrete examples.
How do you test the work?
A website needs testing on phone, tablet and computer, in every language, with forms and links. Ask what tests the agency runs and whether you'll receive a report. And ask to see real, live work, not just images.
What happens if I switch supplier?
A good agency won't keep you tied in with withheld access or files. Ask what you receive at the end — source files, access, documentation — and how a handover to another supplier would work.