Your contract with your web designer should clearly state:
• Ownership of the site, graphics, pictures, programming and any tools used.
• A requirement that you have copies of all access instructions, IDs and passwords and that you have the capability of changing them after the project.
• How much you will pay and when you will pay it. The payment schedule should also state what the payment is based on. For example, you might set up the payment structure so that each payment is based upon certain key components being finished and approved.
• Who will be doing the work and if portions of the work will be subcontracted. It should also be clear what your responsibilities are to any subcontractor.
• How extra charges will be handled or approved.
• How often they will report to you and what will be reported.