Every web designer and agency will tell you they're great. They'll show you beautiful portfolio examples, promise the world, and make the process sound easy.
But here's what they won't tell you: the web design industry is full of talented professionals—and also full of people who will take your money, deliver a mediocre product, and leave you stuck with a website that doesn't work.
We've heard the stories dozens of times. Business owners who paid thousands for websites they can't update. Designers who disappeared mid-project. Promises of first-page Google rankings that never materialized. Beautiful designs that generate zero leads.
The good news? These disasters are usually preventable. The red flags are there from the beginning—most people just don't know what to look for.
In this guide, we'll walk through 12 warning signs that should make you think twice before hiring a web designer. These aren't opinions—they're patterns we've seen repeatedly when businesses come to us to fix what went wrong elsewhere.
Why These Red Flags Matter (The Cost of Getting It Wrong)
Let's be clear about what's at stake.
When you hire the wrong web designer, you don't just lose money. You lose time, momentum, and opportunities. You might end up with:
- A website you don't own and can't move away from
- A beautiful design that doesn't generate leads or sales
- Endless delays that push your launch back months
- Hidden costs that double your budget
- Poor technical foundation that hurts your search rankings
- A relationship breakdown that ends in frustration on both sides
Most of these problems start before you sign the contract. The red flags are there during the initial conversations—you just need to know what you're looking for.
Let's break them down by phase.
Red Flags Before You Sign
1. No Portfolio or Outdated Examples
The red flag: They can't show you recent, relevant work examples.
What this looks like in practice:
A business owner we'll call Sarah contacted a local designer who claimed 15 years of experience. When she asked for examples, he showed her three websites—all built in 2014, all offline, and none in her industry. He promised he could "definitely handle" her project, but couldn't provide proof.
Sarah went with him anyway. Six months and $7,000 later, she had a website that looked like it was from 2010.
What to do instead: Ask to see 3-5 recent examples from the past 2 years. They should be live websites (not just mockups) that you can actually visit. If they work primarily in your industry, even better.
Exception: Brand-new designers have to start somewhere. If they're new but transparent about it—and their pricing reflects their experience level—that's different from someone claiming expertise they don't have.
2. No Written Contract
The red flag: They want to start work based on a handshake, verbal agreement, or informal email.
What this looks like in practice:
Mark hired a freelancer he met through a friend. They agreed on a price via text message and the designer requested 50% upfront via Venmo. No contract. Four weeks later, Mark wasn't happy with the design direction. The designer claimed Mark had approved things he didn't remember approving. With no contract to reference, it became he-said-she-said. Mark eventually walked away, losing his deposit.
What to do instead: A legitimate professional provides a clear, written contract before any work begins. It should outline deliverables, timeline, payment terms, revision policy, and what happens if either side isn't satisfied.
If you're not sure what to look for, check out our guide on what should be included in a web design contract.
3. Unrealistic Promises (Guaranteed #1 Rankings)
The red flag: They guarantee first-page Google rankings, promise unrealistic timelines, or claim results that sound too good to be true.
What this looks like in practice:
A restaurant owner was told his new website would rank #1 for "best restaurant in [city]" within 30 days, guaranteed. He paid extra for this "SEO package." Three months later, the site wasn't indexed by Google at all because basic technical SEO wasn't even done correctly.
The truth: No one can guarantee specific Google rankings. There are too many factors outside any designer's control—competition, algorithm updates, and what other businesses are doing.
What to do instead: Look for realistic promises. A good agency will say something like: "We'll implement SEO best practices, but rankings depend on many factors. We can help you improve over time with content and optimization."
For realistic expectations, see our article on how long it takes to see SEO results.
4. Rock-Bottom Pricing
The red flag: Their quote is dramatically lower than everyone else—like $500 for a custom business website.
What this looks like in practice:
Jennifer got three quotes: $4,500, $5,200, and $800. She went with the $800 option. What she got was a pre-made template with her logo slapped on it, stock photos, placeholder text she had to write herself, and no support after launch. When she tried to get changes made, the designer ghosted her.
