My first web design customer: what questions to ask?

So, I recently gradutated as Master in Computer Science. I am already 40 years old and studying computer science has always been a hobby. For my job, I have no experience in this field whatsoever: I am a history teacher.
Now I graduated I was contacted by a firm owner I know through some friends with the question if I could make him a website for his business. In the education I got, I learned a lot of theoretical computer science stuff (maths!!!) and some good programming skills. Now, I know how to setup a site and am able to make one with html5 + css3 or some framework like Twitter Bootstrap, but I have no design skills whatsoever (no Photoshop, Indesign, ...).
From what he told me, the guy just wants a static website as a showcase for the projects he has completed. Projects are somewhere in the construction field to be situated. Since I have no experience (this will be my first 'customer' ) and want to be a bit professional looking: is there any template of questions a web designer follows in the talk with future customers? What questions should be asked? Should I come up with a proposal of design beforehand? Should I check out some website in the field of his business and go through them with him to get a hang of things?
Any advise would be really appreciated.
Thanks!

Hi @scalli,

A while ago I answered a similar question. Have a look here:
https://www.blackhatworld.com/seo/t...ges-help-needed-please.1040139/#post-11178234

Hope that gives you a bit of an idea what to do during the initial meeting.

Well, the basic questions that could be included apart from the generic ones are as follows:

1. Do you have a registered domain and hosting ready?
2. Ask your client for a brief objective / overview of the website
3. Do you have a logo / branding ready?
4. Preferred color themes
5. Websites that your client likes most in terms of look & feel (both in the same business category and other websites that the client likes)
6. Is the content / copy ready?
7. Do you require any Galleries / Portfolio?
8. Do you require any contact forms?

blah blah .... and other generic ones pretty much like the above.

I can help you with the design part if you open to partnering with me.
You may PM me.

Thanks