Most web projects in Singapore start the same way: you get a recommendation, look at a portfolio, like what you see, and sign the proposal.

The brief is usually a few bullet points about colours, pages, and maybe a moodboard.

And that's fine — until something breaks six months after launch, or you want to move hosting, or you realise the SEO "package" costs extra, or the developer owns half the domain name.

Here are the questions that should be asked at the start. Most of them won't be.

The questions most founders forget to ask

Before you sign anything, run through this list:

  • Where will the website actually live? (Who controls the hosting account?)
  • Who owns the domain name?
  • Who owns the code when the project is done?
  • Will this connect to our CRM?
  • What's included in SEO — and what's an add-on?
  • If your developer disappears tomorrow, what happens to the site?

The last one sounds dramatic. It isn't. Developers move on, agencies shut down, and Singapore's web industry has seen plenty of both. If you can't answer the last question clearly, the first five matter even more.

CRM and integrations — "Will this connect to my CRM?"

Most developers won't bring this up unless you ask.

A typical web project scope covers pages, design, and contact forms. CRM integration — making those form submissions land directly inside HubSpot, Zoho, or whatever you're using — is treated as a separate conversation. Sometimes it costs extra. Sometimes it's just not mentioned.

Here's why it matters: a contact form that emails you is not the same as a contact form that captures a lead, tags it by source, and routes it to the right person in your CRM. The first is a contact form. The second is a business system. You want the second.

Ask your developer: "Where do form submissions go, and can they connect to our CRM?" Watch how they answer. If they hesitate, or say "we'll just use email," that's a signal.

Hosting and ownership — who actually owns the code?

This one catches more Singapore businesses than it should.

In most standard web development agreements, the developer retains ownership of the code until the final payment is made. In some cases — particularly with overseas agencies or freelancers working through platforms — ownership can become genuinely complicated.

Before signing, clarify:

  • Domain name: It should be in your name, not your developer's. If they're registering it on your behalf, transfer it to your account immediately after launch.
  • Hosting: Whose account is it in? If it's theirs and they disappear, your site goes with them.
  • Code ownership: Do you get the full codebase on completion, or is it licensed? For most projects, you want the codebase transferred to you on final payment.

A reputable Singapore studio will have clear answers to all three. If they deflect, get it in writing before you sign.

SEO foundations — what's built in vs add-on

Every developer claims to do SEO. Very few do it properly by default.

Before you start, ask specifically:

  • Are page titles and meta descriptions set per page, or just the homepage?
  • Is the site structure set up for search engines from day one — correct heading hierarchy, clean URLs, sitemap?
  • Is there a handoff document with your SEO foundations documented?
  • Is ongoing SEO support available, or is that a separate invoice?

Good SEO is built into the project. What comes after — content, link building, ongoing optimisation — that's legitimately extra. But the foundations should not cost you additional dollars.

The one question that surfaces if your dev knows what they're doing

Ask this:

"What happens if we need to move hosting after launch?"

A developer who has built the project properly will answer: "We provide full migration support and the code is portable — here's how." They'll also tell you what format the handoff takes.

A developer who has locked you into their own hosting stack will deflect. Or say it's complicated. Or quote you a "migration fee."

That question alone tells you whether you're working with someone who thinks in systems, or someone who wants you permanently on their stack.

Already have a website and need CRM help? Our partners at Woven can integrate it properly — HubSpot setup, Shopify and Xero connections, and ongoing CRM management. Talk to Woven →