The reality: Quality web design takes time and skill. If someone's charging $500 for what should cost $5,000, they're either inexperienced, cutting corners, or planning to upsell you on everything that should have been included.
What to do instead: Understand what websites actually cost. For context, see our guide on website pricing in 2026. Get multiple quotes and be wary of anything drastically lower than market rate.
5. Refuses to Provide References
The red flag: They won't put you in touch with past clients or seem uncomfortable when you ask.
What this looks like in practice:
When David asked for references, his designer said, "All my clients are very happy but they're busy and prefer not to be contacted." Red flag. He hired them anyway. Later, he found out why there were no references: the designer had a trail of unhappy clients who'd been burned.
What to do instead: Ask for 2-3 references from recent projects similar to yours. Call them. Ask about communication, meeting deadlines, budget, and whether they'd hire this designer again.
What good designers say: "Absolutely, here are three recent clients who've agreed to serve as references. I'll send you their contact info."
Red Flags During the Process
6. Poor Communication (Goes Dark for Days)
The red flag: They disappear for days or weeks without responding to emails, texts, or calls.
What this looks like in practice:
Rachel's designer was great during the sales process—responded within hours. After she paid the deposit, communication dropped off a cliff. She'd send an email and wait 5-7 days for a response. The project that was supposed to take 6 weeks took 6 months.
What this looks like: Communication problems during the sales process will only get worse after you've paid. If they're unresponsive now, imagine how they'll be when the project hits a snag.
What to do instead: Set communication expectations upfront: response time for emails, frequency of check-ins, and how updates will be shared. If someone can't maintain good communication during the sales process when they're trying to win your business, that's a massive red flag.
7. No Clear Timeline or Milestones
The red flag: They can't tell you when things will be done or give vague answers like "it'll be done when it's done."
What this looks like in practice:
Tom was told his site would "take a few weeks." After three months with no end in sight, he asked for a timeline. The designer got defensive and blamed Tom for delays (even though Tom had submitted everything requested). There was never a clear project plan.
What to do instead: A professional agency provides a timeline with milestones: Discovery (Week 1-2), Design (Week 3-4), Development (Week 5-6), Review and Launch (Week 7). Dates can shift, but there should be a plan.
Learn more about realistic timelines in our article on how long it takes to build a website.
8. Doesn't Ask About Your Business Goals
The red flag: They jump straight into talking about colors, layouts, and design trends without asking about your business.
What this looks like in practice:
Lisa's first meeting with a designer was entirely about design preferences—fonts, colors, styles she liked. Not a single question about what her business does, who her customers are, or what problems the website needs to solve. The result? A beautiful website that didn't generate a single lead because it wasn't designed with her business goals in mind.
What to do instead: A good designer asks about your business first: Who are your customers? What makes you different from competitors? What action do you want visitors to take? If they skip this step, they're treating your website like art instead of a business tool.
9. Their Own Website Has Problems
The red flag: The web designer's own website is broken, outdated, slow, or doesn't work on mobile.
What this looks like in practice:
A lawyer hired a web designer whose own site took 15 seconds to load, had broken links, and looked terrible on mobile. He thought, "Maybe they're just too busy with client work." Wrong. The designer's work was sloppy across the board.
The principle: If a mechanic's car doesn't run, would you trust them to fix yours? A web designer's own site is their best marketing. If they can't get that right, what does that say about their priorities and standards?
What to do instead: Visit their website on your phone. Check the loading speed at PageSpeed Insights. Click through multiple pages. If you find obvious problems, ask yourself if you want someone with those standards working on your business.
Red Flags About Ownership & Technical Issues
10. Won't Give You Access to Your Website
The red flag: They insist on hosting your site, registering the domain in their name, and maintaining full control.
What this looks like in practice:
James paid $6,000 for a website. Two years later, he wanted to switch to another agency for a redesign. That's when he learned he didn't own his site—the designer did. The domain was in the designer's name. The hosting was through the designer's reseller account. To move the site, he'd have to pay additional fees and the designer would "consider" giving him the files.
He was trapped.
