Red Flags in Web Proposals You’re Missing

Most website proposals look clean and professional. But that doesn’t mean they’re sound.

When you’re staring down a 5- or 6-figure web project, a good proposal should give you confidence, not raise questions. But many founders and teams are handed polished PDFs filled with vague language, inflated timelines, and pricing that doesn’t match the work.

This guide walks through the most common red flags we see in agency proposals and what they actually mean behind the scenes.

---

1. Vague Deliverables

What you see:

“Modern, responsive website with intuitive UX and compelling visuals.”

What it really means:

This is filler. There’s no accountability in those words. If the scope doesn’t define what pages are included, what content is being created, or what success looks like, you’re flying blind. Vague language lets agencies promise the world and walk back scope later.

What to ask:

• Can you list every page and deliverable in this project?
• Who is responsible for each?
• What isn’t included?

---

2. Front-Loaded Strategy, Light Execution

What you see:

“4-week discovery phase with stakeholder interviews and user persona development.”

What it really means:

Overweight strategy phases often signal an agency that’s trying to pad early hours to justify cost—or doesn’t know how to move quickly with clarity. Worse, it might mean the people doing strategy won’t be around for design or dev.

What to ask:

• Who is running strategy and are they involved through launch?
• Will any of this duplicate internal work we’ve already done?
• Can we streamline or skip phases if we’re already clear on goals?

---

3. Generic Timelines

What you see:

“8–12 weeks, depending on feedback cycles and scheduling.”

What it really means:

They haven’t thought through your actual constraints. Or they’re leaving room to blame you for delays. Real timelines are staged against real workstreams and responsibilities. Generic ones let scope balloon and deadlines slip without anyone accountable.

What to ask:

• What does week-by-week actually look like?
• Who is responsible for approvals and content?
• What happens if we miss a deadline on our side?

---

4. Oversized Team Roster

What you see:

“Your team: Creative Director, UX Strategist, UI Designer, Project Manager, Front-End Dev, QA Lead.”

What it really means:

Lots of titles don’t mean lots of value. Often, the person doing the work is junior, while senior names are just there for show. More people can also mean more overhead, more communication drag, and more confusion.

What to ask:

• Who is actually doing the work?
• Will I speak to the designer/developer directly?
• How many projects is this team handling right now?

---

5. No Risk Framing

What you see:

“We’ve successfully launched dozens of sites for clients like [X], [Y], and [Z].”

What it really means:

They’re selling on logos and past wins, not proving how they’ll protect you. A good partner doesn’t just pitch success—they tell you what could go wrong and how they’ll prevent it.

What to ask:

• What are the most common risks you see on projects like this?
• How do you ensure we don’t miss our launch goal?
• When things go sideways, how do you respond?

---

Final Thought

A good proposal isn’t just clean design and a big number, it’s a window into how an agency thinks, works, and communicates under pressure. If you don’t see clarity, specificity, and ownership in the proposal, you won’t get it during the build either.

That’s where most projects go wrong. And it’s exactly what we help our clients prevent.