Once you pay the deposit, the quote is the only thing you can hold your web designer to. If it says "Website: RM X" and nothing else, you can't hold them to much.
Here's what a good quote lists, the red flags to watch for, and three questions to ask before you sign.
What a website quote should list
1. Every page, by name. "A 5-page website" isn't scope. "Home, Services, About, Reviews, Contact" is. If a page isn't named, expect to pay extra for it later.
2. Who supplies what. Copy, photos, logo, product details, domain. If the quote doesn't say, assume it's you, and ask.
3. How changes work. How you send comments, how quickly you see them applied, and until when. "We'll revise until you're happy" is not an answer.
4. When the timeline starts. From the deposit, or from the day all your content is in? Most projects run late because they wait on content. A launch date counted from the deposit is a date nobody can keep.
5. What counts as a change after launch. A broken link is a fix, and should be free. New wording is a change. A new page is new work. A good quote says which is which.
6. A payment schedule tied to steps. For example, half to start and half before launch. You should know what you get at each payment.
7. What you own at the end. The domain in your business's name, the admin login, and your photos and copy. Ask about design files too: some studios charge for them, which is fine if it's written down.
8. What it costs from year two. Domain renewal, hosting, paid plugins or theme licences, and whoever fixes it when something breaks. The quote is the number you see. These are the numbers that surprise you.
6 red flags
- The whole quote is one line. No pages, no dates, no exclusions.
- Full payment up front. You lose your leverage before you've seen anything.
- "Unlimited revisions." It sounds generous. In practice it usually means no end date, and the project drifts. A set period for comments and changes is easier to plan around.
- The domain is registered in their name. If you part ways, your web address leaves with them.
- Nothing about phones. Most of your visitors will arrive on a phone. A quote should say the site is built and checked for phone and desktop.
- No live sites to show you. Screenshots and mock-ups are easy to make. Ask for links to sites they built that are live today.
One red flag doesn't mean walk away. It means ask, and get the answer in writing before you pay.
3 questions to ask before you sign
- What will this cost me each year from year two? Get a number, not "it depends".
- What happens if I go quiet for two weeks? A clear answer protects both of you. Ours: 10 working days with no reply pauses the project, so you're never billed for waiting.
- If something breaks after launch, who fixes it, and how long is that free?
How we write ours
After a 30-minute discovery call, we send a fixed quote. It names every page, lists what you send us, and counts your launch date from the day all your content is in. You comment on a private staging link from day one and see changes the same day. After launch you get 14 days of free fixes.
You can read every step and rule on our Process page. Want to see what your site would need and a price range before any call? Get your website plan.
