Free checklist · Hiring scorecard

Hardware development company checklist: 24 questions to ask before you hire

Most hardware projects that go wrong were in trouble before the first drawing: the wrong firm, unclear ownership, or a price that only covered the easy part. Ask every firm on your shortlist these 24 questions and score their answers. The best firm is rarely the cheapest or the most polished; it’s the one whose answers stay specific.

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The 24 questions

Ask every firm the same 24 questions

Six areas decide whether a hardware project goes well. The PDF adds what a good answer sounds like and the red flag for each question, plus a grid to score up to three firms side by side.

A

Who you are really hiring

4 items
  1. 01
    Who exactly will work on my project, and can I speak to them before I sign?The people on the call are the people who will solve your problems.
  2. 02
    Is the work done in-house, or passed to subcontractors or freelancers?Hidden subcontracting is a common source of quality and IP gaps.
  3. 03
    Which company am I signing with, and where is it based?You can only enforce a contract against the company named on it.
  4. 04
    Can you show me two or three products like mine that you took beyond the prototype?Shipped products prove a firm can finish, not just start.
B

How they protect your idea

4 items
  1. 05
    When and how do we sign an NDA?Your idea needs protection before details leave your hands.
  2. 06
    Who owns the files, code and IP at each stage, and when does ownership pass to me?Unclear ownership can stop you changing firms or raising money.
  3. 07
    What exactly will I receive at handover?Without full files, your next engineer starts from zero.
  4. 08
    If molds are made, who owns them?Ownership decides whether you can ever move production.
C

How they plan and price

4 items
  1. 09
    Do you price each stage separately, with a fixed price and a clear deliverable?Fixed stages let you stop or change course without losing everything.
  2. 10
    What happens if a stage costs more than quoted?Overruns happen; the process for them matters more than the estimate.
  3. 11
    What is not included in the quote?The gaps in a quote are where budgets break.
  4. 12
    Can we start with a small first stage before the big commitment?A small first stage tests the relationship before the big spend.
D

Engineering depth

4 items
  1. 13
    How will you choose the main chip and wireless parts, and plan for parts going out of stock?Chip choices set your cost, battery life and supply risk for years.
  2. 14
    How do you design for manufacturing from the start?Problems found at the factory cost far more to fix.
  3. 15
    How will you test the prototype before we spend on tooling?Testing before tooling is the cheapest place to find failures.
  4. 16
    Which certifications will my product need, and when do you plan for them?Failing a lab test late means redesigning and paying twice.
E

How you will work together

4 items
  1. 17
    How often will I get updates, and in what form?Regular, visible progress is your early warning for a slipping project.
  2. 18
    Who is my single point of contact, and in which time zone?One accountable person beats a shared inbox when decisions are urgent.
  3. 19
    How do you handle a change I ask for halfway through?Changes are normal; surprise invoices are not.
  4. 20
    What happens if either of us wants to stop the project?Clear exit terms protect you if the fit goes wrong.
F

Proof

4 items
  1. 21
    Can I speak to two past clients?Past clients tell you what the sales call won’t.
  2. 22
    Where can I see independent reviews?Independent reviews are harder to fake than testimonials.
  3. 23
    Have you taken a product through certification and a first production run?Certification and production are where many first products stall.
  4. 24
    What would worry you about a project like mine?Honest risks now are cheaper than surprises later.

Download the scorecard (PDF)

Every question with what a good answer sounds like, the red flag to watch for, and a grid to score up to three firms.

Read more

Testing an idea? The Is My Idea a Business? Scorecard →How to vet a hardware development company →How to protect your idea when you hire a firm →Offshore vs domestic development partner →

FAQ

Questions about hiring a hardware firm

What should I ask a product development firm before hiring them?

Ask who exactly will work on your project, whether the work is done in-house, who owns the files and IP at each stage, how they price the parts that usually overrun, and to see products like yours that they took beyond the prototype. The scorecard covers 24 questions like these in six areas.

How do I compare hardware development firms?

Ask every firm on your shortlist the same questions and score their answers. The PDF adds a grid to score up to three firms side by side. The best firm is rarely the cheapest or the most polished; it is the one whose answers stay specific.

What are the red flags when hiring a hardware firm?

Vague answers about who does the work, hidden subcontracting, unclear ownership of files and code, and a price that only covers the easy part. The PDF lists the red flag for every question.

Is it really free?

Yes. Everything is on this page with no email needed. You only enter an email if you want the PDF copy.

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