What to Prepare Before You Ask for a Website Quote

A quote is only as accurate as the brief behind it. Ten minutes of preparation saves a week of back and forth, and it gets you a number you can trust.

Start with the job the website has to do

Write one sentence about what a visitor should do when they arrive: order food, book a table, request a quote, enrol a child. Every page and feature in a proposal should serve that sentence.

List the pages you expect

A simple list is enough: Home, About, Services, Gallery, Contact. If you are unsure, look at two or three competitors and note which pages they have. The number of different page layouts is one of the biggest drivers of price, which we cover in How Much Should a Business Website Cost in 2026?.

Gather your content early

A quote assumes the content exists. Collect your logo, brand colours, photos and the text for your key pages. If something is missing, say so, because writing copy and arranging photography are separate pieces of work.

Show examples you like

Send two or three websites you admire and say what you like about each: the layout, the colours, the way the menu works. An example tells a designer more than an adjective does.

Name the features you need

Online ordering, bookings, payments, a blog, a members area, a staff login. Each of these is a feature with its own cost. If the list moves beyond a site that informs and into one that tracks and processes things, you may be describing a web application, which is quoted differently.

Share your budget range and your deadline

A rough range helps a developer recommend what fits it, and a date helps with planning. If there is a launch event or a busy season you are aiming for, mention it up front.

Ask about the costs outside the quote

Domain registration and hosting are paid to third parties and renew every year. Ask whoever quotes you whether they are included. Ours are listed separately on the services page.

When you have these notes together, send them to us for a quote. If you already have a site and are thinking of changing it, read what a website redesign should actually fix first.