How do I choose a web developer in South Africa?
Ask four questions before hiring anyone: is the design custom or a purchased theme, who writes the copy, who owns the code and hosting account when the project ends, and what the support arrangement is after launch. Vague answers to the third question are the clearest warning sign.
The questions that reveal the most
- “Will I own the code and the hosting account?” — the correct answer is yes, unconditionally.
- “Can I see a site you built that is still live two years later?” — anyone can launch; fewer build things that last.
- “What happens if I want to move to another developer?” — the answer should be boring, not defensive.
- “Who writes the content?” — if nobody has thought about it, the project will stall at week three.
Warning signs
- The site is only available while you keep paying a monthly fee that is not hosting.
- You cannot get a straight answer on where the domain is registered.
- A guarantee of first-place Google rankings.
- A quote with no scope attached to it.
What price should tell you
Very cheap usually means a theme and a template, which is a legitimate product but should be described as one. Very expensive should come with a correspondingly specific scope.
The useful signal is not the number. It is whether the quote demonstrates that they understood your business.