A website redesign is an investment in how people understand your organization and take action. Choosing an agency in Montreal means looking beyond portfolio screenshots.
Start with the problem. Does your website explain your services poorly? Is it difficult to update? Do visitors leave before booking or requesting a quote? The answers give you a useful basis for comparing proposals.
Eight criteria for comparing agencies
1. Understanding your organization
The agency should ask about your customers, services, goals and the limits of your current website. A design proposed before the content is understood is likely to rest on assumptions.
2. Content structure
Ask how the pages will be chosen and organized. Approve a page list and content outline before detailed design begins. Agree on who writes and reviews the copy.
3. Quality of the work
Visit the live websites. Find a specific piece of information, open the menu on your phone and try the forms. Ask the agency to explain its decisions and its role in each project.
4. French and English
French content should read naturally for your Quebec audience. Check the pages, forms, confirmations and language selector. Switching languages should lead to the matching page.
5. Mobile usability
A website should be readable and easy to use on a small screen. Look at button sizes, spacing, images, menus and loading time. Ask how these will be checked before launch.
6. The editor and technology
Ask for a demonstration of updating a page. Your staff should understand how to change hours, add a project or publish news. Confirm the tools involved and their costs.
7. Process and responsibilities
Who leads the project? When do you approve the structure, design and completed site? What happens if your content arrives late? A clear process reduces surprises.
8. Total cost and ownership
The quote should distinguish the initial project, options and recurring costs. The agreement should explain what belongs to you, who controls the accounts and how you can change suppliers.
How we answer these questions
You approve the page plan before design starts. Your domain, hosting and accounts are in your name by launch. One fixed price from $6,000 CAD, agreed before work starts. 14 days of fixes after launch. See what's included.
Read a portfolio critically
An attractive project is not necessarily relevant to your needs. Look for a clearly explained offer, a readable structure and a logical next step. Ask whether the content is the client's own or placeholder material.
For results, ask for the source and time period. A testimonial describes the client's experience; a number needs evidence. Another project's results are not a forecast for yours.
Our case studies explain the context, choices and work delivered.
Warning signs
- A proposal focused on appearance without a content plan.
- A starting price that excludes essential languages, migration or forms.
- A schedule that leaves no time for your approvals.
- Accounts created only in the agency's name.
- A guaranteed Google ranking.
- No plan for old URLs, training or fixes after launch.
Ask for clarification before comparing prices alone.
What affects a Montreal website budget?
Compare scope, content and languages before comparing prices. Our website cost guide explains the ranges and ongoing costs. We plan your pages with you first. Our projects usually take six to eight weeks. The clock starts when we have your main text and photos.
Prepare a useful comparison
Send each agency the same brief: your organization, current problem, audiences, desired actions, languages, integrations and deadline. Include your budget and what you can supply.
Then compare scope, deliverables, exclusions, responsibilities and terms. Ask for references where they would help you understand the working relationship.
Plan for life after launch
Your website needs to grow with your organization. Plan content ownership, training, account access and maintenance. A clear structure and familiar tools make future changes easier, even with another supplier.
A good agency should give you the means to keep your website useful.
We build for nonprofits, industrial and construction firms and professional firms.