Hire Website Developer: The Critical Planning Checklist
Ralph Sanchez
Hire Website Developer: The Critical Planning Checklist
What Is Web Development?
Why Hire a Web Developer?
The Critical Planning Checklist
1. Define Project Scope
2. Determine Budget
3. Choose Tech Stack
4. Create a Timeline
5. Conduct Thorough Vetting
6. Negotiate Ownership Rights
7. Set Milestones
How to Finalize the Developer Contract
FAQs About Hiring a Website Developer
Why is a web developer better than a DIY site builder?
How do I handle project delays or scope changes?
Are there maintenance costs after launch?
Moving Forward with Confidence
Hire Website Developer: The Critical Planning Checklist
When a client asks me, “Can you help me find a developer for this project?” my brain immediately jumps into checklist mode. Not a mental checklist—an actual, well-worn Notion template I’ve built over years of trial, error, and those “wait, who owns the source code?” moments.
This article breaks down the process I follow when advising clients or collaborating with project managers. It covers:
What web development actually is
Why hiring a website developer is often more than just finding someone who can code
A practical, no-fluff planning checklist
What to include in your developer contract
Common questions I get asked (and how I usually answer them)
And how to wrap this all up with confidence
Whether you're a founder hiring for the first time, or someone who's halfway through a rebuild and realizing things feel... off—this guide is the one I wish someone handed me years ago.
What Is Web Development?
Web development is the process of building and maintaining a website. It involves a combination of programming, design, and infrastructure work to create an experience users interact with in their browser.
Front-end development focuses on what users see and interact with. This includes layout, buttons, animations, and anything that happens in the browser using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Back-end development handles what users don’t see—server logic, databases, authentication, and APIs. It’s where the data lives and how it moves.
Full-stack developers work across both the front and back end. They manage everything from building the UI to connecting it with a database and hosting it on a server.
I like to think of it like this: front-end is the restaurant dining area 🍽️, back-end is the kitchen 🔥, and full-stack is the person who designed the menu, cooks the food, and serves it—hopefully without burning anything.
Each role affects user experience and performance in different ways. A slow back-end can make a fast-looking front-end feel broken. A beautiful interface won’t help if it’s missing logic or data behind the scenes.
Web development also includes things like deployment, version control, accessibility, browser compatibility, and mobile responsiveness. These are not separate jobs, but they often require specialized knowledge.
In projects I’ve worked on, developers usually collaborate with designers, project managers, and stakeholders. The development process is rarely linear. It’s a back-and-forth loop of building, testing, breaking, fixing, and shipping.
Why Hire a Web Developer?
Web developers specialize in building software for the web—this includes everything from static marketing pages to dynamic platforms with user accounts, payment integrations, and custom dashboards. Their skill sets cover specific programming languages, frameworks, and tools that most people outside the field don’t interact with regularly.
Hiring a developer means delegating technical execution to someone who has already solved similar problems. This avoids the trial-and-error phase that comes with DIY site builders or relying solely on templates. Developers can also spot performance issues, accessibility gaps, or scalability concerns that might not be obvious early on.
Freelance developers on Contra work directly with clients, which removes layers of communication and misalignment that often slow down progress. When I work with clients through Contra, we share the same project space—messages, deliverables, and decisions happen in real time, without middlemen or platform interference.
“I lost two weeks waiting for edits because someone had to ‘check with the agency.’” — A real quote from a founder I worked with last year.
Time savings also come from experience. Developers already know how to set up staging environments, deploy to production, integrate with third-party services, and debug cross-browser issues. These are foundational skills that aren’t visible in the final build but affect how fast and stable the site feels.
Some projects require niche functionality—like real-time notifications, multi-language support, or secure user authentication. These are not part of standard drag-and-drop builders. Developers can build these features from scratch or integrate existing libraries while keeping everything aligned with the project’s goals.
Freelancers also tend to be more flexible with tooling. Instead of being locked into a single platform, they can adapt to your stack or recommend options that align better with your team’s workflow. That includes choices around CMS, hosting providers, and source control setups.
The Critical Planning Checklist
This section outlines the essential planning steps to follow before hiring a website developer. Each step connects to the next, forming a process that reduces confusion during development and improves collaboration between clients and developers.
1. Define Project Scope
Start by identifying who the site is for and what it’s supposed to achieve. This includes specifying the target audience, business goals (e.g., lead generation, content publishing, transactions), and core functionality. Features considered "essential"—such as user login, contact forms, search filters, or payment processing—should be documented in a shared brief.
Collecting competitor references or visual inspiration can help clarify expectations. This scope will later shape the timeline, cost, and tech stack.
