Website Design in Burlington, VT: Hiring Guide

Define the work before comparing designers

Start with the action a visitor should complete: request an estimate, book an appointment, buy a product, or find your opening hours. Give each bidder the same brief. Include your required pages, existing content, forms, payment needs, and the person who will approve the work.

For a redesign, ask the designer to inventory existing pages and identify what you will retain, rewrite, move, or remove. Specify responsibility for redirecting changed addresses and checking contact forms after launch. Include domain, hosting, email, and analytics access in the preparation list.

Ask candidates to demonstrate a relevant customer journey from a past project and explain their contribution. During the proposal review, have them walk through your intended booking or purchase process. Use that conversation to assess how they handle missing content, third-party integrations, and changes to the agreed scope.

Compare the build price and ongoing expenses

Request a build subtotal and a separate list of recurring expenses. Ask who pays for the domain, hosting, platform, plugins, booking tools, and support. Record renewal terms, account ownership, and what happens if you end the maintenance agreement.

Vermont has taxed all prewritten computer software since July 1, 2024, including software accessed through the internet. The Department of Taxes lists custom software written for a customer’s business, development services, and technical support services as nontaxable. Ask the provider to distinguish those charges rather than applying one unexplained tax treatment to the entire project. [1]

For modifications to prewritten software, Vermont says the underlying software remains taxable. A reasonable charge for modification or enhancement can qualify for exemption when the seller states it separately on an invoice or other price statement. If a proposal includes that work, request enough detail for your bookkeeper to review the distinction. [1]

Include checkout tax rules in the store specification

Burlington has a 1% local option sales tax. Vermont’s Department of Taxes lists a 6% state sales tax and a 7% combined rate where local option sales tax applies. These rates concern taxable transactions; they do not establish a blanket tax rate for a website design contract. [2]

Vermont uses destination-based local option taxation, based on where the buyer takes possession or receives delivery. For an online store, ask the developer to configure tax using delivery or possession details and your products’ tax treatment. Do not instruct them to apply Burlington’s rate to every order because your shop operates here. [2]

Before accepting the store, review test orders with your bookkeeper. Include delivery to Burlington, delivery to another destination, and pickup if you offer it. Require the designer to document the settings and show your staff how to review tax calculations without changing the live store.

Agree on data handling and maintenance

The Vermont Attorney General states that businesses must protect covered personal information, including Social Security numbers, card numbers, and bank account information. Before approving forms or customer accounts, decide what information you need and ask where the provider will store it, who can access it, and how you will remove it. [3]

Ask the designer to explain the payment provider’s role and whether your site will retain payment information. Keep sensitive information out of general inquiry forms. Name the person responsible for updates, backups, access removal, and investigating a suspected compromise.

The Attorney General’s guidance requires businesses to notify that office within 14 days of discovering or receiving notice of a breach, subject to the stated waiver procedure. Consumer notification must occur as soon as possible without unreasonable delay and no later than 45 days. Ask your maintenance provider to specify how they will alert you and supply incident details so you can assess your obligations. [3]

Make launch acceptance and handoff concrete

Tie approval to tasks you can observe. Ask the designer to demonstrate navigation on a phone, keyboard operation, form confirmation and delivery, booking completion, and checkout where relevant. Specify who will correct defects found during your review and how you will approve additional work.

Request business-controlled accounts, an access list, renewal details, and written editing instructions. Have a staff member change opening hours or update a service description during handoff. For a migration, agree on a backup and recovery plan before changing the live site.

Published sales tax rates relevant to taxable Burlington purchases

Match the proposal to the work you need

Your hiring checklist

1. Write the main customer task and list required pages, forms, and integrations.
2. Assign responsibility for copy, photographs, product information, and approvals.
3. Request separate build, subscription, renewal, support, and tax line items.
4. List checkout scenarios for your bookkeeper and designer to review together.
5. Document what customer information you will collect and who can access it.
6. Agree on launch checks, defect correction, and the process for scope changes.
7. Confirm business ownership of accounts and request editing and recovery instructions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I compare website design quotes?

Give bidders the same scope and ask each to identify exclusions. Compare content work, integrations, migration, revision allowances, launch checks, and handoff alongside the build price. Request recurring charges and responsibility for each account in writing.

Does Vermont tax the whole website project?

Do not assume one treatment for the whole invoice. Vermont taxes prewritten software, including internet-accessed software, but lists custom software, development, and technical support services as nontaxable. Ask the provider to itemize the work and explain the treatment of each charge. [1]

Should a Burlington online store charge 7% on every sale?

Vermont lists a 7% combined sales tax rate where its 1% local option sales tax applies, including Burlington. Local option tax is destination-based and applies to taxable transactions. Ask your bookkeeper to confirm product and destination rules, then have the designer demonstrate the configuration. [2]

What should the maintenance agreement cover?

Specify updates, backups, recovery, account access, support availability, and incident escalation. Name who receives security alerts and who supplies incident details. Vermont’s breach notification requirements give businesses a reason to agree on those responsibilities before a problem occurs. [3]