Most website problems I get asked to fix didn't start with bad code. They started with a vague quotation.
"Website, 5 pages, done in 2 weeks." That one line leaves a dozen important questions unanswered. Who writes the content? Does it include a contact form? What happens if you want changes? Who owns the domain? When those questions come up halfway through a project, someone ends up unhappy.
Here's what a proper quotation should include, with a simple sample outline you can use to check any quote you receive, including mine.
Why the quotation matters so much
A quote isn't just a price. It's the agreement about what you're buying. A clear one:
- Stops scope creep, on both sides
- Makes it easy to compare developers fairly
- Tells you what you need to prepare
- Sets expectations for timing and payments
- Protects you if something goes wrong
If a developer won't put things in writing, that's already your answer.
The sections a good quotation includes
1. Project summary
A short paragraph in plain language describing what's being built and why. If the developer can't summarize your goal correctly, they haven't understood it yet.
2. Scope of work
The list of what's included. For a website, that usually means:
- The pages or page templates to be designed and built
- Features such as contact forms, booking, payments or a store
- Responsive layouts for phones, tablets and desktops
- Basic SEO setup: titles, descriptions, sitemap, clean URLs
- Speed optimization and testing across browsers
- Launch, domain connection and handover
The more specific, the better. "Contact form that emails your team and sends the visitor a confirmation" is better than "contact form."
3. What's not included
Just as important. Things like copywriting, product photography, logo design, paid plugins, hosting fees or content uploads beyond a certain number. Writing them down avoids "I thought that was included" later.
4. What the developer needs from you
Your logo, text, photos, product details, access to your domain or hosting, and the person who'll give feedback. Projects stall most often while waiting for content.
5. Timeline and milestones
The main stages with rough dates, for example: plan approved, design preview, development preview, testing, launch. Good timelines also say what happens if content arrives late.
6. Revisions
How many rounds of changes are included at each stage, and how extra changes are handled.
7. Price and payment schedule
The total, what each payment is for and when it's due. A downpayment to start and the balance at agreed milestones or launch is common.
8. Ownership
Who owns the domain, hosting, code, design and content. The answer should be you, with logins handed over at the end.
9. Support after launch
Whether there's a period where bugs are fixed at no extra cost, and how future changes or maintenance are priced.
10. Recurring costs
Hosting, domain renewal, email, paid plugins or licenses, with who pays them and roughly when they renew.
A sample quotation outline
Here's the structure I follow when I send a quote. You can use it as a checklist.
Project: New website for a family dental clinic
Goal: Help new patients understand the services, trust the team and book an appointment from their phone.
Included: Home, About, Services (one template for each service), Team, Contact. Appointment request form with email notifications to the clinic and confirmation to the patient. Responsive layouts. Page titles, descriptions, sitemap and Google Search Console setup. Speed testing on mobile. Launch and handover with a short editing guide.
Not included: Professional photography, logo design, paid booking software subscriptions.
What I need from you: Logo, team photos, service descriptions, clinic hours, domain access.
Timeline: Plan and layout preview, then a live development preview, then testing and launch. Exact dates are agreed once content is ready.
Revisions: Rounds of changes at design and development stages, listed in the quote.
Payments: Downpayment to start, balance on agreed milestones.
Ownership: Domain, hosting, code and content in the clinic's name.
After launch: Bug fixes during the support period; future changes quoted separately.
Notice there's no fluff. Every line answers a question you'd otherwise have to ask later.
Red flags in a quotation
- Only a total price. No scope means no protection.
- "Unlimited revisions." Sounds generous, usually means nobody planned anything.
- Your accounts in their name. You should own your domain and hosting.
- No mention of mobile or testing. These should be standard.
- Very short timelines with no content plan. Rushed builds cost more later.
- No support after launch. Small bugs always show up in the first weeks.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Can you show me live websites you built?
- Who will I talk to during the project?
- What happens if the project takes longer than planned?
- What's the cost of changes after launch?
- Which costs will I pay every year?
A good developer answers these quickly and without getting defensive.
What a quote can't tell you
Even a perfect document doesn't show how someone works day to day. So look at the way the quote arrived too. Did they reply when they said they would? Did they ask about your customers, not just your pages? Did they explain anything you didn't understand without making you feel silly for asking? The way a developer handles the quote is usually the way they'll handle the project.
Get a clear quotation for your project
If you'd like a quote that follows this structure, tell me what you need. I'll reply with questions or a written plan and a fixed price.
