How do I know if a web design agency offers custom websites?

Ask to see recent projects and whether they started from wireframes or templates. A true custom design is built around your brand, goals, and user experience—not a modified theme.

Why is mobile performance important for websites?

Most users visit websites from a mobile device. If your site is slow or unresponsive, bounce rates increase and search rankings drop. Google also prioritizes mobile-first indexing.

Should SEO be included in web design?

Yes. SEO should be integrated from the start, including metadata, header tags, page speed optimization, internal linking, and keyword targeting for long-term visibility.

What should be included in a web design quote?

A clear web design quote should include project scope, page count, design specs, timeline, number of revisions, SEO implementation, and any optional features or maintenance plans.

How long does it take to build a business website?

A standard business website typically takes 4 to 6 weeks to build. Larger or more complex websites may take 8 to 12 weeks depending on requirements and feedback speed.

Is website maintenance necessary after launch?

Yes. Regular website maintenance ensures your site remains secure, up-to-date, fast, and functional. It also helps maintain SEO performance and protects against vulnerabilities.

Can I redesign my existing website instead of building a new one?

Yes. A website redesign is a cost-effective way to modernize your site, improve performance, and align with new branding—especially if the current content is still relevant.

5 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Web Design Agency in Brampton

CodeMasters Marketing
Jul 4
6 min read

People gather at Garden Square festival. Bright tents, a cyclist, and a big screen display create a lively, bustling street scene. — Credit: teamarora

Why Brampton Businesses Need High-Performing Websites

Your website is your digital storefront, and in a city like Brampton, where over 18,000 registered businesses compete for attention, a well-designed website can be the difference between being found or forgotten. Whether you’re a contractor, consultant, or running a storefront in Bramalea, customers will search for you online first. And if your site is slow, outdated, or hard to navigate? They’ll bounce within seconds.

That’s why choosing the right web design agency in Brampton is a high-stakes decision. But with so many agencies promising the same thing, “modern,” “responsive,” “affordable”, how do you know who’s the real deal?

This post breaks it down. Ask these 5 questions before signing anything, and you’ll avoid costly mistakes that stall growth or drain your budget.

1. Do They Specialize in Custom Web Design?

Many agencies claim to offer “custom” web design, but when you dig deeper, you find out they’re just slapping your logo on a prebuilt template.

Here’s the difference:

Feature	Template-Based Design	Custom Web Design
Built from scratch?	❌ No	✅ Yes
SEO-optimized structure?	❌ Generic	✅ Tailored to your content and keywords
Mobile-first?	⚠️ Sometimes	✅ Always
Cost range	$500 – $2,000	$3,000 – $15,000+
Long-term scalability?	❌ Limited	✅ Scales with your business needs

A custom website performs better over time, especially in competitive local markets like Brampton. Google favors fast, optimized, and well-structured sites, and templates rarely check all those boxes.

What to ask the agency:

“Can you show me an example of a custom site you built for a Brampton business?”
“Do you start with wireframes or templates?”
“How do you incorporate brand identity into the design?”

If they hesitate or only show template catalogs, that’s a red flag.

🔗 Learn more about our approach to Custom Website Design

2. Can They Build a Mobile-Friendly and Fast Website?

Bar chart shows "Impact of Mobile Compatibility on Conversion." Red bar for Mobile-Friendly Companies at 167%, gray bar for Non-Mobile-Friendly at 100%. — Credit: Oddball

Nearly 7 in 10 visitors will view your site on a mobile device. If it loads slowly or doesn’t function well on smaller screens, they’ll leave, often within 3 seconds.

Here’s what the data shows:

53% of mobile users abandon sites that take longer than 3 seconds to load
A 1-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by up to 20%
Google’s Core Web Vitals now directly impact search rankings

Speed and responsiveness aren’t “nice-to-haves”, they’re deal-breakers.

What to ask the agency:

“What are your average scores on Google’s Lighthouse audit?”
“Can you show Core Web Vitals from a site you’ve built?”
“How do you optimize images and scripts for mobile?”

If they can’t confidently talk about things like First Contentful Paint (FCP), Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), or Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), that’s a red flag.

Metric	Ideal Score
LCP (load time)	< 2.5 seconds
CLS (layout stability)	< 0.1
FID (input delay)	< 100 ms

🔗 See how we approach Responsive Web Design🔗 Creating a Mobile-Friendly Web Design – Full Guide

LCP, FID, CLS metrics with bar charts indicating performance: good (green), needs improvement (orange), poor (red). — Credit: Yoast

3. Do They Include SEO Strategy?

Design without SEO is just decoration.

If your website can’t be found on Google, it doesn’t matter how beautiful it is. A top-tier web design agency in Brampton should build with SEO baked in, not as an upsell later.

Here’s what that looks like:

Keyword research targeting Brampton + your industry
Clean, crawlable code and fast load times
Proper use of header tags (H1, H2, etc.)
Schema markup for services, locations, FAQs
Optimized metadata and alt text for accessibility

Ask your agency:

“What on-page SEO is included in your web design packages?”
“Do you create location-based landing pages?”
“Do you research keywords before designing the layout?”

