Buying a website
How to brief a website project before you pay anyone
A clear one-page brief is the cheapest way to get an accurate quote, a realistic deadline and a website that does what you need.
Why a brief matters more than a big budget
Most website projects that go wrong do so for ordinary reasons: the goal was never written down, content arrived late, nobody knew who approves changes, or "small extras" appeared halfway through. A one-page brief fixes most of that before any money changes hands, and it lets you compare quotes from different developers on the same basis.
The one-page brief (copy this)
| Business | Name, what you sell, where you operate |
|---|---|
| Goal | The one action a good visitor should take (call, WhatsApp, book, buy, apply) |
| Customers | Who they are and the two or three questions they ask before buying |
| Pages | List each page and its purpose — e.g. Home, Services, Contact |
| Must-have features | WhatsApp button, enquiry form, map, menu, booking link… |
| Nice-to-have | Things that can wait for phase two |
| Content owner | Who writes text and supplies photos, and by when |
| Integrations | Google Business Profile, payment provider, booking tool, email |
| Examples | Two or three sites you like, and what you like about each |
| Deadline | A real date and the reason for it (launch, season, event) |
| Budget | A range — it helps a developer suggest the right scope |
| Approver | The one person who signs off on designs and text |
Gather content before design starts
Content is the most common cause of delay. Collect these early:
- Logo (the original file if you have it) and brand colours
- A list of services, each with a sentence or two in plain language
- Prices, price ranges, or a clear "ask for a quote" message
- Your own photos of the premises, team and work
- The questions customers ask you most — they become your FAQ
- Address, timings, phone, WhatsApp number, email
- Registration details you want shown (GSTIN, Udyam, professional or RERA numbers)
- Genuine reviews you have permission to use, or a link to your Google reviews
Own your domain and logins
Register your domain in your own name and account, even if the developer helps set it up. At handover you should have the logins (or transfer) for the domain, hosting, website files or editor, email and any analytics or Google accounts created for you. Keep them somewhere safe. If a developer disappears, this is what lets someone else take over.
Questions to ask any developer or agency
- What exactly is included — how many pages, sections and revision rounds?
- Who writes the text, and who supplies photos?
- What is the delivery date, and what does it depend on?
- Who owns the design, code and content after payment?
- What will I pay every year after launch (domain, hosting, plugins, support)? Is anything compulsory?
- Can I see a preview before launch, on my own phone?
- How are changes after launch priced?
- Will you test the forms, WhatsApp and call buttons before handover?
Get the answers in writing — a quote or a short email is enough.
Fixed price or hourly?
For a small business site with a clear brief, a fixed price is usually simpler: you know the total in advance and scope changes are discussed explicitly. Hourly billing suits open-ended or exploratory work where the scope genuinely can't be known yet. Either way, a written scope protects both sides.
Red flags
- No written scope, or a price that changes once work starts
- The domain registered in the developer's name with no plan to transfer it
- Guaranteed first-page Google rankings
- Compulsory monthly fees that aren't explained
- No preview before you pay the final amount
A realistic timeline
For a one- to five-page business site, the steps are: brief and quote → content collected → first preview → one or two rounds of changes → final checks on phone and desktop → launch and handover. The biggest variable is usually how quickly content and feedback arrive, so agree dates for those too.
Want a quick reality check on scope and budget? Try the website cost calculator, or send us your brief for a fixed-price quote.