Hire a web designer who puts it all in writing first
A fixed quote before anything starts, a launch date in writing, and full ownership of the files, hosting and domain when it’s done.
To a fixed written quote. No sales call needed to get a number.
Of the domain, hosting, files and logins end up in your name. Clause 8.
Defects in anything we built are fixed free after launch. Warranty terms.
Nothing is added to an invoice without your written approval. Scope clause.
In short
What a website costs depends on three things — and the platform is not one of them.
How many pages
Each page still needs design, build and content. Predictable, and the easiest part to scope.
How much custom design
How far the work moves from a proven layout. This is the single biggest driver of a quote.
Ecommerce and integrations
Products, checkout, tax rules, booking systems, anything that talks to another tool.
WordPress, Shopify, Webflow or Squarespace affects the figure far less than most people expect. A five-page business site typically takes four to six weeks; ecommerce six to ten; a single landing page one to two.
The most common cause of delay is not design work but late content. Before hiring anyone, get three things in writing: the fixed price for the agreed scope, the launch date, and confirmation that the domain, hosting and design files will be registered in your name.
What usually goes wrong, and what we do instead
Three differences that decide whether a project finishes on time and whether you can look after the site afterwards.
You approve a finished site
Most projects show you the whole thing built. By then, changing direction means rebuilding twelve pages, so you live with it.
You approve a concept first
We design the homepage and one interior page and send them over. You approve the direction before anyone builds the rest.
The designer holds the keys
Hosting stays in their account. A text change means an email and an invoice, and leaving means starting over.
Everything is in your name
Design files, domain, hosting logins. You can hand the whole site to another designer tomorrow without asking us.
Handover is a zip file
You get the files and no idea what to do with them. The first small edit costs a callout fee.
Handover is a recorded session
We walk you through editing your own pages and you keep the recording, so a text change in month three costs nothing.
Shape your project
We quote every project individually rather than publishing a price list. Answer four questions and you get a realistic timeline plus a short brief to send us, so your quote comes back accurate rather than hedged.
Who does what
Six stages. The useful thing to know up front is which ones need you and which ones don't, because that is what decides whether the date holds.
What you get in writing
Before any money changes hands, four things are agreed on paper. This is the part most projects skip, and it's why most projects go over budget.
A fixed price
One number, agreed before work starts. If you later add scope, we quote that separately and you approve it before we touch it. Nothing is ever added to an invoice without your say-so. Scope changes in full.
A launch date
A date, plus a content checklist showing exactly what we need from you and when. Late content moves the date, and we tell you that at the start rather than in week five. What we need from you.
A defined scope
Page count, features, revision rounds, and a list of what the price does not cover. Ambiguity is what turns a six-week project into a twelve-week one. How revisions work.
Ownership terms
Domain, hosting, design files and every login transfer to you on final payment. You can move to another designer the next day without asking us for anything. See the ownership clause.
Before you hire anyone
01What if I don't have content ready?
Tell us at the quote stage. It changes the price and the timeline, and it's much better to know at the start. Missing content is the single most common reason projects run late, which is why we send a checklist on day one rather than chasing you in week three.
02Do I own the site when it's finished?
Yes, completely. Domain, hosting, design files, and every login go into your name at handover. Designers who hold your hosting are relying on your inability to leave. Ownership is clause 8 of our terms. More on ownership.
03Freelancer or agency — which do I need?
Most small business projects are better served by a freelancer: you talk to the person doing the work, and you're not funding an office through your invoice. Agencies make sense for large sites on tight deadlines. Full comparison.
04What happens after launch if something breaks?
Bugs in anything we built are fixed free for 30 days. After that you can pay hourly or take a monthly plan. What maintenance costs.
05Will you tell me if I don't need what I'm asking for?
Yes. Most small businesses don't need a custom-coded platform, and we'll say so even when it means a smaller invoice. If your budget doesn't match your brief, we'll tell you what to cut rather than quote you something you were never going to accept. We also never guarantee rankings or revenue.
Still deciding? Get the number first
Most people want a figure before they want a conversation. Send us the shape of the project and we'll price it, whether or not you ever reply again.
Or email contact@hire-web-designer.com — opens your email app
