How to Choose a Web Developer in Brighton
Hiring a web developer in Brighton? Here's what to look for, red flags to avoid, and the questions to ask before signing anything.
Brighton has more web developers per capita than almost anywhere in the UK. That's a good thing — you have options. It's also a bad thing — because not all options are created equal, and the differences aren't obvious until it's too late.
I've been on both sides of this. I'm a web developer in Brighton who pitches for projects. I'm also someone who's seen the wreckage of bad developer choices — clients who come to me after spending thousands on a site that doesn't work, doesn't rank, or doesn't look like what they were promised.
Here's how to make the right choice.
What to Look For
1. A Portfolio of Real Work
Not mockups. Not concept designs. Real websites that are live, that you can click on, that you can test on your phone.
Look at the portfolio critically:
- Do the sites load fast? (Open them on your phone and see.)
- Do they look different from each other? (If every site looks the same, you're getting a template with your logo swapped in.)
- Are the businesses real? (Google them. Check they exist.)
- Do the sites rank? (Search for "[business name] + [city]" and see if they appear on Google.)
A developer's portfolio is proof of capability. Everything else is promises.
2. Technical Understanding, Not Just Design
A site that looks beautiful but loads in 8 seconds is a failure. A site that looks great on desktop but breaks on mobile is a failure. A site with no SEO markup is invisible to Google.
Ask your potential developer:
- "What will my PageSpeed score be?" (They should target 90+.)
- "How do you handle mobile?" (The answer should be mobile-first, not responsive-after-the-fact.)
- "What's your approach to SEO?" (They should mention structured data, semantic HTML, and performance — not just "we add keywords.")
If they can't answer these questions confidently, they're a designer, not a developer. You need both.
3. Clear Communication
The best developer in the world is useless if you can't get hold of them. During the sales process, pay attention to:
- How quickly do they respond to emails?
- Do they explain technical concepts in language you understand?
- Do they ask questions about your business, or just jump to quoting?
- Do they push back on ideas that won't work? (This is a good sign — yes-people deliver mediocre work.)
A good developer is part technician, part translator. They need to understand your business well enough to build the right thing, and communicate clearly enough that you know what you're getting.
Red Flags
"We'll build it on our proprietary platform"
This means you can't leave without starting over. If the relationship goes bad, your website is held hostage. Always ask: "Do I own the code?" The answer should be an unequivocal yes.
Extremely low quotes
If someone quotes £500 for a custom website, they're using a template and changing the colours. There's nothing wrong with template sites for certain use cases, but be honest about what you're buying.
Custom design and development takes time. A legitimate custom site for a small business takes 2-4 weeks of work. At any reasonable hourly rate, that's not £500.
No mention of performance or SEO
If the proposal doesn't mention page speed, mobile optimisation, or search engine visibility, these aren't priorities for the developer. They'll build something that looks nice in a screenshot and underperforms in the real world.
"We'll need a monthly retainer for maintenance"
Some ongoing maintenance is reasonable — hosting, security updates, content changes. But if the monthly fee is £200+ for "keeping the lights on," you're overpaying.
A well-built static site needs almost no maintenance. A WordPress site needs updates but not £200/month of them. Ask exactly what the maintenance covers and whether you can handle it yourself.
No contract or unclear terms
A professional developer provides a clear contract covering: scope of work, timeline, payment terms, ownership of code, what happens if the project is delayed, and what's included in post-launch support.
If someone wants to start work on a handshake, walk away. Not because they're dishonest — but because misunderstandings are inevitable, and a contract protects both sides.
Questions to Ask
Before you sign anything, ask:
- "Can I see three live sites you've built?" — Not designs. Live sites.
- "What technology will you use?" — The answer should be specific and justified.
- "What happens to my site if we stop working together?" — You should own everything.
- "What's your timeline?" — A good developer gives realistic timelines, not optimistic ones.
- "How do you handle content?" — Will they write it? Will you? Is it included?
- "What does the price include?" — Design, development, copywriting, SEO, hosting, support?
- "Can you show me performance metrics for a site you've built?" — Lighthouse scores, page speed data.
The way they answer tells you as much as the answers themselves. Confidence, clarity, and honesty are good signs. Vagueness, deflection, and jargon are bad signs.
Agency vs. Freelancer
Brighton has both. Here's the trade-off:
Agencies give you a team — designer, developer, project manager, maybe a copywriter. This is good for complex projects where multiple disciplines need to work in parallel. It's expensive because you're paying for overhead. A simple brochure site through an agency in Brighton runs £5,000-£15,000.
Freelancers give you one person who does most or all of it. This is good when the project is clearly scoped and the freelancer has broad skills. It's cheaper because there's no overhead. A comparable site from a good freelancer runs £1,500-£5,000.
The risk with agencies is bloat — you pay for process and meetings that don't improve the output. The risk with freelancers is capacity — if they get ill or busy, your project stalls.
The best middle ground I've found — and this is my model — is a solo developer who handles design, code, copy, and SEO as a single offering. No handoffs between departments. No meetings about meetings. One person who understands the full picture and delivers the complete thing.
The Brighton Advantage
One thing Brighton has going for it: you can meet your developer in person. Have a coffee. Look at their previous work on their laptop. Get a sense of whether you'd enjoy working together.
This matters more than people think. Building a website is a collaborative process. If the communication feels strained over coffee, it'll be painful over a six-week project.
Brighton's web development community is tight. People know each other. Reputations are real. Ask around — other business owners, local networking groups, the Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce. A personal recommendation from someone who's been through the process is worth more than any Google search.
If you're looking for a web developer in Brighton and want to have that coffee, book a call. I'm happy to chat about your project even if we end up not being the right fit.
The best developer for your project isn't necessarily the cheapest or the most expensive. They're the one who understands your business.