webdesigner.ph Get a quote
Menu

Questions to ask before hiring a Philippine web designer

15 vetting questions to ask before hiring a Philippine web designer in 2026 — with the good answer pattern and the bad answer pattern for each.

Hiring 12 min read

Hiring a web designer is one of the few business decisions where ten minutes of asking the right questions saves you ₱100,000+ of regret. The problem is that most buyers don’t know which questions actually filter the field. They ask price first, look at the portfolio, vibe-check the conversation, and sign.

This article gives you the fifteen questions that actually filter Philippine web designers in 2026 — grouped by purpose, with the good answer pattern and the bad answer pattern for each. Ask all of them. Use the answers to compare candidates. Don’t fall for the one who’s friendly but evasive.

The short answer

The fifteen questions sort into four groups: scope and process (5 questions), technical (4 questions), commercial (4 questions), and red-flag detection (2 questions). For each, there is a clear answer pattern that competent senior Philippine web designers will give and a clear pattern of dodges, vague phrases, or warning signs that mark the underqualified. The questions take about 20 minutes of total back-and-forth via email or contact form. They are the cheapest insurance you’ll ever buy.

Group 1: scope and process

These questions establish what you’re actually buying and how it gets built. Skip them and you’ll be in scope-creep negotiations by week three.

1. “Can you walk me through your process from kickoff to handoff in writing?”

Good answer pattern: A documented multi-phase process — typically discovery, design, development, QA, launch, post-launch — each phase with named deliverables, durations, and approval gates. A senior pro will send a one-pager or link you to a public process page. They might say something like: “Discovery is 3–5 days; we lock scope and gather assets. Design is 1–2 weeks with two interactive design preview rounds. Development is 2–3 weeks. QA is 3–5 days. Launch is one day. Handoff is a 30–60 day warranty window.” Specific. Numbered. Boring in the right way.

Bad answer pattern: “We listen to your needs and craft a beautiful site that reflects your brand.” That’s a feeling, not a process. Or: “We’re agile, so we’ll figure it out together as we go.” Sometimes true at scale; usually a tell that there’s no documented process at all. The worst version: “Don’t worry about the details, we’ve done a lot of these before.” That’s how the details quietly become your problem.

2. “What’s the realistic timeline for my project, with phases?”

Good answer pattern: A specific calendar timeline tied to your scope, with phase durations and an explicit dependency on your responsiveness. “5 weeks, broken down as: discovery 1 week, design 1.5 weeks (with two interactive design preview rounds), development 1.5 weeks, QA 4 days, launch 1 day. Assumes content arrives by end of week 1 and feedback within 2 business days at each gate.” A senior pro builds in your responsiveness as a dependency because they’ve been burned by clients who took 3 weeks to send a logo.

Bad answer pattern: “We’ll deliver as soon as possible” or “Usually around 1 month, give or take.” No phase breakdown means no plan. Be especially skeptical of “1 week, full custom” — that’s almost always a templated build dressed up as custom.

3. “What’s explicitly NOT included in this scope?”

Good answer pattern: A written exclusion list. Real exclusions look like: “Excludes: content writing, original photography, ongoing SEO, paid ads management, more than 2 design revision rounds, custom integrations beyond GCash/Maya/PayMongo, Tagalog translation, third-party API integrations not listed in scope.” A pro who has been burned by scope creep will have a long, specific exclusions list. That’s a green flag.

Bad answer pattern: “We include everything you need.” Nobody includes everything. That answer means scope creep is coming. Either the designer doesn’t know what’s typically out of scope (junior) or they know and are saving the bad news for an invoice (worse).

4. “How many revision rounds are included, and what counts as a revision?”

Good answer pattern: A numbered count tied to phases. “Two revision rounds during the design phase. One round during development for content and copy. Beyond that, additional revisions are billed at ₱2,500/hour.” Plus a definition of what counts: “A revision is a coordinated set of changes you submit at once. Sending changes in three separate messages over five days counts as three rounds, not one.”

Bad answer pattern: “Unlimited revisions until you’re happy.” That sounds generous and is actually how projects die. Without revision limits, the designer either pads the price upfront or burns out and ghosts. Either way, you lose. “We’ll handle whatever you need” is the same trap, dressed differently.

5. “Who specifically will be doing the design and the development work?”

