Choosing help to rebuild a site that isn't working

A website that isn't working is costing you. Maybe visitors land but don't stay. Maybe the pages are slow, or the contact form breaks, or it looks wrong on phones. Maybe it was built years ago and nobody knows how to fix it anymore. Whatever the failure, getting it right the second time means finding someone who can diagnose the real problem, not just rebuild from scratch for the sake of it.

When you're looking to hire someone to fix a broken site, the gap between a wasted rebuild and a working one hinges on a few concrete things. These aren't subjective. They're worth testing before you hand over money.

Does the person ask diagnostic questions first?

A red flag is a quote that arrives before they've asked what's actually broken. A competent builder will want to know: What does "not working" mean to you? Is it a technical problem—slow load times, errors, hosting issues? Is it a user problem—people bounce, they can't find what they need, the forms fail? Is it a business problem—you're not getting inquiries, customers go elsewhere? Or is it a maintenance problem—the old designer is gone and you can't update anything?

These are different problems. A slow site needs server and code optimisation. A confusing site needs structure and navigation work. A neglected site might just need a handover of tools and training. An outdated visual design needs a redesign. The cost, timeline and skill set required are not the same.

Ask candidates: "What would you need to see or know before giving me a scope?" If they push back with vague assurances or jump to "we'll rebuild it modern," move on. The ones worth hiring will want to spend a few hours understanding what broke and why.

Also ask them to walk you through how they'd test the current site. Do they look at speed tools? Check browser compatibility? Review the user flow? Play with the forms? Someone who knows their craft will have a process. Someone guessing won't.

Can they hand you something you can actually use later?

One of the biggest reasons a rebuild fails is that the new site works when the builder is around, but the moment they leave, you're stuck. You can't update text. You can't add a product. You can't fix a broken link. You don't have passwords. You don't own the code or the domain.

Before you hire, ask them directly:

• Will you own the domain name outright, or will they hold it?
• What happens to the code and files when the project ends—do you get copies?
• What tools will the site run on—a CMS you can learn, a custom system only they can change, or a template builder?
• Will they provide training or documentation on how to update it yourself?
• If you want to move to another builder later, can you?

Someone building on WordPress, Statamic, or another well-known CMS is usually a safer bet than proprietary code you can't touch. Ask to see their terms. A good builder will be clear and won't make you feel like you're renting your own site.

It's also worth asking for a reference from someone whose site they've handed over—not their showcase client, but someone who actually maintains it now. Find out if the handover was smooth and whether the site still works six months later.

What separates cheap from smart

Price matters, but it's not the main separator. Two quotes can be vastly different because one is cutting corners and the other is solving the real problem. Before you compare numbers, make sure you're comparing the same scope.

Ask each candidate to list exactly what's included: design mockups, number of pages, testing across devices, hosting setup, post-launch support, training. If one quote is half the price, find out what's missing. Sometimes it's just admin overhead. Sometimes it means no mobile testing, no performance optimisation, or a six-week radio silence after launch.

When you've narrowed it down to two or three candidates who've asked good questions and can hand you back a working, maintainable site, the conversation shifts to timeline and fit. A rebuilt site that works for years is worth more than a cheap one that fails in six months.

Strove lets you compare verified builders side by side, see their past work and read reviews from people who've actually lived with their rebuilds. That context makes the choice easier and the risk much lower.