“Let’s build something simple” often turns into “Can it also have a dashboard with real-time analytics?” two weeks later.
2. Determine Budget
Estimate a realistic budget range based on the scope. This includes developer compensation (hourly or fixed-rate), third-party tools, hosting, and ongoing maintenance. Platform fees—such as commissions charged by marketplaces—can affect total cost.
Working with freelancers on Contra avoids commission-based pricing, meaning the full amount goes directly to the developer. This creates transparency in negotiations and avoids hidden platform markups.
Unexpected costs may come from change requests, licensing for premium software, or extended post-launch support. Budgeting should account for these.
3. Choose Tech Stack
Choose the technologies the site will be built with. Some projects use content management systems (CMS) like WordPress or Webflow, while others rely on frameworks like React, Vue, or Next.js. The right stack depends on performance expectations, scalability, and familiarity within your team.
For example:
A marketing site may use a CMS with visual editing tools.
A SaaS dashboard might require a custom-built front end and secure API integrations.
Early decisions around the stack affect hosting options, deployment workflows, and future developer onboarding.
4. Create a Timeline
Break the schedule into logical production phases: design, development, testing, deployment. Each phase includes time for feedback loops, bug fixes, and revisions. This avoids bottlenecks caused by unclear expectations or simultaneous tasks competing for attention.
Include buffer time for project delays, especially if assets (like branding or copy) are being created in parallel. User testing and accessibility reviews can also extend the timeline.
Timelines vary by scope: a basic site may take 3–5 weeks; a custom platform may need 3–6 months.
5. Conduct Thorough Vetting
Review portfolios to assess visual quality, performance, and variety of past work. Look for examples that resemble your project category—e.g., marketplaces, portfolios, booking systems.
Ask for references or testimonials to confirm reliability and communication. Schedule an interview or async video call to understand how the developer communicates, handles feedback, and structures their workflow.
A strong portfolio without strong communication can stall progress 🧱
Technical assessments or test tasks may be helpful for complex builds, but they aren’t always necessary for brochure-style or static sites.
6. Negotiate Ownership Rights
Clarify who owns the final deliverables—including source code, assets, and documentation. Ownership should be transferred upon final payment unless otherwise agreed.
Include NDAs if the work involves sensitive data, unreleased products, or internal systems. Intellectual property clauses can be added to protect both parties.
Freelancers on Contra work directly with clients, which simplifies this process. There are no third-party agents or platforms claiming rights over the materials created.
7. Set Milestones
Break the project into phases with specific deliverables. For example:
Week 1: Wireframes and layout prototype
Week 3: Front-end build
Week 5: Admin functionality and CMS setup
Week 7: Final bug fixes and launch
Each milestone should have clearly defined acceptance criteria—what counts as “done” and what triggers the next payment or phase. This removes ambiguity and helps track progress.
A shared timeline document or project board can make this process easier to maintain across time zones and schedules.
How to Finalize the Developer Contract
The developer contract documents how the work will be delivered, paid for, and managed. It also helps both sides avoid confusion later.
Start with the payment structure. For fixed-scope projects, flat-rate pricing is common. For open-ended or evolving scopes, hourly billing is often used. Some freelancers combine both: a flat base rate plus hourly extensions for extra features. On Contra, there are no added platform fees, so the full amount agreed upon is what the developer receives—no deductions or surprise charges.
Payment schedules are usually tied to deliverables. For example:
30% upfront
40% upon completion of the front end
30% upon final delivery and approval
Some freelancers use milestone-based payouts; others prefer weekly or biweekly billing cycles. Both are common. The key is to agree on when payments are triggered and how they’re invoiced.
“I’ll pay when the site is live” sounds simple, but it’s vague. Contracts avoid this by defining what “live” means: deployed, bug-free, and client-approved.
Scope-limit clauses set boundaries around the work. These prevent misunderstandings like assuming “adding a blog” includes designing it, structuring content, and integrating a CMS. Scope creep usually happens when terms like “basic login” or “SEO setup” are left undefined.
Include a section on revisions—how many rounds are included and how additional changes will be priced. Also clarify timelines for feedback. For example, if the client doesn’t respond within 5 business days, the timeline extends accordingly.
Ownership rights should be explicit. For most freelance projects, clients own the final code and assets after full payment. If third-party libraries or paid assets are used, the contract should list them and explain who holds the license.
Some developers include IP transfer clauses, NDAs, or confidentiality agreements—especially for early-stage startups or internal tools. These are standard and often generated from templates.
