What to Expect When You Hire a Web Designer (The Complete Process)

Hiring a web designer for the first time can feel like walking into a mechanic's shop when you know nothing about cars. You know you need help, but you're not sure what you're paying for, how long it should take, or how to tell if you're getting a good deal.

That uncertainty keeps a lot of business owners stuck. They know they need a website, but the process feels like a black box, so they keep putting it off.

Let me pull back the curtain. Here's exactly what the web design process looks like from start to finish — at least how we do it at MantleWeb. Most reputable designers follow a similar flow.

Phase 1: Discovery

This is the "getting to know you" phase. Before any design work happens, a good web designer needs to understand your business, your customers, and your goals.

Expect a conversation (usually 30-60 minutes) that covers:

What does your business do? Not the elevator pitch — the real version. Who are your customers? What problems do you solve for them?
What do you want the website to accomplish? More phone calls? Online bookings? Showcase your work? Sell products? The answer shapes every decision that follows.
Who are your competitors? Not so we can copy them, but so we know what your potential customers are comparing you against.
What do you like and dislike? If you have examples of websites you admire or hate, share them. "I like how clean this site feels" or "I can't stand when sites auto-play video" — that kind of feedback is gold.
What content do you have? Photos, logos, written copy, testimonials, service descriptions. We need to know what's ready and what needs to be created.

This phase usually takes a few days to a week. The designer should walk away with a clear picture of what the project needs, and you should walk away understanding the timeline and cost.

Phase 2: Proposal and Agreement

After discovery, you'll get a proposal that outlines:

What's included (number of pages, features, functionality)
Timeline from start to launch
Total cost and payment schedule
What you're responsible for providing (content, photos, logins)
What happens after launch (maintenance, updates, hosting)

Read this carefully. Ask questions about anything that's unclear. A good designer expects questions and won't rush you past this step.

Once you agree, you'll typically pay a deposit (usually 25-50% upfront) and the work begins.

Phase 3: Design

This is where the visual direction takes shape. Depending on the designer, you might see:

Wireframes: Basic layouts showing where content goes on each page, without colors or styling. Think of it as the blueprint.
Mockups: More polished versions showing actual colors, fonts, images, and branding. This is closer to what the final site will look like.

You'll usually see the homepage design first. Once that direction is approved, the designer moves on to interior pages.

Your Role in This Phase

Give honest feedback. If something doesn't feel right, say so. It's much easier to change a design in this stage than after it's been built. Be specific — "I don't like it" isn't as helpful as "the blue feels too corporate for my brand" or "I want the phone number bigger."

Most designers include one to two rounds of revisions in the project price. Major changes after that may cost extra, so use your revision rounds wisely.

Phase 4: Development

Once the design is approved, the developer builds it into a real, functioning website. This is the behind-the-scenes work: writing the code, setting up the hosting, making everything responsive on mobile, connecting forms, optimizing page speed, and setting up SEO basics.

During this phase, you usually won't see much day-to-day progress, and that's normal. The developer is building the engine under the hood.

You might be asked to:

Provide or approve final written content
Supply high-resolution photos or logos
Set up accounts (Google Business Profile, email, analytics) if you haven't already
Review a staging site (a private preview link) as pages are completed

Phase 5: Review and Revisions

Before launch, you'll get access to a staging version of the site to click through, test, and review. This is your chance to catch anything that needs fixing.

Check everything:

Is all the text accurate? Phone numbers, addresses, hours, service descriptions?
Do all links work?
Does it look good on your phone?
Do forms actually send when submitted?
Are photos loading properly?

Don't be shy about pointing things out. This review phase exists specifically for that. A professional designer would rather fix 20 small things now than have you find them after launch.

Phase 6: Launch

Once everything is approved, the site goes live. This involves:

Pointing your domain name to the new hosting
Final testing on the live URL
Submitting the site to Google Search Console
Setting up analytics tracking
Making sure everything that worked on staging still works on the live site

A good designer doesn't just flip a switch and disappear. They'll monitor the site for the first few days to catch any issues that only appear in production.

After Launch: What Comes Next

Your website isn't a "set it and forget it" thing. It needs occasional updates — new services, fresh photos, blog posts, security patches, and plugin updates.

Ask your designer about their maintenance plan before you start. Some include monthly maintenance in their pricing. Others charge hourly for updates. Know what you're signing up for so there are no surprises.

How Long Does the Whole Thing Take?

For a typical small business website (5-10 pages), expect 2-4 weeks from kickoff to launch. The biggest variable is usually how quickly you provide content and feedback. Designers don't want to nag you for photos, but delays on your end push the entire timeline.

The Bottom Line

Hiring a web designer doesn't have to be stressful or confusing. When you know what to expect at each stage, you can focus on running your business while someone else handles the technical work.

If you've been putting off getting a website because the process felt overwhelming, book a free consultation with us and we'll walk you through exactly how it works for your specific business. No jargon, no pressure — just a clear plan to get you online.