Good answer pattern: A named individual. With a freelancer, this is usually the person you’re talking to. With a small studio, it might be “I’ll do design, [name] will do development, and I review all output before delivery.” With an agency, you should ask for the specific senior who will oversee your project — not just the account manager you spoke with.

Bad answer pattern: “Our team will handle it.” That’s not an answer. At an agency, that often means a junior will design while the senior bills senior rates against the proposal. With a freelancer, “our team” sometimes means a subcontracted overseas studio you didn’t know was involved. Ask names.

Group 2: technical

These questions separate engineers from templaters. They take five minutes and filter most of the field.

6. “What are your Core Web Vitals targets, and how do you commit to them?”

Good answer pattern: Specific numbers. “LCP under 2 seconds, INP under 200ms, CLS under 0.1, mobile PageSpeed score above 85. We commit to these in writing as part of the deliverable. If the live site doesn’t hit them at handoff, we fix at no charge.” A senior PH web designer in 2026 should be able to recite these numbers without hesitation.

Bad answer pattern: “We optimize for speed” without numbers. Or: “Don’t worry, the site will be fast.” Or worst: “Core Web what?” Performance is not optional in 2026. Filipino mobile users are on uneven 4G/5G; a slow site loses real conversions and ranks lower in Google search. A designer who can’t commit to numbers is one who hasn’t built to numbers.

7. “Where will the site be hosted, and what does hosting cost on an ongoing basis?”

Good answer pattern: A named host and a specific monthly cost. “We typically recommend SiteGround StartUp at around ₱285/month, Hostinger Premium at ₱285/month, or Cloudways for higher-performance sites starting around ₱600/month. We don’t take kickbacks on hosting; you pay the host directly with your card.” Or, equivalently, “Shopify Basic at $29/month if we go that route.” Specific is the signal.

Bad answer pattern: “We’ll host it for you for ₱2,500/month and handle everything.” That’s a hosting reseller play, often at 5x the actual hosting cost, and it locks you to the designer for hosting access. Always pay the host directly. Always have your own admin credentials. The exception is true managed hosting (a real care plan that includes hosting at a transparent cost), but that should be obvious in the proposal.

8. “What’s included for security, backups, and SSL?”

Good answer pattern: SSL via Let’s Encrypt at no cost (free, auto-renewed by every modern host). Daily automated backups, ideally offsite and point-in-time recoverable. WordPress core, theme, and plugin updates on a documented cadence (weekly is typical for a real care plan). A security plugin like Wordfence or iThemes Security configured properly. Two-factor authentication on the admin login.

Bad answer pattern: “We’ll add SSL for ₱1,500/year.” That’s a paid SSL you don’t need — Let’s Encrypt is free. Or: “Backups are extra.” Backups are table stakes. Or: “Updates are ₱2,000 each.” If updates aren’t included in care plan or warranty, the designer is selling you a maintenance treadmill.

9. “Will I have full admin access and ownership of the source code?”

Good answer pattern: “Yes, full admin access from day one. The site lives in your hosting account on your card. Source files (theme, child theme, custom plugins) are delivered to you at handoff. Domain stays in your registrar account. After final payment, you can take everything to another developer.” That’s the right structure.

Bad answer pattern: “We’ll manage the technical access for you.” That’s how you end up locked out of your own site when the relationship sours. Or: “The source code stays with us; you get the live site.” That’s not how RA 8293 should be written into a contract for client work — see what a proper web design contract looks like in PH. If they retain code rights, they retain leverage forever.

Group 3: commercial

Money, payment, IP, and what happens after launch. This is where the contract lives.

10. “What’s your price for this scope, and what’s the payment schedule?”

Good answer pattern: A specific peso amount or a tight range, plus a structured payment schedule. “₱150,000 for the scope as defined. Payment: 50% on signing, 50% on launch. Or alternatively, 30% on signing, 40% on design approval, 30% on launch, if you prefer milestone.” Either is reasonable. A senior pro who has done this many times has a default schedule and a fallback.

Bad answer pattern: “Let’s discuss your budget first.” That’s a tell — they want to price by what you can pay rather than by what the work costs. Or: “100% upfront, then we start.” That removes every incentive to finish. Or: “We’ll figure out the payments as we go.” That’s not commercial practice; that’s a cash-flow problem they’re making yours.