If the answer is vague or they “don’t do SEO,” you're wasting money.

See how Much Does a Website Cost in Canada (2025)?

4. Do They Show Transparent Pricing and Timelines?

Web design shouldn’t feel like buying a used car. You deserve to know exactly what you’re getting, when you’ll get it, and how much it will cost.

Unfortunately, many agencies in Brampton still use vague language like “starting at…” or don’t offer written estimates. That’s a recipe for scope creep and surprise invoices.

What Transparent Agencies Provide:

A clear proposal outlining every deliverable
Timeline estimates (e.g. 6 weeks with two revision rounds)
A breakdown of optional add-ons (e.g. logo, copywriting, SEO)
Clarity on what’s not included

Here’s an example of what should be in a web design quote:

Item	Description	Included
Homepage Design	Fully custom, responsive layout	✅
Mobile Optimization	Speed-tested and cross-device compatibility	✅
SEO Setup	Metadata, alt text, keyword structure	✅
Blog Setup	Optional — up to 3 posts	⚠️ Extra
Monthly Maintenance	Updates, backups, uptime monitoring	❌ Extra

What to ask the agency:

“Can you walk me through your standard timeline for a 5-page business website?”“Do you charge extra for revisions, or are they included?”

🔗 Explore our full Website Design Services

5. Do They Offer Ongoing Support and Maintenance?

Launching a website is just the beginning. Like any tech, it needs regular care to stay functional, fast, and secure.

If a web design agency disappears after launch, or charges you $250 just to fix a broken link, you’re in trouble.

What Ongoing Website Maintenance Should Include:

Security updates (CMS, plugins, SSL)
Regular backups
Speed optimizations
Small content changes
Uptime monitoring

Real-world example:

A business in Brampton had their site hacked through an outdated plugin. They paid $1,200 in emergency cleanup, when a $29/month maintenance plan would have prevented it.

Ask the agency:

“What kind of support do you offer post-launch?”“Do you include updates and security checks in your packages?”

If they don’t offer any kind of structured maintenance, you’ll likely need to hire someone else in a panic later.

🔗 Learn more about our Website Maintenance Plans

Final Thoughts about Web design agency Brampton

Choosing a web design agency in Brampton is more than just picking someone who “makes things look nice.” Your website is a business asset — it should drive leads, rank well on Google, and reflect your brand at every level.

Before you sign on the dotted line, ask these 5 questions:

Do they build custom sites or rely on templates?
Can they deliver mobile speed and Core Web Vitals performance?
Is SEO baked into the design process?
Are the pricing and timelines crystal clear?
Will they support you after launch?

If the answers are vague, it’s not the right agency.

📍 At CodeMasters, we specialize in custom-built websites for Brampton businesses that want more than just a pretty layout, they want results.

👉 Book a free consultation today and let’s talk about building a website that works as hard as you do.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if a web design agency is really offering custom work?

Ask to see their recent projects and whether they started from scratch or modified a template. True custom design involves UX planning, wireframing, and branding integration — not just dropping a logo into a pre-made layout. Agencies that offer real custom work often start with a discovery phase and deliver a sitemap or wireframes first.

📚 Learn more about what custom website design includes

Why is mobile performance so important for Brampton businesses?

Over 70% of local search traffic in Canada comes from mobile. If your website is slow or clunky on smartphones, your bounce rate skyrockets. Google also uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it prioritizes your mobile site in search rankings. A fast, responsive site helps convert visitors and supports local SEO. Learn more from Google’s guide to mobile-first indexing

Does SEO really need to be included in the design phase?

Yes. SEO is most effective when it's embedded into the architecture of your site — not just added to content afterward. Things like page speed, URL structure, header tags, and metadata all start with design decisions. Agencies that skip this step are setting you up for failure in search rankings. Learn more from Moz – What is Technical SEO?

🔗 Explore Brampton-focused SEO services

What should be included in a proper web design quote?

At a minimum, your quote should outline:

Total number of pages
Design and development scope
Timeline and milestones
Number of revisions
SEO integration
Maintenance or support options

If pricing is vague or labeled “starting at,” it often means upsells later. Reputable agencies provide fixed packages or detailed breakdowns.

🔗 View our web design packages and process

What’s the average timeline for building a business website?

For a standard 5–10 page brochure site, the average timeline is 4 to 6 weeks. More complex builds, like e-commerce or sites with multilingual content, can take 8 to 12 weeks. Timelines also depend on how quickly clients provide feedback.

What happens if I don’t maintain my website after launch?

Your site becomes vulnerable to:

Security breaches (especially on WordPress)
Broken links or outdated content
Slow loading times
Drop in SEO rankings

Regular updates, backups, and monitoring protect your investment and ensure long-term performance.

🔗 Explore our Website Maintenance Services

Learn more from Wordfence – Why WordPress sites get hacked

Can I redesign my site instead of building a new one?

Yes — and often, it’s the smarter choice. If your current site is outdated but has decent content or SEO value, a redesign can retain the good parts while improving performance, branding, and structure.

🔗 Read about Website Redesign Services