What to Expect When Working With a Web Developer

If you’ve never worked with a web developer before, the whole process can feel a little mysterious. What exactly happens between “I need a website” and “Here’s your finished site”? How long does it take? What do you need to provide? And how do you know if you’re working with someone who actually knows what they’re doing?

I’ve been building websites for El Paso businesses for years, and I want to pull back the curtain. Here’s what you should expect when working with a professional web developer—and what I specifically do to make the process smooth, transparent, and stress-free.

Step 1: The Discovery Call (This Is Where Everything Starts)

Before I write a single line of code, we talk. And I don’t mean a quick “What colors do you like?” conversation. I mean a real, in-depth discovery call where I learn about your business.

Here’s what I’m trying to understand:

• What do you do? Sounds obvious, but getting crystal clear on your services, your audience, and your unique value is critical.
• Who are your customers? Are you targeting homeowners? Other businesses? A specific demographic? This shapes everything from design to messaging.
• What’s the goal of the website? Are you trying to generate leads? Sell products? Build credibility? Book appointments? The goal determines the strategy.
• What’s working (or not working) with your current site? If you have an existing site, I want to know what you love, what you hate, and what’s not getting results.

This isn’t interrogation—it’s collaboration. I need to understand your vision so I can build something that actually works for your business, not just something that looks pretty.

Step 2: The Proposal (So You Know Exactly What You’re Getting)

After our discovery call, I put together a detailed proposal. This isn’t just a price—it’s a roadmap for the entire project.

A good proposal includes:

• Scope of work: What pages are included? What features? What’s not included? (Setting boundaries prevents scope creep later.)
• Timeline: How long each phase will take, from design to development to launch.
• Pricing: Broken down by deliverables, so you know where your investment is going.
• Revisions: How many rounds of feedback are included? (Spoiler: I don’t nickel-and-dime you for tweaks.)

Once you review and approve the proposal, we’re officially a go. At this point, I usually collect a deposit (typically 50%) to get started.

Step 3: Design Mockups (Where Your Vision Comes to Life)

This is the fun part. Before I start building anything, I create design mockups—visual representations of what your website will look like.

I typically design the homepage first, since that sets the tone for the rest of the site. Once you approve that, I move on to the other pages.

Here’s where you get to give feedback. Don’t like the font? Let’s change it. Want a different color scheme? Easy. This is the time to dial in the look and feel before I start coding.

What I’m designing for:

• Your brand identity: Colors, fonts, and style that match your business
• User experience: Clear navigation, intuitive layout, and a flow that guides visitors toward action
• Mobile responsiveness: Every design I create looks great on phones, tablets, and desktops

Once the designs are approved, we move to development. And here’s the key: once we’ve locked in the design, I don’t go back and redesign mid-build. That’s how projects spiral out of control. The design phase is where we get it right.

Step 4: Development (Where the Magic Happens)

Now I take those approved designs and turn them into a fully functional website.

This phase includes:

• Front-end development: Building out the pages with clean, fast code
• Back-end functionality: Contact forms, integrations, CMS setup—anything that needs to do something
• SEO optimization: Making sure your site is structured for search engines from day one
• Mobile optimization: Testing across devices to ensure everything works perfectly
• Performance tuning: Compressing images, lazy loading assets, and making sure the site loads fast

During this phase, I’ll usually give you access to a staging site—a private version of your site where you can see progress and test things before it goes live.

Step 5: Revisions and Testing (Getting It Perfect)

Once development is done, I hand it over to you for feedback. This is where you test everything:

• Click every button
• Fill out every form
• Check every page on your phone, tablet, and laptop
• Make sure the copy is correct (typos happen!)

I include a set number of revision rounds in every project (usually 2-3), so you can request tweaks without worrying about extra charges. Want to change a headline? Swap out a photo? Adjust spacing? No problem.

I also run my own testing checklist:

• Cross-browser testing (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge)
• Mobile responsiveness on multiple devices
• Form submissions and emails
• SEO basics (meta tags, alt text, sitemap)
• Performance and load speed

By the time we’re ready to launch, your site has been tested six ways from Sunday.

Step 6: Launch (And You’re Live!)

Launch day is always exciting. I’ll coordinate with you to pick a date and time (usually during business hours, so we can handle any last-minute issues).

Here’s what happens on launch day:

1. DNS setup: Pointing your domain to the new site
2. Final checks: One last round of testing on the live server
3. SSL certificate: Making sure your site is secure (https)
4. Go live: Flipping the switch and making your site public

After launch, I stick around for a few days to monitor for any weird issues (hosting hiccups, caching problems, etc.). I’m not the kind of developer who disappears the second the site goes live.

Step 7: Post-Launch Support (Because Things Come Up)

Even after your site is live, you might need help. Maybe you want to update content, add a new page, or tweak something. That’s normal.

I offer post-launch support in two ways:

1. Small updates: Quick tweaks and content changes, usually included in the first 30 days
2. Ongoing maintenance: Monthly retainers for businesses that want someone on call for updates, backups, and monitoring

I’m not interested in building your site and vanishing. I want to be your long-term partner as your business grows.

What Makes Working With Me Different?

Here’s the thing: there are a lot of web developers out there. So why work with me specifically?

1. I’m local to El Paso. I understand the market, the audience, and what works here.
2. I speak human, not jargon. You won’t get lost in tech-speak. I explain things clearly.
3. I care about results, not just design. A pretty website that doesn’t generate leads is a waste of money. I build sites that drive business.
4. I’m responsive. You won’t send me an email and wonder if it got lost in the void. I communicate clearly and often.
5. I build fast, secure, modern sites. No shortcuts, no outdated code, no bloated templates.

Timeline: How Long Does It Take?

This is the question I get most often. The answer depends on the size and complexity of the project, but here’s a typical timeline:

• Discovery & Proposal: 1-3 days
• Design Phase: 1-2 weeks
• Development Phase: 2-4 weeks
• Revisions & Testing: 1 week
• Launch: 1 day

From start to finish, most projects take 4-8 weeks. Smaller sites can be faster; larger, more complex sites might take longer.

But here’s the key: I’ll give you a timeline upfront, and I stick to it. No ghosting, no excuses, no “I’ll have it done next week” for six months straight.

Ready to Get Started?

Working with a web developer doesn’t have to be stressful or confusing. With the right person, it’s a smooth, collaborative process that results in a website you’re genuinely proud of—and that actually drives results for your business.

If you’re ready to stop wondering what the process looks like and actually see it in action, let’s talk. I’d love to learn about your business and show you what I can do.