Quick answerA good hiring decision starts with fit.
Signal 01
Look beyond the visuals
Begin with the conversation. Does the designer ask about your customers, services, and the questions people bring before they contact you? A useful project should be shaped around those needs, rather than forcing every business into the same page structure.
Ask to see examples that are relevant to your goals, then look at the actual pages on a phone as well as a desktop. Is the service clear? Can you find contact details? Do buttons and forms work? A screenshot can show a visual style, but it cannot tell you how a project was planned or whether the site is easy to use.
Also clarify the practical details: who provides content, how feedback works, who controls the website files and domain, what happens at launch, and what future updates cost. Get the scope and recurring expenses in writing. If a provider promises a specific search ranking or guaranteed sales, ask how that claim could be supported; no design alone can control every outside factor.
Signal 02
Choose the working relationship, not just the location
A local provider may make conversations convenient, but location by itself does not guarantee quality. Compare responsiveness, clear explanations, ownership, and after-launch support. LOITTEB works with Hamilton-area businesses on custom websites, redesigns, management, and hosting. You can read about web design in Hamilton (https://loitteb.ca/web-design-hamilton/) or request a no-obligation website review (https://loitteb.ca/free-website-review/) to discuss what your current site needs.