The decision in plain language
You are choosing a person or company to plan, design and build something your business will depend on for years, and probably to look after it afterwards. The price matters, but the decisions that cost the most later are about scope, ownership and whether the provider is still around when you need a change. This guide helps you decide what kind of help you need, what to pin down, how to judge candidates and what to ask.
Providers quote more accurately when you can answer four questions first: what the website is for, which pages you need, roughly when you need it and the budget range you can work within. You do not need a detailed specification; you need enough for each provider to respond to the same job.
Which situations need which type of help
| Your situation | What usually fits | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| No website, or one you cannot use | A new site: planning, design, build and launch | Content supply is the big variable; decide who writes the text. |
| A site that works but looks dated or converts poorly | A redesign on existing content, with redirects from old pages | Ask how old addresses will be redirected so links and search visibility survive. |
| One campaign or offer | A landing page | Cheaper than a site; not a replacement for one. |
| A site nobody maintains | A care and hosting plan, possibly with a small refresh | Confirm what the plan includes and how to cancel. |
| Very small budget and simple needs | A website builder you run yourself | Lower cost and full control, but your time, your design decisions and platform lock-in. |
Deliverables and exclusions to clarify
- Pages and content: which pages, who writes the text, who supplies images.
- Design approach: a custom design or an adapted template. Either can be right; the price and the flexibility differ.
- Features: contact forms, booking, maps, galleries, e-commerce, member areas, integrations with tools you already use.
- Search and analytics setup: page titles, descriptions, a sitemap, Google Business Profile links and analytics are sometimes included and sometimes an add-on.
- Migration: if you have an existing site, confirm whether old pages are redirected.
- Ownership: who owns the domain registration, the hosting account, the content and the files, and whether the site can be moved to another host.
- After launch: what the care plan includes, what it costs, the notice period, and the rate for changes outside the plan.
The full method for comparing what each quote includes is in How to compare local service quotes.
Selection criteria, in order
- Relevant work you can check. Sites for businesses of a similar size or type. Open them on your phone and see how they load and read.
- Clarity of terms. A provider who answers the ownership and recurring-cost questions plainly is showing you how they operate.
- Process. Discovery, planning, design, build, testing, launch and handover, with what they need from you at each step.
- Communication and fit. How approvals, questions and training happen, and whether that suits how you work.
- Longevity. Who looks after the site next year, and what happens if the provider is unavailable.
- Price, last. Once every quote covers the same scope.
Questions to ask
- Can you show live sites you built for businesses like mine, and can I speak to one of those clients?
- Who will do the work, and what will you need from me and by when?
- Which pages and features are included, and what would be an extra charge?
- Who will own the domain, hosting account and website files?
- How many revision rounds are included, and what counts as a round?
- What will I pay each month or year after launch, and can I cancel?
- What happens if I want to move the site to another provider later?
- What will you show me at handover so I can make basic changes myself?
Reasons to be cautious: no written scope, or a scope that lists features without saying what is excluded; guarantees of search rankings; the domain or hosting registered in the provider's name with no written transfer terms; pressure to decide quickly; an inability to explain how a past project went.
What the evidence shows
The guides and provider pages reviewed for this article agree on the same core questions: relevant samples rather than mockups, a described process with defined revision rounds, who does the work, ownership after launch, timeline, pricing basis and ongoing support. Web design is a service that can be delivered remotely, so a provider's address matters less than it does for a trade; what matters is whether the stated service area includes you, whether you can meet the way you prefer and whether local search setup is part of the offer.
Evidence
Source: Local Cochrane Web Design's six listed services, stated service area (Cochrane and Rocky View County), contact route and stated proposal turnaround.
Limits: First-party statements. No prices, projects, team or address are published; the 'since 2013' statement is unverified.
localcochranewebdesign.com/ · Verified October 16, 2026
Source note. Selection criteria and questions reviewed by Foothills Local Guide editors against published hiring guides and the providers' own service pages. No provider was interviewed or tested for this article. Checked October 16, 2026.
Verified providers serving Cochrane
The profile below is derived from the business's own published information. It is a factual listing with its relationship to this publication labelled, not a ranking. Independent businesses can be profiled on the same terms.
Local Cochrane Web Design
Website design, redesign and local search services
- Based in
- Cochrane, Alberta
- Serves
- Cochrane; Rocky View County
Make the decision
Aim for three providers who answer the same brief. Put their responses side by side using the same categories, weigh relevant evidence, clarity of terms and fit, then price. Confirm your choice in writing with the scope, exclusions, schedule, payment milestones and ownership terms attached. The free Before You Hire Kit gives you the quote request and the comparison sheet for exactly this step.