For the full picture, see payment terms standard for PH web design projects.

11. “Who owns the intellectual property when the project is finished?”

Good answer pattern: “You do, on final payment, in writing. The contract has an IP assignment clause referencing RA 8293, which transfers all copyright in the deliverables — design, code, content we created — to you when the final invoice is paid.” That’s the correct answer. A senior pro will produce the contract clause without prompting.

Bad answer pattern: “We retain rights to the design but you can use the site.” Under default Philippine copyright law, that’s actually what happens unless the contract says otherwise. The bad version is when the designer either doesn’t know to assign IP or actively wants to retain it so they can reuse the design or charge you to release source files later. If the contract has no IP clause, walk.

12. “What’s included for post-launch support, and what’s the warranty period?”

Good answer pattern: “30–60 day warranty on bugs introduced during the build, at no charge. Beyond that, content edits are billed hourly at ₱2,000–₱3,500 per hour, or covered under a care plan starting around ₱4,000/month which includes a baseline of edits, weekly updates, daily backups, and security monitoring.” Specific. Tiered. Matches market.

Bad answer pattern: “We’re always here if you need anything.” That sentence means nothing operationally. Or: “Support is ₱2,500 per ticket.” That’s transactional and discouraging — you’ll avoid asking for help and the site will rot. The pro answer always has a warranty window and a clear post-warranty pricing structure.

13. “Can I see your standard contract template before we discuss next steps?”

Good answer pattern: “Yes, here’s the template — pre-filled with our standard scope language, payment terms, IP clause, revision policy, and termination terms. Mark it up and we’ll discuss.” That’s a vendor who has done this before and welcomes scrutiny. The contract is the artifact that lives longer than any conversation.

Bad answer pattern: “We’ll draft a contract once we’ve agreed on terms.” That’s fine if “draft” means “produce a finalized version.” It’s not fine if there is no template at all and they’re going to write one from scratch for your project — the resulting document will be inconsistent and amateur, and it will protect them more than you. Always ask for the template upfront.

Group 4: red-flag detection

Two questions that don’t fit cleanly into the prior groups but filter the most dangerous candidates fast.

14. “Can I visit three sites you’ve launched in the last 12 months?”

Good answer pattern: Three specific URLs you can click, ideally in industries adjacent to yours. The sites load fast on mobile, look professionally designed, and tie back to real businesses you can find on Google. The designer is comfortable answering follow-up questions about each one — what was the scope, what was the budget range, what challenges came up.

Bad answer pattern: “Most of our work is under NDA.” Some NDA work is real, but a senior PH practitioner has at least a few non-NDA recent live URLs. Or: “Here are screenshots of our recent work.” Screenshots aren’t sites. Anyone can produce a screenshot. Or: “We can send you links if you sign first.” That’s reversed — you vet first, you sign second.

15. “Can you give me two client references I can email?”

Good answer pattern: Two named contacts, with their company, role, and email. The designer notifies them you’ll reach out. The references answer your email within a day or two and speak about the engagement specifically — what was delivered, how communication went, whether they’d hire again, what they wish had been different. References that say “they were great” with no specifics are almost as bad as no references; you want specifics.

Bad answer pattern: “We can share testimonials but our clients prefer not to be contacted directly.” That’s a boundary that sometimes makes sense for enterprise references. For SME work, it’s mostly a way to avoid having anyone independently confirm the relationship. Or worse: “Our portfolio speaks for itself.” That’s not an answer; that’s a deflection.

How to use these questions in practice

You don’t have to ask all fifteen in one go. The realistic flow is:

  1. Send questions 1, 2, 3, 6, 10, 11, and 14 in your first email. These take 10–15 minutes for the designer to answer well and filter most of the field. Three out of four candidates won’t make it past these.
  2. For candidates who answer well, follow up with 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, and 15. These take another 15–20 minutes of back-and-forth.
  3. For finalists, ask 9 explicitly and confirm everything in writing before any signature or payment.

The total time investment from your side is maybe 45 minutes spread over a few days of asynchronous email exchange. The candidate who handles all fifteen well is almost always worth hiring at the price they quote. The candidate who handles half of them is half-qualified at the price they quote, which is to say, overpriced.

For the negative version of this list — the warning signs to actively avoid — see 12 red flags when hiring a web designer in the Philippines. For the time-boxed version of this vetting, see how to vet a Filipino web designer in 30 minutes.