What to do instead: Make sure the contract explicitly states that you own everything:
- Domain registered in YOUR name
- Hosting account in YOUR name
- Full access to all files, code, and credentials
- No proprietary systems that lock you in
This is non-negotiable. If they resist, walk away.
11. No Discussion of Mobile or SEO
The red flag: They don't mention mobile responsiveness, page speed, or SEO at all—or treat them as expensive add-ons.
What this looks like in practice:
Patricia paid $5,000 for a website that looked great on desktop. When she checked it on her phone, the text was tiny, images were cut off, and navigation didn't work. She asked the designer to fix it. Response: "Mobile optimization is $2,000 extra."
Over 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices. If your site doesn't work on phones, you're losing more than half your potential customers.
What to do instead: Mobile responsiveness, basic SEO, and fast loading speeds should be included in every professional web design project in 2026. If they're treating these as optional extras, that's a red flag.
Check out our Local SEO Guide to understand what should be included in your website's technical foundation.
12. Ignores Accessibility and Security
The red flag: When you ask about website accessibility (for people with disabilities) or security (SSL certificates, backups), they brush it off or don't know what you're talking about.
What this looks like in practice:
A medical practice hired a designer who built a beautiful site with no thought to accessibility. When a patient who used a screen reader tried to book an appointment, they couldn't navigate the forms. The practice faced a complaint and had to rebuild core parts of the site to meet basic accessibility standards.
What to do instead: Ask about:
- SSL certificate (the "https" padlock)—should be standard
- Regular backups in case something breaks
- Basic accessibility features (proper heading structure, alt text for images, keyboard navigation)
These aren't nice-to-haves—they're requirements for a professional website.
Learn more in our guide on ADA website compliance for small businesses.
What to Do If You've Already Hired a Bad Designer
If you're reading this and realizing you're already working with someone showing these red flags, here's what to do:
- Document everything: Save all emails, contracts, and records of payment and deliverables
- Communicate clearly: Send a written email outlining your concerns and what needs to change
- Review your contract: Understand your rights, termination clauses, and refund policies
- Set a deadline: Give them a specific timeframe to resolve issues
- Be prepared to walk away: Sometimes cutting losses early is better than dragging out a bad project
If you need to start over, we've helped dozens of businesses recover from bad web design experiences. The good news: it's fixable.
The Green Flags: Signs of a Quality Web Designer
It's not all doom and gloom. Here are the positive signs that indicate you're working with a professional:
Green flags to look for:
- Clear, detailed contract before any work begins
- Asks lots of questions about your business and goals
- Provides a structured process with timeline and milestones
- Communicates clearly and responds within reasonable timeframes
- Portfolio of recent, relevant work you can verify
- Transparent about what's included and what costs extra
- Explains technical concepts in language you understand
- Willing to provide references
- Domain, hosting, and files will be in your name
- Includes mobile, SEO, and security as standard
If you want to go deeper, check out our article on 15 questions to ask before hiring a web designer—complete with sample answers and what good responses sound like.
Trust Your Gut
Here's the thing about red flags: your gut usually knows.
If something feels off—if they're evasive, if they pressure you to decide immediately, if their answers don't add up—listen to that feeling. You're not being paranoid. You're being smart.
A good web design agency will make you feel informed, confident, and excited about the project. A bad one will make you feel confused, pressured, or uncertain.
Your business deserves better than a website that doesn't work. Taking the extra time to spot red flags now can save you thousands of dollars and months of frustration later.
Ready to Work With a Team You Can Trust?
At MooseBase, we believe in transparency from day one. We'll answer every question on this list clearly and honestly, put everything in writing, and show you exactly what you're getting before you commit.
We've built dozens of websites for small businesses across the US—and we've fixed plenty that were done wrong the first time. Whatever your situation, we're happy to help.
Next Steps:
- Read our guide on questions to ask web designers to prepare for agency meetings
- Learn about agency vs freelancer options to understand your choices
- Check out what to include in a web design contract to protect yourself
- See our portfolio of websites we've designed for small businesses
- Get a free consultation to discuss your project with our team