How to Choose a Website Development Company in Moldova: 8 Things to Check Before Signing a Contract
In Brief
Before signing a website development contract, it’s worth checking eight key things: real completed projects you can actually review (not just polished screenshots), the actual technology stack, clearly defined project stages and pricing in the contract, warranty and post-launch support terms, the project team, independent reviews outside the company’s website, ownership of the source code and project access after delivery, and the communication process throughout development.
Most issues between clients and contractors don’t happen because of poor code—they happen because these points were never discussed or documented from the start.
1. A Portfolio with Live Projects
Portfolio screenshots can be created in Figma in an hour. Not every project remains publicly available (a website may be redesigned or a client may remove public access), but a reliable company should be able to show you two or three real projects through live links, a screen-sharing demo, or screenshots from the actual admin panel. More importantly, they should explain the project's goals, challenges, and solutions—not just say, “It looks great.”
2. The Actual Technology Stack
Make sure you understand what the company is offering: custom development using a backend framework (such as PHP/CodeIgniter or Laravel), or a website built with a website builder or ready-made template (such as Tilda or WordPress with a pre-built theme). Both approaches are valid, depending on your budget and business goals. Website builders are generally faster and more affordable, while custom development offers greater flexibility for complex functionality and integrations. A professional contractor should explain why they recommend a particular technology stack for your project—not simply say, “This is how we always do it.”
3. Clearly Defined Project Stages and Pricing
The contract should clearly specify the project stages (discovery and requirements, design, development, testing, and launch), the timeline for each stage, and either stage-based pricing or a fixed project cost tied to deliverables. If you hear phrases like “We'll figure it out as we go,” there's a good chance both the budget and the timeline will keep changing.
4. Warranty and Post-Launch Changes
Ask in advance what the warranty covers after launch. Typically, it includes fixing development bugs at no additional cost. New features or changes to the original requirements are usually treated as additional work and billed separately. If the company cannot clearly explain this distinction before signing the contract, misunderstandings are likely to arise later.
5. Who Will Actually Work on Your Project
An in-house team usually means established processes, quality control, and ongoing responsibility for the final result.
If the work is outsourced to freelancers or subcontractors, there is more risk. Once the project is delivered, those contractors may no longer be available, making warranty support more difficult. Ask directly who will build your project and who will be responsible if something breaks after launch.
6. Independent Reviews
Reviews published on a company's own website can be carefully selected. Platforms such as Clutch.co, The Manifest, and Google Business provide more reliable feedback because they include independent ratings and detailed client reviews.
7. Ownership of the Code and Project Access
One of the most important points: once the project has been completed and paid for, the client should receive full ownership of the source code, along with complete access to the hosting account, domain, and website administration panel. If the contractor keeps control of these assets under the pretext of providing ongoing support, your website effectively remains dependent on a single vendor.
8. Communication During Development
Agree in advance on how often you'll receive project updates and whether you'll have a dedicated project manager or communicate with different people throughout the process. Long periods of silence—sometimes two or three weeks—are one of the most common reasons projects fall behind schedule without the client realizing it.
How We Work
At ilab.md, when we develop a website or create a mobile application, we transfer full ownership of the source code and all project access credentials to the client immediately after delivery. Before development begins, we define every project stage and its cost in the contract, and we provide a 2-year warranty covering development-related bugs at no additional cost. We also clearly explain from the start which requests are considered additional work and billed separately. Across more than 600 completed projects, these terms have never become a source of disputes with our clients because everything is agreed upon and documented from the very beginning.
Sources
- Clutch.co — Independent reviews and ratings of IT and web development companies.
- The Manifest — Rankings and buyer's guides for choosing digital service providers.
Faq
Not necessarily, but it's important to understand why the price is lower. It could be because the project uses a template instead of custom development, includes little or no testing, or is handled by a very small team without a dedicated project manager. A lower price doesn't automatically mean lower quality, but you should know exactly what's included.
As mentioned above, freelancers typically work on a project-by-project basis and may no longer be available a few months after delivery. That means there may be no one to fulfill warranty obligations. An agency is responsible for the project as a company rather than as a single individual and is more likely to provide long-term support, whether you need updates or bug fixes a year later. The initial price difference may be small, but the difference in long-term accountability can be significant.
The contract should clearly define the project stages, deadlines for each stage, pricing, warranty terms, conditions for additional work, and an explicit clause stating that ownership of the source code and all project access will be transferred to the client after the final payment.
Check independent review platforms such as Clutch, The Manifest, and Google Business, rather than relying solely on the company's website. Look for reviews that include specific project details instead of generic comments like "Everything was great."
This issue should be discussed and documented in the contract before development begins—not after the project is finished. The agreement should explicitly state that ownership of the source code and all project access credentials will be transferred to the client upon final payment.
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