Red Flags

Warning signs in proposals, contracts, and communication that indicate trouble ahead.

Pricing Red Flags

1. Fixed Price Without a Detailed Scope Document

"We'll build your website for $5,000 flat." Without a written scope document defining what's included, you'll fight about what's in scope. The developer will claim changes aren't included. You'll feel ripped off. Get scope in writing.

2. Unusually Low Bids (Significantly Below Market)

If you get quotes of $10k, $12k, $11k and one is $2k, something is wrong. Either:

• They're inexperienced or desperate
• They're offshore and will face communication problems
• They're planning to add surprise costs later
• They don't understand the project

3. Payment in Full Upfront

"We need full payment before starting." You've paid, they disappear. Use staged payments. If they won't accept milestone-based payments, they're not confident in their own delivery.

4. No Clear Breakdown of Costs

"Website: $10,000." That's it. No hourly rate, no list of deliverables, no timeline. You can't evaluate whether it's fair. Demand a breakdown: Design (X hours), Development (Y hours), etc.

Proposal Red Flags

5. No Discovery Phase Mentioned

"We'll start design next week." Good developers spend 1-2 weeks understanding your business first. No discovery phase means they don't understand your goals or audience. They'll build something generic that doesn't fit.

6. No Wireframes in the Process

"We'll go straight to design." Skipping wireframes means jumping to pixels without agreeing on structure. You'll waste revisions debating layout. Good process: wireframes → visual design → development.

7. No Testing Mentioned

"Development includes testing." What does testing mean? QA is often skipped by cheap developers. Clarify: browser testing, device testing, load testing, security testing. Get it in writing.

8. "We'll Figure It Out As We Go"

This means: no planning, no scope, unlimited revisions, no timeline, cost overruns incoming. Professional developers plan before building.

9. Vague Timeline ("A Few Months")

"We'll be done in a few months" is not a commitment. Months have different lengths. Weeks can be overrun. Get a specific date: "We'll launch on June 15th." If they won't commit to a date, they're not confident.

10. No Post-Launch Support Mentioned

"We'll launch it and you're on your own." Sites need updates, bug fixes, and maintenance. If they won't discuss post-launch support, they don't care about your site's success.

Technical Red Flags

11. No Version Control Mentioned

Version control (Git) is how developers track code changes, collaborate, and prevent loss. If they don't use it, they're not professional. This is non-negotiable.

12. No Staging Environment

"We develop directly on your live site." This means any mistake affects live users. Professional process: develop on staging, test, then deploy to live.

13. They're Building a Custom CMS You've Never Heard of

"We built our own CMS." Likely means:no community support, only they can maintain it, you're locked in, hard to hire replacements. Use WordPress, Webflow, Statamic, or other established platforms.

14. Site Speed Not Discussed

"We'll build something fast." No targets, no testing mentioned. Leads to slow sites. Good developers commit to speed targets and test.

15. Mobile Responsiveness as an "Add-On"

"Mobile version costs extra." Mobile responsiveness is standard in 2025. If it's an add-on, they're behind the times.

16. No SEO Planning

"We don't do SEO, that's separate." SEO isn't just backlinks—it's technical foundation (fast pages, mobile, clean URLs, schema). If they're not thinking about technical SEO during build, your rankings will suffer.

Contract Red Flags

17. They Keep All Rights to the Code

"We own the code. You just license it." You can't modify, can't switch developers, locked in forever. You should own all code and data.

18. No Exit Clause

"You can't leave the project." Legitimate exit clauses are reasonable (you pay for work done). No exit clause means you're trapped.

19. No Data Portability

"Your data stays with us." You can't export your content, customer data, or databases. You're hostage to them. Demand that all data is portable and in standard formats.

20. "Unlimited Revisions" Clause

Sounds good but it's not. Unlimited revisions = unlimited project scope = never finishes. Always have defined revision rounds.

21. Changes Cost Extra, But "Changes" Isn't Defined

"Any change costs $X." But what counts as a change? Moving a button? Changing colors? Unreasonable cost structures here. Get specifics: changes under 2 hours are free, over 2 hours are billed.

Communication Red Flags

22. Slow to Respond to Questions

"We'll get back to you in a week." In a week, your questions are forgotten. Expect 24-hour response times. If they're slow now, they'll be slow during the project.

23. Defensive or Dismissive About Questions

"You don't need to worry about that." or "Trust us." Good professionals welcome questions. They know their work holds up to scrutiny.

24. No Project Manager or Point of Contact

Multiple people in emails, unclear who to talk to, no designated contact. Communication breaks down quickly.

25. Pushes You Toward Expensive Add-Ons

"You should upgrade to include X (that costs extra)." Everything is upsells. They're optimizing for revenue, not your success.

Company/Portfolio Red Flags

26. No Portfolio or Examples

Can't show previous work because they don't have any, or won't because of NDAs (sometimes legitimate, but many agencies use NDAs to hide poor work).

27. Portfolio Doesn't Match Your Needs

They show e-commerce sites, you need a blog. Their experience doesn't fit your project. Ask for relevant examples.

28. Bad Reviews or Complaints Online

Google, Clutch, or Trustpilot show complaints about missed deadlines or poor support. Multiple complaints = pattern, not fluke.

29. Very Shiny Sales Pitch, Vague on Details

Lots of pretty language about "cutting-edge" and "innovative." When you ask specific questions, vague answers. Sales pitch doesn't match substance.

30. Pressure to Decide Quickly

"This offer expires Friday." Legitimate professionals give you time. Pressure tactics are manipulative.