What to ask for in a website quote (and the 7 questions that save you headaches)

Asking for a website quote is a lot like asking for a renovation quote: whoever explains what they want gets an accurate price; whoever says "make it look nice" gets a random number and finds out the rest later.

This is the script I wish every client followed. It works for requesting a quote from me or from anyone else.

What to send in the first message

No document needed. Five lines on WhatsApp will do:

1. What the business does and for whom. "Physiotherapy clinic, takes insurance and private patients."
2. What you expect the site to do. Generate leads? Sell? Book appointments? Just build trust? It can be more than one, but say which is the main one.
3. What you already have. Logo, photos, copy, a registered domain, an active Instagram. What you don't have counts too.
4. Two or three websites you like. They don't need to be in your industry. It's for aligning taste.
5. When it needs to be live. If there's a date (opening, campaign, trade show), say it now, not the week of delivery.

With that, a serious professional can give you a fixed price. If they still ask for a meeting, fine, but the price shouldn't be a surprise after it.

The 7 questions to ask before signing

1. Are the domain and hosting in my name?

The right answer is yes. If they're in the supplier's name, you're renting your own address. When the relationship ends, the site goes with it. Ask for them to be registered with your email and your company.

2. Can I edit the site without paying?

Swap a photo, update hours, publish a post. That needs an admin panel, and the panel needs to be shown to you before delivery. "Send it over and I'll change it" is a billable hour forever.

3. What exactly is included, and what isn't?

Ask for the list in writing. Photos, copy, number of pages, WhatsApp integration, professional email, Google Analytics. A quote without the list of what's not included is half a quote.

4. How much does it cost to maintain per month?

Every website has a monthly cost: hosting, domain, security. It can be R$ 50 or R$ 2,000. If the supplier says "we'll see later", you'll see when the bill arrives. In my case, plans start at R$ 249/month and are public on the site.

5. What if I want to change something mid-project?

It will happen. The question is how it's handled: hourly work at a defined rate, a new package, or "we'll figure it out" (which turns into delays or arguments). The clearer the answer, the less stress at delivery.

6. What's the timeline, and what happens if it slips?

Timeline in business days, counted from when you deliver the material. If the delay is the supplier's, the final payment waits for delivery. If it's yours (late material), the clock restarts. This needs to be in writing.

7. How does payment work?

The most common and fair arrangement is part on approval and part on delivery. I work with 50% and 50%, and accept card installments or other terms if that works better for your cash flow. Be wary of 100% upfront, and equally wary of 100% at the end: in both cases someone is taking on too much risk.

What an honest quote contains

At the end, you should have a document (a PDF or a long message is fine) with:

• A fixed price, and what would change it
• A list of what's included and what isn't
• Timeline in business days and the condition for it to hold
• Monthly maintenance cost, or a note that there is none
• Payment terms
• Confirmation that the domain, code and credentials stay in your name

If anything is missing, ask. Someone comfortable with their own work answers quickly.

Compare scope, not price

Three quotes at R$ 1,500, R$ 2,700 and R$ 6,000 may be selling different things. The R$ 1,500 one might be a template with no panel and a domain in someone else's name. The R$ 6,000 one might include professional photos and copy written from scratch. Neither is wrong; what's wrong is comparing numbers without reading the list.

My prices per format are on solutions and prices, and the answers to the seven questions on the FAQ. Want to test the script? Send me the five lines above on WhatsApp. Within 24 hours you get a written quote with all seven points answered, even if you decide to go with someone else.