1. Your domain, in your name
Your web address should be registered in your name, with the registrar login or transfer access documented. If someone else 'holds' your domain, you don't really control your site.
2. Hosting and where the site lives
You should know where the site is hosted, how to access that account, and what it costs. Hosting in someone else's account with no access is a common lock-in trap.
3. The site files
You should receive the actual files or repository that make up your site, so any developer can pick up exactly where the last one left off — no rebuilding from scratch.
4. Accounts and access
A clear map of every account created for your project (domain, hosting, analytics, email, profiles), what each one is for, and who controls it.
5. Security and recovery
Two-factor authentication on the accounts that matter, plus recovery notes so you can regain access if something is lost. Security is part of the deliverable, not an afterthought.
6. Content and copy
The text of your site, organized and editable, so you're not stuck if you want to update or move it later.
7. Images and media
Your images, optimized for the web but also available in their original quality — handed back to you, not trapped in a builder you don't own.
8. SEO basics, explained
Clean structure, metadata, headings, and a sitemap — applied and explained in plain language. An honest baseline, never a promise of rankings.
9. Search Console and analytics
Search Console and analytics set up in your accounts, so the data about your own site belongs to you and not to a third party.
10. Maintenance and what's included after delivery
A clear statement of what the service covers after launch, what maintenance options exist, and where the boundaries are — so there are no surprises.
11. Revoking access after handoff
Once everything is handed over, you should be able to revoke any access the builder held. A good handoff includes the steps to do exactly that.