What I’d do at each candidate type

If a candidate answers all fifteen questions cleanly, in writing, with specific numbers and named deliverables — that’s the hire. Pay their rate. They’ve already saved you the cost of the questions you didn’t think to ask.

If a candidate answers most of them well but vague on a few, push back specifically. “You said ‘we’ll handle support’ — what’s the warranty period and the post-warranty rate?” Watch how they respond. A pro will sharpen up. An amateur will hand-wave again, and that’s the answer.

If a candidate dodges three or more of these questions, don’t hire them. The Philippine market is large enough that you can find a senior solo or a credible boutique who answers all fifteen well. Walking away is almost always cheaper than finishing with the wrong vendor.

If you’re shortlisting candidates and want a sanity check on the answers you’ve received, send me your project details along with the proposals and I’ll reply within one Philippine business day with what I’d do — including which candidate I’d pick if I were you, even if it’s not us. Sometimes the right call is a different freelancer; sometimes it’s an agency.

For pricing context that frames most of these questions, How much does a website cost in the Philippines? (2026 guide) covers what good answers in the price column should look like across tiers.

Sources and notes:

  • The questions and answer patterns are drawn from publicly observable Philippine web design practice, conversations with prospective clients about prior vendors, and the contract templates used at webdesigner.ph as of the publication date.
  • RA 8293 is the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines; for the exact mechanics of copyright assignment in commissioned work, consult a Philippine-licensed attorney.
  • Core Web Vitals thresholds reflect Google’s published “Good” status as of the publication date; verify current values on web.dev before quoting them in contracts.
  • Hosting prices change frequently; verify SiteGround, Hostinger, and Cloudways pricing on each provider’s site before committing.
  • Nothing here is legal, tax, or financial advice.

Related reading:

Frequently asked questions

What questions should I ask a web designer before hiring them?
Ask 15 questions across four areas: scope and process (what's your process, what's the timeline, what's not included), technical (Core Web Vitals targets, hosting, security), commercial (price, payment schedule, IP assignment, post-launch support), and red-flag detection (recent live work, references, contract template). Ask all of them. The questions filter most of the bad vendors before you sign.
How do I know if a Philippine web designer is qualified?
A qualified Philippine web designer in 2026 has live, clickable portfolio sites you can visit, a documented process they can walk through in writing, a written contract template, specific Core Web Vitals targets (LCP under 2s, INP under 200ms), a clear payment schedule (50/50 or milestone), and an IP assignment clause referencing RA 8293. If they hesitate on any of these, they're not qualified at the price they're quoting.
What is a fair payment schedule for a Philippine web design project?
Fair Philippine web design payment schedules are 50/50 (half on signing, half on launch) or milestone-based (typically 30/40/30 across discovery, development, and launch). For larger projects above ₱300,000, expect 4–5 milestones tied to specific deliverables. 100% upfront is not standard and removes your leverage. 100% on launch isn't standard either — it removes the designer's protection.
Should I ask for a contract before paying a Philippine web designer?
Yes, before paying anything. The contract should cover scope, timeline, payment schedule, revision rounds, IP assignment under RA 8293, termination terms, and post-launch warranty. Any reputable Philippine web designer in 2026 has a template ready and welcomes the conversation. If they resist, that itself is the answer to whether you should hire them.
What questions reveal a bad web designer fastest?
Three questions filter most of the bad vendors quickly: 'Can I visit three sites you've launched in the last 12 months?' (real builders have recent work; pretenders show old screenshots), 'What are your Core Web Vitals targets and how do you commit to them?' (separates engineers from templaters), and 'Can I see your contract template before we discuss pricing?' (separates pros from improvisers).
How long should a small business website take to build in the Philippines?
A Starter-tier Philippine small business site (5–7 pages, custom design, mobile-first) takes 3–4 weeks. A Business-tier site (8–12 pages, more functionality, payment integration) takes 5–7 weeks. Premium and e-commerce takes 8–12+ weeks. If a designer promises faster, ask what they're skipping. If they quote much longer, ask why.

Working with webdesigner.ph

Related reading

Browse all articles →

Want a second opinion on your shortlist?

Send me your other quotes. I'll tell you which fits your scope — even when that's not me.

Send your shortlist