Don’t get stuck! Any Tom, Dick or Harry with a computer and a limited knowledge of HTML can claim to be a web designer. Unfortunately, most people get duped into paying for a sub-par Web site before they figure that out.

If you’ve ever searched for an honest mechanic, chances are you ran into a lot of self-proclaimed “professionals” who were more interested in taking you to the cleaners than fixing your car. Finding the right web designer is no different.

You should start your search for an excellent web designer by doing your homework. First, look for someone who makes planning for your Web site a top priority. This is an integral part of any web designer’s job, but many of them fail. Fly-by-night designers often over-promise and under-deliver because they don’t properly plan their task ahead. A professional will qualify what their client wants and do a good job of evaluating the amount of work it will take to make the project happen.

They’ll know it’s impossible to build an online presence that’s filled with all the bells and whistles in two weeks because they’ve been there, and they’ll know if they have the proper tools to turn your vision into a reality. There’s an incredible amount of collaboration between web designers and their clients before a final product is realized. That takes constant, effective communication, sometimes on a daily basis.

You should also make time for a face-to-face meeting before you take the plunge. Because of the highly collaborative nature of web design, and the maintenance and upgrades that often follow, you’re really hiring a partner, not a contractor. You should also test your potential designer’s commitment to being responsive. A lot of fleeting designers will take your money and run. They’ll start with a good pitch and an attractive price, but the deal pretty much ends there. Make sure whoever you hire is willing to run, walk or crawl with you to the finish line. Good designers know that a client’s needs come first.

If you’re less than thrilled with your designer’s idea for the site, is he willing to go back to the drawing board? A good designer shouldn’t be afraid to start over from scratch if you’re not happy. A client should never be seen as a liability to a designer’s bottom line if they have to spend more time to get the job done right. Pushing your project back to the end of the production queue after you’re already disappointed isn’t acceptable either. This type of behavior will cause friction, delays, and could end up costing you more money.

Beware of template flippers. If your web designer is one, he’ll probably spend about a week on your site, wait awhile, then charge you for a month’s worth of work. A lot of nefarious designers use templates, or premade web designs that they can copy/paste and claim for themselves. Visit TemplateMonster.com or any similar site. Look familiar? A fully operational template Web site costs about $60 to make, but your bill will be a lot more than that, guaranteed. A professional will take the time to custom tailor your site from scratch. This exclusivity is priceless in today’s marketplace, where everyone is clamoring for attention on the Web.

Remember what Red Adair said. “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.” If you hire someone for $350 with no credentials, no work samples and no guarantee that your Web site won’t be a rehashed template, how much will damage control cost you later?

When his failure to return calls delays the launch date for your e-commerce site, how much money will you lose sitting by the phone, hoping that he’ll address your complaints eventually? A Web site is the heart of your business. Would you want the top cardiologist in the country, or a 20-something who has trudged through a couple of semesters of med school? Buyers, beware. The upfront cost of hiring a professional might be more than what you’ve been quoted from your sister’s friend’s cousin, who knows a little about Web design, but it will be cheaper in the long run, and you won’t sacrifice your style and vision.

Remember to choose wisely. Look for a web designer who is experienced, organized, responsive and punctual.