Here are several articles about the web design process.
I have highlighted some of our specific policies, the web design process in generally, and also tried to clarify some of the terminology.
There are steps involved in building your web site. You need to register a domain, i.e. the name of your site. You need to find a host, i.e. the actual computer on which your web site will reside. You need to design your site. You have several options regarding design including building it yourself or hiring someone else to build it for you. If you decide to hire a web designer, you have several criteria to evaluate including experience, education, location, pricing, other services, background, and profile.
Many web designers have a programming background. Many others have an artistic background. Others have an advertising and marketing background. Each of these types exhibit certain strengths and certain weaknesses. In theory a marketing person will create a 'good sounding' site, an artist will create a 'good looking' site, and a programmer will create a 'well built' site. Unfortunately, that is only theory ( Well, except for the artists, they do make really good looking sites. )
I have also included several pages about our process and have explained certain terms on individual pages. While some of this is usually done in the 'fine print' that you never read, I think it is useful for you to understand.
I have also belabored a few points. We are a web design firm. We are not a hosting company or a domain registrar. While most web designers are not hosting companies, they will resell hosting to you at a profit. We can do this as well, but choose to tell you that is what we are doing. While 'transparency' is often touted, I feel it is often duplicitous.