A good website quote sets out in writing, line by line, what is delivered, by when, what each item costs and what you will pay every year afterwards. If it only gives a total and a phrase such as full web design, you cannot compare it with any other or claim anything if something is missing.
This guide is for anyone about to ask for one: what to prepare, which line items must appear, how to put two offers side by side and which signs tell you to keep looking.
What to prepare before asking for a website quote
The quality of the quote you receive depends on the information you give. If you write that you want a website for your business and ask how much it is, each supplier will imagine a different project and you will get three figures that cannot be compared. Send everyone the same document, even if it is a single page:
- Goal. Calls, bookings, purchases or being found on Google. It changes what has to be built.
- List of pages. Home, services (how many), about, contact, blog, legal texts.
- Content. Who writes the copy and where the photos come from.
- Features. Forms, bookings, payment, private area, languages.
- Current site. If you have one, its address and whether it gets visits from Google.
- Two or three reference sites and what you like about each.
- Date by which you need it live.
The line items it should include
A serious quote splits the work into line items. Each one does not need its own price, but what it covers must be written down. This is the list I use to review them:
| Line item | What it should specify | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Adapted template or own design; how many proposals and rounds of changes | Will I see the design before it is built? |
| Pages | Number and list of pages included | How much is each extra page? |
| Copy and images | Who writes it, who translates it, where the photos come from | If I supply them, in what format and when? |
| Features | Forms, bookings, payment, search, private area | What if I want to add one mid-project? |
| Mobile and speed | Mobile-friendly design and a reasonable loading target | How will it be checked before launch? |
| Baseline SEO | Titles, descriptions, clean URLs, sitemap, Search Console set-up | Does it include redirects from the old site? |
| Legal texts and cookies | Legal notice, privacy policy, cookie banner | Who writes the texts and who answers for them? |
| Domain and hosting | Who buys them, in whose name and the renewal cost | Is the domain registered in my name? |
| Training and handover | A session to learn to edit; administrator access | Can I change copy and photos without you? |
| Maintenance | What it covers, monthly or yearly price and whether it is compulsory | Can I take the site with me if I cancel maintenance? |
Two line items are forgotten more than any other. The first is baseline SEO: a new site can look great and be invisible if nobody planned titles, URLs and redirects; to understand exactly what it is, see what technical SEO is. The second is speed, which affects both the user and rankings, as explained in the guide to web speed and SEO.
The terms that must also be stated
Besides what is done, the quote has to say how it is done:
- Delivery date and what happens if it slips, on their side or yours (for example, if you do not send the copy on time).
- Payment terms. A deposit on ordering and the balance on delivery is usual; on long projects, by milestones.
- Rounds of revision included and the hourly rate for changes outside them.
- Warranty: how long bugs are fixed free of charge after launch.
- Ownership. The design, content and code made for you should be yours once paid, and you should hold every login.
- VAT. Whether prices include it. It sounds obvious and is the source of many surprises.
- Validity of the offer.
How to compare two quotes
Comparing totals is useless. Do it in this order:
- Level the scope. Put the line items from the table in a column and mark what each offer includes. Where one says nothing, ask.
- Separate one-off from recurring payments. An offer that is cheap up front with a compulsory monthly fee can be the most expensive.
- Work out the three-year cost. Add build, domain, hosting and maintenance over thirty-six months.
- Check what happens if you leave. If the site is rented and you cannot take it with you, you need to know now.
- Weigh up who will build it. Ask for sites made by that person or team and look at them on a phone.
An example with made-up figures: a clothes shop in Granollers gets offer A, €1,200, with no copy, no baseline SEO and compulsory maintenance at €60 a month; and offer B, €1,900, with copy, redirects and optional maintenance at €30 a month. Over three years, A comes to €3,360 and B to €2,980 if it takes the maintenance. The cheapest on paper ends up the most expensive and delivers the least.
Warning signs
- A total with no breakdown or list of pages.
- Promises of a Google position, such as first in a month. Nobody can guarantee rankings.
- The domain or hosting stays in the supplier's name.
- No defined rounds of revision, or unlimited ones with no deadline.
- You will not get administrator access to your own site.
- A long maintenance tie-in with no explanation of what it covers.
- No mention of the old site when there is one with traffic.
- Pressure to sign today with a discount that expires.
And how much should it cost?
That depends on the type of site, and it is a separate article: the ranges for a business site, an online store and custom development are in how much does a website cost. For the recurring part, see website maintenance cost.
As a reference for how it can be presented: at posicionament-web the basic website has a fixed price of €490 and professional website design starts at €990, with what each one covers written on the page itself.
Frequently asked questions
How many website quotes should I ask for?
Three is enough to see the range and spot what does not fit. What matters is sending everyone the same document so they answer the same brief.
Is it normal to pay part up front?
Yes. A deposit on ordering and the balance on delivery is usual. Be wary if you are asked for the full amount before seeing anything.
What if I want changes after approving the design?
It depends on the agreed rounds of revision. Outside them, work is billed by the hour. That is why the hourly rate must be in the quote.
Should a website quote include SEO?
It should include at least baseline SEO: titles, descriptions, clean URLs, sitemap and redirects from the old site. Ongoing SEO is a separate service.
A clear quote is the first sign of what working with that supplier will be like. If you already have a site and do not know whether to rebuild it or just improve it, ask first for a free initial analysis and you will know exactly what to ask for.