A freelancer, agency or software house may be suitable for your website. The right choice depends on the work, available skills and operating arrangements. The supplier’s label does not guarantee design quality, performance, code ownership or a service-level agreement.
Compare Delivery Models
| Model | Potential advantage | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | Direct contact and a focused working relationship | Availability, specialist support and continuity during absence |
| Agency | Design, content and campaign skills in one engagement | Who implements and maintains the site, including subcontractors |
| Software house | Engineering capacity for applications and integrations | Relevant design/content skills, responsibilities and ongoing support |
Any of these models can include partners. Ask who will do the work and who remains accountable, rather than assuming that every capability is in-house.
Three Project Scenarios
A First Information Website
You need a clear description of services, opening hours and reliable contact details. A capable freelancer or small team may be enough. Confirm who supplies content, who can edit it and how domain access will be managed. Compare proposals for the same scope, not a package name.
A Site that Supports Enquiries
You need forms, campaign pages, an editorial workflow or CRM integration. Look for evidence that the team can connect design, content, tracking and sales operations. Agree what counts as a qualified enquiry and avoid treating traffic forecasts as guaranteed sales.
A Portal or Custom Application
Accounts, payments and business-system integrations require architecture, testing and an operating plan. Assess the proposed team’s capacity, relevant experience and continuity. The complexity of the work matters more than whether the supplier calls itself an agency or software house.
Questions to Ask Before Signing
- Who will design, develop, review and support the work?
- What exact scope and client inputs does the quote assume?
- How will visitors and editors complete their main tasks?
- What functional, mobile, accessibility and performance checks are included?
- How are corrections and requests outside scope handled?
- What happens when either side misses a dependency or milestone?
- Who controls the domain, hosting, CMS and connected accounts?
- Which code rights and third-party licences will you receive, and when?
- What maintenance and response commitments are included?
- What is the complete price basis, including applicable taxes and recurring services?
Look for Evidence You Can Assess
Ask for relevant work the supplier is authorised to show, an explanation of its role and a demonstration of the resulting user journey. A polished screenshot does not prove that forms, content editing or integrations work. References should be presented with permission; unsupported numerical claims are not a substitute for a clear delivery process.
Agree the Exit as Well as the Start
Document repository access, content export, deployment instructions and account handover. Another team should be able to understand what was built under the agreed rights and licences. Keep records of decisions and accepted changes throughout the engagement.
Q-Dev is QA10’s software house. We agree scope, price and schedule for each project. The four gates are design, MVP, deployment, and training with the start of maintenance. Each gate ends with a meeting and an agreed corrections document; after approval, two further rounds of changes to completed work are available at that gate. Changes can affect the schedule; price changes only when work falls outside the contract. The first six months of maintenance are included. Code rights transfer after payment for the entire project.