Free tool · Web design and development
Website Project Planner: Brief and Quote Checklist
The short answer
Website quotes vary because every provider guesses at a different scope. Give them all the same brief: the type of site, how many pages, who writes the content, what it must do and when it must be live. Then ask each one the same cost questions and compare quotes over the first year, build plus twelve months of hosting, licences and maintenance, not on the build price alone.
Want it priced? Send us the brief and we will reply with a scope and a quote.
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How the planner works
The planner asks what the site is, what it must do and who supplies the content, then writes three things you can use with any web designer or agency:
- A brief. The scope in plain words, so every provider quotes for the same job.
- The cost questions to ask. One-off and recurring costs, picked to match your choices. A store gets payment and shipping questions, a redesign gets the redirect question, a booking site gets the booking system question.
- A first-year comparison of your quotes. Enter up to three quotes, each with its build price and its monthly cost after launch. The planner adds twelve months of running costs to each build, because a cheap build with expensive hosting and maintenance can cost more by the end of the year.
It shows no prices of its own. Website prices depend on the scope the brief sets out, and we would rather you compare real quotes for your project than a range that fits nobody's.
The costs that do not appear in the build price
Most surprises after a website goes live come from costs that sat outside the build quote:
| Cost | One-off or recurring | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | Recurring, usually yearly | Whose name is it registered in, and when does it renew? |
| Hosting | Recurring | What does it cost after any first-year discount ends? |
| Paid plugins, themes or apps | Usually recurring | Which ones, and what does each cost a year? |
| Maintenance and support | Recurring | What is included: updates, backups, security fixes, small changes? |
| Content writing and photos | One-off | Is it included, and who checks the facts? |
| Booking, payment or email tools | Recurring, plus fees per transaction | Which tool, what plan, which fees? |
| Changes after launch | Per change | How many rounds are included, and what does an extra one cost? |
The planner adds the rows that apply to your choices to the question list, so each provider is asked the same things.
Redesigning a live site: protect what already ranks
A redesign can lose search traffic when old page addresses stop working. Google's guide to moving a site says: "It's important to map your old site's URLs to the URLs for the new site," and recommends "server side permanent redirects from the old URLs to the new URLs as you indicated in your mapping." When you choose "Redesign of a site that is live", the brief says so and the questions ask whether a redirect map is included. Our guide to redesigning a website without losing SEO covers the rest of the checklist.
How to compare the quotes
- Same brief, same questions. Send every provider the brief and the question list, and ask for answers in writing.
- Compare the first year, not the build. The planner's table adds twelve months of running costs to each build price.
- Check what is missing. A quote that leaves out content, hosting or maintenance is not cheaper; those costs come later.
- Keep ownership. The domain, hosting and site files should be in your name from the start.
- Plan for enquiries. A business site exists to bring in enquiries or sales: ask how forms, tracking and speed will be handled, not only how it will look.
If you are in Pakistan, our guide to website development costs in Pakistan lists published prices by type of build. When the site is live, our ad budget calculator helps plan the traffic to it.
Sources
Checked November 5, 2026.
- Google Search Central, How to move a site.
Frequently asked questions
What should a website brief include?
The type of site, roughly how many pages, whether it replaces a live site, who supplies the words and photos, what it must do (forms, booking, payments, login, connections to other software) and when it must be live. The planner writes this out for you in a form you can send to any provider.
Why do website quotes vary so much?
Because each provider fills the gaps in a vague request with their own assumptions. One quotes for you to supply all the content, another includes writing it; one includes a year of hosting and maintenance, another bills it monthly after launch. The same written brief and the same cost questions make quotes comparable.
What are the ongoing costs of a website?
Usually the domain renewal, hosting, paid plugins, themes or app subscriptions, maintenance such as updates and backups, and any booking, payment or email tools the site uses. Payment providers also charge per transaction. Ask every provider to list each one with its yearly or monthly cost.
Who should own the domain and hosting?
You should. Register the domain and the hosting account in your business's name and give the provider access, so you can move to another provider without losing the site or the address.
What should I ask when redesigning a website?
How existing pages, links and search rankings will be kept. Google's guide to moving a site says to map old URLs to new ones and use server-side permanent redirects. Ask whether a redirect map is included in the quote.
Does 1920 Agency publish website prices?
No. We quote after reading your brief. Send the brief this planner writes, and we will reply with a scope and price.