Deliverables should be itemized. A list like “responsive landing page, contact form, and CMS integration” avoids misalignment. If the developer is expected to write documentation, provide post-launch support, or set up hosting, those tasks should be included here too.
Finally, include a clause for unexpected project termination. This might be a kill fee (e.g., 20% of remaining balance) or a transfer of partial work completed to date. It helps both sides walk away cleanly if needed.
No contract covers everything, but a good one keeps the surprises to a minimum.
FAQs About Hiring a Website Developer
Here are a few questions that often come up once a project is underway—or just before it starts. They usually surface after a client has looked into DIY tools or experienced a delay mid-project. These answers reflect what I’ve seen work in real-world freelance contracts and day-to-day client conversations.
Why is a web developer better than a DIY site builder?
DIY site builders like Wix or Squarespace use templates and drag-and-drop features to help users build basic websites. These tools are designed for speed and simplicity, not flexibility or scalability. They work well for landing pages, portfolios, or early prototypes.
Web developers write custom code. That allows full control over layout, performance, accessibility, third-party integrations, and backend logic. Developers can also optimize your site for things like SEO, load time, and responsive design across devices.
DIY tools often abstract away code, which limits what can be customized. For example, you may not be able to adjust database structure, connect a custom API, or fine-tune JavaScript behavior. A developer can implement those requirements directly.
Site builders also lock you into their ecosystem. Developers can help you build platforms that are portable—hosted anywhere, version-controlled, and easier to scale or transfer.
“I wanted to add multi-language support and ended up rebuilding the site from scratch.” — A client who started with a site builder
How do I handle project delays or scope changes?
Delays happen when one side is waiting on the other—usually for feedback, assets, or approvals. Scope changes happen when new features or requirements are added after development has started.
To manage delays, most contracts include buffer time and define a response window (e.g., 3–5 business days). If that window is missed, timelines shift. Freelancers often pause work if responses go silent for too long, especially when balancing multiple clients.
Scope changes are handled through change orders or new estimates. For example, if the contract covered a static blog and the client later requests CMS integration, the developer will usually send a revised timeline and quote.
Some developers prefer to log these changes inside the project management workspace. Others write a simple one-paragraph summary over email or Contra messages to keep a paper trail.
Scope changes are normal. Scope confusion is not.
Are there maintenance costs after launch?
Yes. Maintenance includes bug fixes, security patches, dependency updates, and small content edits. These are usually billed hourly or through a separate retainer agreement.
If the site uses a CMS like WordPress, updates to themes, plugins, and core files are required regularly. If it’s a custom build with a framework like React or Next.js, updates may be less frequent but still necessary to avoid outdated packages or security vulnerabilities.
Some clients prefer to hire developers for a one-time post-launch audit after 30–60 days. Others keep a developer on-call for a few hours per month.
Automated maintenance—like uptime monitoring, error logging, or SSL certificate renewal—can be set up by the developer but often requires third-party services. These services may have separate fees.
“The site’s still live, but the contact form stopped working three months ago.” — Something I hear more often than you’d think 😬
Moving Forward with Confidence
As of April 9, 2025, the tools, platforms, and expectations around hiring a web developer continue to evolve—but the value of having a clear plan remains unchanged. Whether the goal is a simple landing page or a multi-functional web app, alignment between stakeholders and developers happens earlier and more effectively when key decisions are made before writing a single line of code.
Most delays I’ve seen don’t come from missed deadlines—they come from unclear deliverables, mismatched expectations, or feedback loops without structure. A written scope, shared timeline, and defined milestones help reduce that friction. When those things are missing, even experienced developers can’t guess their way to the right result.
Working with freelancers on commission-free networks like Contra allows for direct collaboration. No third-party project managers. No misrouted feedback. Just a clear channel between the person building and the person requesting. That clarity makes it easier to spot misalignment early, adjust scope without confusion, and keep the project on track.
“We spent more time rewriting Slack threads than reviewing code.” — A client after switching from an agency to a direct freelancer
The checklist in this article isn’t about formality—it’s about reducing friction. Each step exists because, at some point, I’ve seen a project stall when that step was skipped. Freelancers who work through platforms like Contra often bring their own structure too, which helps both sides stay aligned without relying on assumptions.
The next step depends on where the project stands today. For some, it’s drafting a scope. For others, it’s reviewing portfolios or reaching out to a developer they’ve already bookmarked. In either case, a documented plan—even a rough one—makes the rest of the process easier to manage, audit, and improve over time.
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Posted Apr 9, 2025
Hire website developer with confidence using this planning checklist. Define scope, budget, tech stack, and milestones before starting your project.
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